To the Coast!

We made it! 14 days and 3,555 miles. We averaged something over 27 miles per gallon, probably owing to my over-packing. I know that we are heavier than we should be. I forgot to mention in my previous post that the first gas in California was $5.15/gallon. That was premium (Bergy has expensive tastes) and right at the beginning of the Tioga Road, a somewhat captive audience. I was pleased to see the prices drop to about $4.15 farther from the border. I had figured $4.10 average for the trip and this is really the first time I have exceeded that.

Now that the bean-counters have been dealt with....

I forgot to mention that the winner of the t-shirt is Doug Peel, who correctly guessed I would see my first Miata in Yosemite. The first one I saw here in Monterey was the earlier version of the British Racing Green Special Edition (Bergy's older sibling) from 1991. I was feeling pretty smug about completing my cross-country journey. This guy came from Newfoundland, about 10,000 kilometers, more than 6,200 miles in a 23 year old car! Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

I also drove out to the Laguna Seca track just to get my bearings. I couldn't believe how hilly it is! It looks like a fun place to play. I am not going to be doing any "hot laps," but I will take part in a "parade lap" or two at a more moderate speed, just to have the experience, dontcha know.

It was amazing how noticable the temperature drop was when we got near the coast. It's in the low to mid-70s here, supposed to be partly cloudy for The Event. Perfect!

Tomorrow is a "day off." Several people I trust suggested I visit the Monterey Aquarium, so the Monterey Aquarium it will be.

Yosemite

I think the Loneliest Road is over-hyped. US 95 south out of Fallon, Nevada was, in my opinion, lonelier Fewer cars, less traffic. (See what I did there?) I spent much of the morning singing of Darcy Farrow, because this is where the Walker runs down to the Carson Valley Plain. Anyway once the lonely part was done, I got to take the Tioga Road into Yosemite, one of the highpoints, literally and figuratively, of the trip thus far. Stunning, stunning scenery and a beautiful day.Traffic there was, but not as bad as it could have been. Some of the backups were due to more of those unsung heros (and federal employees) who were clearing the road of rock slides so that we all could pass safely Thank you, federal employees.

I met up with Jana and Sean, two good friends from the NPS who work in Yosemite, then had dinner and stayed with them at their house in Mariposa, an hour-plus commute each way (on a good day.) Again, beautiful scenery, and a wonderful Miata drive, but I can only imagine what it must be like when the weather is less clement.

I did drop in to Best Studios, AKA the Ansel Adams Gallery. I thought back to 1966 when I arrived there on a bus to take part in Ansel's Yosemite Workshop. Overwhelming experience for me. Moreso than when I returned nine years later as a teaching assistant. Much had changed in the intervening years. One of Ansel's prints was hanging in Gerry Ford's Oval Office, Ansel's business manager was driving a Ferrari, and his prints were commanding real money. In 1966, I bought three signed prints as gifts for $7.50 each. (My mom was appalled that I spent so much.) Granted, they had been printed by Liliane DeCock, Ansel's assistant at the time, but they were approved and signed by himself. For the truly well-heeled, yesterday I saw a print of Moonrise, Hernandez priced at $52,000. (Mom would be pleased I didn't buy it.)

Today it's off to Monterey, my "final" destination. It's another beautiful day, albeit dry and dusty. Poor California. It needs watering.

More and More Nevada

OK, it was lonely. It was lonely as Hell. Not that I think that Hell, if it exists, is lonely, far from it, but it was very lonely. It may not be the Loneliest Road in America, as the signs claim it to be, but US Route 50 in Nevada is way up there in the lonely road pantheon. Truth be told, however, it was a pretty popular road today. Lots of motorcycles, campers, and cars. I guess all the hype about its being lonely has created a counterproductive rush to experience the loneliness. But, as you can see, there's a lot of space in which to hide all the traffic.

I was again struck by the bravery of the people who crossed this wilderness before there were roads, where every gully, every hill, was an obstacle that had to be overcome. I can't imagine the perseverance that was needed all day, every day, for months or years. The Pony Express ran through this area. The last of the pre-technology communications methods. It lasted only 19 months, rendered obsolete by the telegraph. Of course, someone had to string those telegraph wires. Then, more recently, the people who planned and built the roads that I sped along so effortlessly. Yes, they had machines, but I'm sure it was no picnic.

I still have not seen any other west-bound Miatas. Tomorrow may be different, however, as I head into Yosemite by the Tioga Pass. I know that some Miata owners had talked about driving on the Tioga Road on their way to Monterey. One more night "on the road," staying with Sean and Jana before I arrive in Monterey for Miata's 25th anniversary celebration this coming weekend.

Utah and Nevada

Today was National Don't Bother Turning the Steering Wheel Day. If you missed it, it's probably just as well, because most of you live somewhere where they have curves in the roads Not here. Here, I could have lashed down the wheel, stomped on the the gas pedal, and taken a nap. It's that straight. OK, I did make a left turn at Wendover, but you get the idea. Tomorrow I am traveling on what is supposed to be "The Lonliest Road in America." ot sure how a road can get lonlier than the one between Wendover and Ely, but I guess we'll find out tomorrow.

 Here we are at Bonneville Salt Flats. Yes it's flat, exccept for the curvature of the earth. And, yes, it's salty. I tasted it. Very salty. No, we didn't drive on it. It is a crust of salt, with water under it, so, like ice on a frozen lake, it can give way if you find a thin spot and down you go. Besides, Bergy gets enough salt in his diet with the winters we have in eastern Pennsylvania. Other than a couple of large plaques and a diner/gas pump/postcard rack, there wasn't anything in the way of info about Bonneville or the speed records set there as far back as the 30s. Maybe Wendover has something, but they don't talk about it much if they do.

Tomorrow is all Nevada, 200+ miles of lonely Route 50. We'll see....

Salt Lake, Utah

Today was pretty long, for me, about 350 miles. Bergy still continues to perform beautifully. Cousin Elsie made me some wonderful meatloaf and pepperjack sandwiches which stood me in good stead at a windy rest stop. Having the sandwiches was a nice way to take a little of my visit with me, to ease the transition from peace back to jousting on the highway. I am in Toole, Utah tonight, with a relatively short hop to Ely, Nevada tomorrow. I plan to visit the Bonneville salt flats on my way to Ely. Don't know if there'll be anything going on there tomorrow, but it'll be fun just to see it.

During much of today, I was again struck by the vastness of this country. I was reminded of the Breton Fisherman's Prayer: "Oh God, thy sea is so great, and my boat so small."

I am so fortunate to be able to make this journey. I'm getting closer to the left coast and my destination, but this trip has been all I dreamed it would be.

More From Pavillion

What a perfect antidote for the interstate! I spent two full days visiting with my cousin Elsie Westlake near Pavillion, Wyoming. Somehow I had never experienced the smell of sagebrush before, or at least so intensely. What a wonderful thing! Textures everywhere. She took up knifemaking a few years ago and showed me some beautiful work. Here are a few more pictures.

 

Pavilion, Wyoming

I'm visiting my cousin Elsie who has lived here since her early 20s. I can see why. It is stone quiet and beautiful. The Wind River range is in the distance, past the porch railing, the grass, the horse barn, past the trees and the sagebrush. It's sunny today with a nice breeze. I offered to stack some firewood but stopped far short of completion. There's always tomorrow, which should see me most of the way through the rest of the pile. No rattlers, but I am watching and listening. She says she hasn't seen any for a few years, but, you know....

Her jackrabbit died a while back, so now there are two cottontails, two horses, an aging border collie, and four kittens that will be adopted out when they are old enough.

So far, we've traveled more than 2,000 miles, averaging about 27 mpg of high-test. Bergy's still doing fine, although his cruise control kicks off when going up inclines. Not sure if this is usual. I will check on Miata.net when I get back to WiFi in a couple of days.