On the Road Placentia to Bishop, CA 05-18-18

Yes, I finally got off!  Had terrible leg cramps during the night, despite the "leg cramp pills" and didn't sleep at all well.  So I slept in a bit and got out of the house about 11am.  Stopped for gas, Starbuck's, PO drop box, AAA, and on the 91 Fwy about 12noon.  Which I thought was pretty good - considering.  Heavy traffic all the way to the Hwy 395 turnoff at Apple Valley, then the going was smooth and the cars well spaced.  Nobody can go more than about 70mph on this part of the highway, it is too up and down and mostly only one lane in each direction.  Did a pit stop at the Hwy 58 junction and another when I got to the Manzanar National Historic Monument.  And I was just in time because as soon as I got in the bathroom the announcement came that they close at 4:30pm.  Whew!  The visitors center is in the old, original auditorium/gym that was constructed in about 1944, but it is all divided up into exhibit rooms, gift shop (very nice, many books and videos), bathrooms, offices, etc.  It isn't just one giant room anymore.   I've been there twice before, once many years ago when there wasn't a monument, just cement curbs, broken blacktop, and lots of tumbleweeds.  I hope I can see it again when there is time to look at the exhibits. 

Arrived in Bishop about 5:30pm, got gas first thing, not because I needed it but because I am afraid I will forget before starting off in the morning.  I've done that!   Checked into the Holiday Inn Express, usually my favorite place to stay anywhere, but I remember I wasn't happy here the last time and I am not this time.  There were no first floor rooms so I am on the 2nd floor.  It is a long skinny building, corridor with rooms on each side.   But the elevator is at the far end of the building.  So, once you get your luggage out of the elevator I had to walk the corridor almost to the front of the building over the registration desk.  DUMB.  The corridor is not clean and my room has no clock!  The one nice thing is it has a chaise lounge that I can put pillows at the head and sleep in it.  Hurrah.  I brought my "bed bag" with pillow and quilt, so I will be quite comfortable if I ever get to bed.   Gotta have a shower first.  So, here are some pictures of this lonely road and I will try harder tomorrow. 

For a reason I can't figure out these pictures are not in order.  But it is too late for me to rearrange them tonight.  Check back sometime if it matters to you.

I have never understood why someone would move to a desolate place, miles from "civilization" and build their dwelling right on the highway.   Do you love that brown utility pole in the front "yard".

Here is another one, not quite so close to the road, but overlooking the highway.  Why?

Multi purpose gateway?  Sign on a water tank.  And why the water tank here on the edge of the highway?

Flat track north of the junction with Route 58.  Nary a Shadow or a Mountain in sight. 

However if you look carefully you can see a lone Joshua tree on the far right. 

Here is an idea for quilting the sky.  Lots of wires running from solar farms?

An even narrower section of Hwy 395.  But there is a mountain!

Getting into the foothills of the eastern Sierra Nevada. 

There is still lots of snow up on the tops of the mountains.   Mt. Whitney is there behind the clouds somewhere. 

This is further north almost to Bishop.  

Quite a bit of lava rock along the way.   I suppose it is millions of years old. 

Just south of Bishop, perhaps these are the mountains around Bishop Creek.  Don't think I will pay them a visit this trip.  

One plus for Holiday Inn Express - they have these paperboard quilts behind glass in the lobby and breakfast room.  

I tried to take out the reflections from the overhead spotlights. 

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