The rough plan so far is Death Valley, Mammoth Lakes, Yosemite, a brief break and a free lunch from Hilliard in San Jose. Then south down Highway One through Big Sur, a stop at Kirk Creek, then San Simeon and Cambria, hit a few Central Coast Wineries and then back to the Canyon.The trip will take a week, roughly a 1,000 miles of driving, a 100 or so off road. No hotels, tent camping every night. Given Geo's level of experience, this will be like taking a 9 year old, unruly boy along. A nine year old boy who drinks.
The plan is for rock and roll music, the blues and country music. We'll drink whiskey, eat steak, hot dogs, eggs and bacon cooked in an iron frying pan over an open fire (if possible) Geo says he isn't going to shave, I'll be doing my shaving in the side mirror of the Jeep. Geo snores, so I may be sleeping in the Jeep.
Anze the Dog is coming with us, giving me another mouth to feed. I'll be busy, Anze and Geo will be asking for dinner, cold drinks and constant attention. I won't be scratching Geo's ear or giving him belly rubs. Like Anze, he may need brushing.
If we weren't so old, I'd suggest climbing Mt. Whitney, be neat to stand on the top of the highest peak in the lower 48, right? But, I know of a great view of it from Highway 395.
We can look at it from the road and eat pastry from the Danish Bakery in Bishop, CA or we could camp at Whitney Portal or Portogee (there's an ethnic slur) Campground in Lone Pine and let the younger folks tell us about their climb, while we drink whisky.
Mammoth Lakes will be great,, if the snow is gone by then. The plan has been to drive on 4X4 forest service roads to Yosemite. Snow could be a problem, if it is, I'll figure something out. A few days at Yosemite will round out that first part of the trip.
We'll see Big Jim in San Jose for a fine lunch on his nickel, of course. Then see my grandkids in Santa Cruz and head south down Highway 1.
We may camp a night in Big Sur or beat it to Kirk Creek, maybe Lime Kiln. The last nigh we'll stay at San Simeon State Park and have dinner with the Cochruns and Griffins. On the way home stop at Windward Winery and get Cakes a bottle or two of good wine, we'll admire Lana Cochrun's art work while we're there..
When we get home, Anze will be ready for his own bed, me too.
Sounds very exciting Bobby, I can hardly wait. Geo
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a fine trip except for the lack of Marriot's along your route.
ReplyDeleteThese days I "glamp" rather than camp. Solar lights in the tent, cots. Solar shower.
DeleteLooking forward to the visit and hearing the tales of adventure!
ReplyDeleteBishop California claimed to be Jerky Capital of America last time I drove through in 1986.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/content.php?1342-Meadow-Farms-Country-Smokehouse-Bishop-California
Lone Pine was cool. It's where they made many of the TV Westerns in the 50's and 60's. The Rock Formations are remarkable. Remember The Lone Ranger' Opening putting Silver through his paces on that big Boulder?
Lone Pine is also where one of Hollywood's great Character Actors lived. Elisha Cook Jr. According to John Huston, who in 1941 directed him in The Maltese Falcon:
[Cook] lived alone up in the High Sierra, tied flies and caught golden trout between films. When he was wanted in Hollywood, they sent word up to his mountain cabin by courier. He would come down, do a picture, and then withdraw again to his retreat.[12]
Elisha certainly did it His Way https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisha_Cook_Jr.
Among his most famous scenes was from Shane https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWnDVW07_1c
Director George Stevens wanted to demonstrate to audiences "the horrors of violence". To emphasize the terrible power of gunshots, he created a cannon-like sound effect by firing a large-calibre weapon into a garbage can. In addition, he had the two principal shooting victims—Palance and Elisha Cook Jr.—rigged with hidden wires that jerked them violently backward when shot. These innovations, according to film historian Jay Hyams, marked the beginning of graphic violence in Western movies. He quotes Sam Peckinpah: "When Jack Palance shot Elisha Cook Jr. in Shane, things started to change."[11]