Trip Report
Thirty-five Obsidians and friends along with our driver, Augie Bergman, and navigator, Char Bergman, headed out on the road to Death Valley and beyond this cool damp Sunday morning. After stopping for a quick coffee break in Oakridge we were eager to get going on this long anticipated trip of fun and adventure. Traveling over Willamette Pass gave us views of Diamond Peak and Odell Lake. We enjoyed a short rest stop at Collier State Park to see the logging equipment from early 1900’s. The exhibit is well maintained and takes one back in time to when cross-cut saws and teams of horses and mules were used in the logging industry. Crossing into California we enjoyed our sack lunches at Lava Beds National Park, where the Modoc Indians strong-hold and caves were located. On into Susanville for an ice cream snack and finally Reno for the first night. The Grand Sierra Hotel is a spectacular sight, with 25 stories it is high above all else in the city. We were all placed in the 16th to 24th floors so the views were great. Paul, our money man, gave everyone a little cash to try out some of the 200 or so machines in the casino. Char walked away with a couple of Franklins, her quarters did quite well.
Day two found us enjoying a spectacular drive up the mountain to Virginia City, where we had time to explore this old mining town. Some chose to take the trolley ride around town, the tour guide did an excellent job of driving and sharing interesting historical information. We all did some shopping and scattered to different quaint eating establishments for lunch. Oh, yes – most of us met Stinky, an old miner, and Bernadine his burro with whom one can have your picture taken for only a dollar. On the road again to Tonopah, we had a short stop in Hawthorne, NV where many enjoyed a visit to the Army Museum of old firearms and missiles. What a find out here in the desert just because one of our riders, Peter Rial, began talking to a stranger. The Best Western in Tonopah was ready with our rooms, a spaghetti & salad dinner, plus many kinds of fresh cookies. This was a welcome sight and meal, no moving the bus.
Up early on day three as we needed extra time to make a detour into Death Valley that added about one hundred miles to the trip. Road construction on Hwy. 267 had the road closed, it was due to re-open in just a few days. After picking up our guide, Ranger Bob, we reached our destination of Scotty’s Castle on time for our reservations. Most of the group had never been here before so were totally amazed at the construction and technology developed at the Castle in the early 1900’s. The beauty of the buildings, furnishings, landscape – plus the stories told make this a must see stop. After our interesting tour, we enjoyed lunches on the picnic grounds beneath huge trees. Then we were off to Ubehebe Crater, approximately 700 ft. deep and ½ mile across, another gorgeous sight. There is a trail all the way around the thin rim of the crater. Winds were so strong you felt like you would be blown right over the edge. Ranger Bob was full of fun, lots of interesting stories. He said winds up to 60 mph are just a breeze; a strong wind would be about 90 mph; a gale about 120 mph and you probably wouldn’t want to stand on the rim during a gale. Our destination for the night was Furnace Creek Ranch located about in the middle of Death Valley. The temperature was 105 degrees when we checked in at 4:00 o’clock, but cooled down some by 7:00. Some took the shuttle up to the beautiful glass restaurant on top the hill for refreshing drinks and to watch the spectacular sunset change the mountains into vivid colors. Furnace Creek Ranch has interesting displays of old mining equipment, museums, golfing, swimming, and four restaurants to choose from for dinner. Some of us saw a coyote strolling through the grounds; he was almost as tame as a dog.
After a delicious buffet breakfast on day four, we were off to Badwater Basin, the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere – 282 ft. below sea level. Ranger Bob gave us many insights into the geology and history of the area. We all had the opportunity to walk out onto the salt flats. Next stop was the Harmony Borax Works outdoor museum where Ranger Bob entertained us with a skit involving one of our riders, Edith Pattee. He defined the activities of the Borax Works and what it was like to be a Mule Skinner. Driving the team of 18 mules and two horses 165 miles in 10 days with a heavy load of Borax, through the treacherous mountains and steep canyons was no easy job. After that intense skit and much information we just had to listen to “Fenderman” doing the “Mule Skinner Blues. Panamint Springs was our last look at the massive valley before arriving at Ridgecrest for the night. Along the way we drove through Trona, possibly one of the most chemically infested towns in the USA. One of our riders, Peter Rail, gave us a little history of Trona – sounded like none of us wanted to stop for a visit. Being just outside of the China Lake Naval Weapons Center could explain why so many chemicals are manufactured in this area.
Day five began with a tour of the China Lakes Weapons Center Museum. Entry had to be secured in advance, requiring full names, birth dates and place of birth of each person. Our guide was a retired nuclear physicist with many degrees in engineering of missiles, math and science. His vast knowledge of the nuclear and chemical world was more than we could comprehend in a one hour lecture. They have some beautiful paintings and interesting exhibits at the museum, as well as the weapons displays. As we headed on our way to Bishop we made a side trip to Fossil Falls, this is a dry falls about 30 ft. deep in a long canyon. There is only water in it when flash floods occur. Along the trail John Jacobsen spotted a rattlesnake, of course all the guys wanted a closer look – but the gals stayed at a distance. Lunch time found us at “The Grill” in Lone Pine, opened just a month ago, the food was excellent and the service outstanding. Next stop was Manzanar Internment Camp Museum, where Japanese Americans were placed following the Pearl Harbor attack. The museum and grounds are well worth seeing when you are in the area. Another interesting stop was the Mt. Whitney Fish Hatchery, this historic site is currently closed, but we enjoyed seeing the building exterior and grounds. The building made of brick in early 1900’s is beautiful and the grounds well-kept with walkways, flowers and a great fish pond. We had a great time viewing and feeding the fish, many quarters were spent here for fish food. Arriving in Bishop we stopped at Schat’s Bakery to order sandwiches, bread and goodies for the next day’s journey.
Mammoth Mountain provided some great highs, beautiful snow, coffee and a gondola ride to the top of the mountain at 11,053 ft. What a wonderful way to begin day six. One of our Obsidian members, Barbara Bruns, shared that after coming from the east coast she had climbed nearby Mt. Whitney – at over 14,000 ft. it is the highest point in the Sierras. Congratulations Barb! The day was perfect, great snow, great sun, some jumped up & down having a high moment at the top and getting a picture at the 11,053 sign. We won’t tell who was jumping up and down, but they sure were having fun.
We enjoyed our picnic lunch this day by the shores of Mono Lake. A great educational time, as well as a terrific lunch packed by Schat’s Bakery. We enjoyed a nice walk among the pillars of rock, learning more about the formations called tufa. The tufa were formed under water thousands of years ago. When the water receded it left the tufa exposed in many strange and interesting forms. A beautiful setting with the Sierras in the background. As we continued on the winding mountain highways with spectacular scenery we came to a little town named Strawberry, population 50. The rustic old Strawberry Lodge had a great ice cream parlor and an old upright piano. We enjoyed the best strawberry ice cream ever and of course a little entertainment on the piano from “Piano Paul”, what a find.
Continuing on our trek along the winding mountain roads we eventually reached the mining town of Placerville and a little farther on the town of Lincoln. Here we appreciated a quick stop at their beautiful city park. Speaking of Lincoln (which none of us had ever visited before), on April 15, 2014 a local woman was a contestant on “Wheel of Fortune”. After a long day, we reached our destination for the night, Granzilla’s Inn at Williams. Wonderful dinner and accommodations – it is a must stop when traveling I-5.
Our last day on the road gave us more spectacular sights and a couple more great stops. At Corning, home of the “Olive Pit” our moneyman gave out the last of his cash for espresso and other goodies. What goodies we did find – every olive you can imagine to jellies, nuts and exotic coffees. At a nearby fruit stand we sampled some wonderful fresh California strawberries. On the road again we enjoyed views of Mt. Shasta covered with snow, then on into Oregon for our lunch stop at “Heaven on Earth”. It was to die for, if you haven’t experienced this restaurant along I-5, just north of Sexton Mountain, you are missing out. The smell of fresh pastries baking and the cinnamon rolls as big as cakes are heavenly. At the end of a fantastic trip we arrived back in Eugene at Shopko around 5:30 p.m. Seven days on the road, we were tired but made many new friends and it was hard to say goodbye.
