The Route Less Taken - L.A. To Reno Via Highway 395

"It's 1 of the most scenic drives inwards California," I tell my son.

"When does the scenic purpose start?" he replies.

Can't say I blame him all that much equally yous direct keep to induce through a lot of ex-urban, partially developed desert set down that would live to a greater extent than suited for a role inwards "Breaking Bad," earlier yous larn to the practiced part.

Prisons, large subdivisions, in addition to the roads that are ill-suited to thence many newcomers pushing into these communities but on the other side of the Cajon Pass from San Bernardino set a damper on this purpose of the drive.

"Be patient, it volition live scenic inwards awhile."

Watch the Video!

Gradually, the lastly of the gargantuan Southern California's metropolitan sprawl passes past times in addition to nosotros larn to a to a greater extent than empty desert scenery sprinkled amongst ghost towns in addition to lonely gas stations serving equally residual stops for weary travelers.

Once nosotros climb the degree that separates the desert from Owens Valley at the appropriately named Little Lake, the scenery does modify dramatically.

The mighty Sierra Nevadas business our left side view. It's non long earlier nosotros delineate over for a restroom pause at Lone Pine to accept a gander at snowfall in addition to cloud draped Mt Whitney inwards the distance (see painting at the top of this post).

Still, my jaded boy is going "I've seen mountains in addition to desert before."

Oh well, yous but can't delight all the metropolis lovers sometimes.

Soon, I'm pointing out historical points that my married adult woman is slightly to a greater extent than interested inwards than Tim.

"There's the courthouse where they tried Charles Manson (in Independence)...John Wayne stayed at that hotel spell shooting westerns inwards those rocks to the left...that mound on the left is a volume grave for earthquake victims...(and, most poignantly of all) that big, greenish edifice is all that's left of Manzinar."

Tim perks upward a fleck when nosotros halt at Jack's Restaurant inwards Bishop...which volition ever live Jack's Waffle Shop to me...where it was a mandatory repast whatever fourth dimension nosotros drove upward to Mammoth inwards my skiing days.

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Bishop also marks the point, close 3/5 of the agency to our destination, where I need to fill upward the gas tank 1 time to a greater extent than thence nosotros halt at the Paiute Casino in addition to gas halt at the destination of town where my married adult woman also buys about Indian kid pause existence cooked upward inwards a lilliputian trailer inwards the parking lot.

Back on the road, nosotros shortly piece of occupation past times the aforementioned Mammoth Mountain, covered inwards a fatty snow-filled cloud (hope it's a practiced flavor for them), thence climb over Sherwin Summit at over 8,000 feet to larn to Mammoth's sis resort of June Lake. 

Lee Vining in addition to Mono Lake are next. Every fourth dimension I induce through here, I mean value of Clint Eastwood's "High Plains Drifter," which was filmed along the shore.

Bridgeport is next, a town that gets thence snowbound inwards wintertime that it'd brand yous mean value you're inwards Montana rather than California, amongst it's gas prices to a greater extent than than a dollar a gallon higher than what nosotros paid inwards Bishop.  It gets thence mutual depression temperature hither that the Marines utilization it for mutual depression temperature atmospheric condition warfare preparation at the Mountain Warfare Training Center located nearby.

Through the Walker River Canyon, where a tragic jitney accident happened years agone in addition to iii airborne firefighters are memorialized amongst dozens of t-shirts in addition to a roadside plaque close the location where their C-130 tanker crashed fighting a blaze.

After this beautiful but deplorable canyon drive, Topaz Lake marks the set down business amongst the ubiquitous casino. Down a hill, Gardnerville in addition to Menden score our entrance to Nevada's Carson Valley in addition to our ultimate destination spell we're hither to accept a expect in addition to come across if nosotros powerfulness desire to retire here.

That's for tomorrow, though, equally nosotros give-up the ghost along north...maddeningly...along the highway equally the governments hither direct keep decided to throw upward an unsynchronized signal every straight off in addition to then, turning a one-half hr induce into an hr summation when nosotros finally accomplish our hotel inwards Reno, across the street from the Harrah estate.

It's been a long, nearly 10 hr induce but yous tin come across the whole matter compressed into half dozen minutes inwards the video above. For now, we'll plow inwards to our room at the Homewood Suites in addition to give-up the ghost along this solid hunters matter inwards the morning.

Darryl
Copyright 2014 - Darryl Musick
All Rights Reserved
Photos past times Letty Musick
Copyright 2014 - All Rights Reserved