Oct 6 2019, Sunday morning.
My alarm went off at 0350, I haven't gotten up this early in ages except to pee.
I dressed, jeans and a tee shirt, my Bosch one I got free for buying the oscillating cutter, and made coffee and oatmeal with raisins. As that decanted and cooled I walked my humble(680sqft) abode and piled those last minute things in the living room. You know the rest of the raisins and measuring cup for the oatmeal, slippers. That kind of stuff.
After eating and doing the dishes I put the cooler and the last of the crap into my 109. Next I attached the Yakima bike rack in the receiver and put my 2003 Titus Racer X on it. With the house locked up I fired up my 200TDI and headed off into the dark. It was 0505
With both tanks topped off I knew I could get to Nevada before refueling as I climbed up Bear Creek Rd in the wee hours of the morning. Just before I got on Hwy 17 I stopped to pee as I was going to be a couple of more hours before it would be convenient to stop again. It was 0550
Gaining speed on the light Sunday morning traffic on Hwy 17 was not an issue. The TDI moved me up to 55-60 and there I sat content to not be in a hurry and be predictable for those drivers in a rush.
I made the merge on to 680N, the section that used to be Hwy 17 also, where I turned off in Fremont and crossed over to 580 via Mission Blvd.
By now the traffic had picked up though there was still plenty of space. I climbed the pass and dropped down the valley past the truck scales.
I followed Mr Amazon up and over the Altamont Pass, the one with all the windmills, as the sun started to make the Eastern sky glow. It was around 0630
I passed Mr Amazon on Hwy 205 some where around Tracy, now I was on the flats and had my speed up to around 65.
In a big sweeping left turn overpass 205 drops onto Interstate 5 for about a mile and then the turn off to Hwy 120E. 120 will take you to Yosemite and in the summer up and over the Sierra Nevada Batholith.
I took 120E because in a few miles it drops into 99N and a half mile later spits you off on 120E again. Somewhere along the way(Manteca?) 120 merges with 108, my preferred route over the Sierras.
Man, Hwy 120 was hard, it goes right into the rising sun. I held my right hand up to block it as I drove along. It was sooo bad I should have pulled over, but nobody did. I was doing 60 and the semi ahead of me was pulling away!
I really had to pee, but I knew I can stop at Micky D's in Oakdale after I turn off 120 onto 108 proper. I get there at 0730
I'm not a fan of McDonald's, but on Sunday morning in Oakdale on Hwy 108 it is the only place open. I use the restroom and ordered an egg McMuffin and hash browns to go, I am order #41.
Couple of minutes later and I pick it up and go out to the Rover. Take my blood pressure meds(yep, me too!) and consume "second breakfast".
It only took about 15-20 min, but the sun was not directly in my eyes as I continued my adventure on Hwy 108.
I like to stop at the Donnell Vista point for a couple of reasons; I can pee and rest, the plus here is the scenery is awesome, though changed by recent forest fires. It is high on the side of the the Batholith on the edge of a deep carved valley.
Too soon I'm on the road again, climbing, climbing and climbing. The views are terrific.
Not stopping this time at the top I just kept it in third and went down the East side. So as it is in the Rockies the Eastern side is steeper than the West. I used a lot of second and brakes going down the top, what, 8 miles. Once you get to the horse stables you are almost down. The Army Winter Warfare Center is the first "flat" area as you follow the Walker River down to Hwy 395 where this trip I turn right and head towards Bridgeport and Mono lake. I think it was around 1110
395 was pretty uneventful as I drove past the turn off toe Bodie, a once lawless gold town, where when they miners got electricity they ran the wires straight for fear the electricity would not make the bend in a wire.
As I dropped down into beautiful Mono Lake I was feeling ready for lunch, since I had no prepared food I had to make a choice. Lee Vining is 7 miles past my turn on Hwy 167 for Hawthorne, yet Hawthorne was 55 more miles.....
I drove to and thru Lee Vining, a tiny stop pretty much at the Eastern end of Hwy 120 and gateway to Tioga Pass and Yosemite from the East, turned around and went back to the only eatery not touting themselves as a restaurant, Mono Cone.
Ordered a burger, mint chip shake, and fries, took about 8 mins, the burger was good and the fries abysmal, worst I ever had.
Lee Vining once had a State Championship football team. The gal at the window said they don't even have a team now, "The guys would just rather stand around and watch someone else play."
My 109 got several compliments while there. I left ballless Lee Vining and exited 395 on to 167E. This road goes straight for about 20 miles and crosses into Nevada where it becomes Hwy 359.
A little background;
In the Summer of 1975 on a Friday I finished my workweek at the A.P. DeSanno grinding wheel factory. Riding my Kawasaki 350 cafe racer to the bank to cash my check and start a 2 week vacation with a friend in Baja in my 1 year old 73 Land Rover 88, I was hit by a car which pulled out from a stop sign. It broke my ankle in 3 places and my fibula in 1. Today I have no cartilidge in it and cannot walk/hike long distances.
Back to Nevada;
By now my ankle was starting to hurt while driving. I needed to get to Hawthorne for groceries, fuel and then still drive the 70 miles to Berlin-Ichythosaur SP.
Nevada 359 goes over Anchorite Pass, I stopped there to check my oil level, at the same time I put what was left of my mint shake into my Takeya insulated drink holder. I tried to drink the shake while driving but the chips plugged up the straw. And of course I peed.
I came into Hawthorne about noon-thirty, hit up the Safeway for groceries, once stowed I drove to the Sinclar on 95 and filled both tanks, diesel was $3.499/gal. Still less than the $4.099 at home. I bought 16 gallons, 4.5 of which went into the extended range tank, I had switched tanks in the Sierras.
It was 2ish when I left Hawthorne, the sun was warm but not overly so. I headed out 95S along the Veterans Memorial Highway, thank you for your service!
Down by Luna I have to make a left turn on 351 towards Gabbs, home of (if I read the sign right) the longest continuously operating mine in Nevada.
Just past Gabbs my route goes right on to Hwy 844 to Berlin-Ichythosaur SP. The final pass on the outward bound leg. This pass has always given my Rovers trouble and I think I just figured out why. The road starts out around 4500' and in 5 miles climbs to 6200', add in any hot weather, no wonder I have to stop at least once on the way up!
Ahhhh, but going down the other side......I put my boot in it and got up to 80mph! twice!
My ankle was killing me, it kept getting worse, by the time I had camp set I was limping. Dinner was eggs and potatoes, I had a small warming fire and was in bed it was 1830.
Day 2;
https://poppageno.blogspot.com/2019/10/roving-nevada-oct-2019-day-2.html
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