Headed down to California for a 10 day road trip next week and am learning how bad the state has got beat up by bad weather this year. Death Valley is still closed from Hillary, US 1 just south of Big Sur is still closed from a massive landslide, and just found out a campground where we had reservations on US 1 south of Ft. Bragg just closed because of a busted water main. Still stoked for the trip and Peter Gabriel and JRAD next weekend in LA.
Might hit up the collective for recommendations for things to do and see on our travels.
Autumn in the Eastern Sierra is hard to beat. Mammoth got their first snow a few days ago, but at lower elevations, you're looking at daytime highs in the 70s, and overnight lows in the 40s.
Joshua Tree is really nice this time of year too. I just checked the forecast, and it looks like highs in the 80s and overnight lows around 60 for next week.
I'll be at JRAD at the Greek if you want to try to connect, Ken. My email's in my profile.
Huntington Gardens is truly one of the best kept secrets in the LA area (Pasadena / San Marino). The old railroad tycoons estate has hundreds of acres of botanical gardens, many interesting and unique things there (from Californian to Australian gardens, to bonsai trees and orchid research lab). It's so old that it now has many of the largest cacti in the world (100 years old +). There's also a research library with many very old documents, an art gallery, and the required Chinese Garden too. Ok, had to look up the link, looks even better these days... though they did sell off some land, likely the old orchards!
i believe its about to get further beat up this winter.
el nino is coming and the state of the coastline down here is terrible. 100+ years of man made fuckery has depleted all the beaches, there is no sand. shits about to get rocked.
Thanks all. We are going down the coast to LA for the shows, cutting over to Joshua Tree (staying in Room 8 at the Joshua Tree inn) and then heading back up 395 in the Eastern Sierra. Do you know if the Whitney Portal Road is open yet from the storm? Did that drive two years ago and loved the Alabama Hills.
Bummed we won't be able to drive the entire stretch of Hwy 1 from Monterey past Big Sur as I have never done that route. Also bummed to see that the North Coast Brewery pub will be closed on the day when we go through Ft. Bragg. Rasputin Stout is one my favorite mass produced beers. But good news is that Death Valley is supposedly opening up again on October 15. My partner is a huge Star Wars geek and want to show her Jawa Canyon and other filming locations.
I'm assuming you'll have plenty of Gram Parsons on hand for your Joshua Tree stay.
Ken, I'm fairly certain Whitney Portal Road will be open because we're having a pretty good warm up the next few days, and I don't know if they got much if any snow that far south. I've been up to Whitney Portal in mid-December and the creek freezes up into some pretty amazing ice formations. But even if the road is closed, you can always park at the gate and hike up the road. It's a few miles to road's end, but the slope isn't too bad because it's laid out for auto traffic.
If you want to get up even higher, another place to check out is Onion Valley, which is just up the road from Lone Pine in Independence. Take Onion Valley Road, which ends at an elevation of just about 10,000'; there's a NFS campground there, but it might be closed for the season. From the road's end, it's a short hike to Kearsage Pass, which has amazing views right into the heart of the Sierras.
At least they've not had the devastating wildfires yet this year.
Senator Feinstein kicked the bucket and Nancy Pelosi got kicked out of her office.
The A's are moving to Nevada.
The PAC-12 is toast.
On a positive note, I had a great visit to the Bay Area last weekend for HSBG. Wrapped up the trip on Monday with a day trip to Stinson Beach. I'd never been there, but had wanted to visit for years, after hearing about Jerry and Mountain Girl living there after they left the Haight, and that's where Old & In The Way came together when they met fellow residents David Grisman and Peter Rowan. The beach was in good shape, and the sun out with no fog. The drive out there is a little arduous with lots of twists and turns on multiple switchbacks, but the payoff is huge. Hard to imagine Jerry navigating those roads.
Sounds like a fun trip you have planned, Ken. Safe travels!
I'll second that one, and maybe even third it too. June Lake Loop is an all but hidden gem that you'd never know existed were it not for the signs on the 395. Four lakes connected by some sweet streams (Rush Creek between Silver and Grant lakes is one of favorite trout fisheries), and it's kind of like the land that time forgot; it's the anti-Mammoth.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Ken D.
Headed down to California for
Headed down to California for a 10 day road trip next week and am learning how bad the state has got beat up by bad weather this year. Death Valley is still closed from Hillary, US 1 just south of Big Sur is still closed from a massive landslide, and just found out a campground where we had reservations on US 1 south of Ft. Bragg just closed because of a busted water main. Still stoked for the trip and Peter Gabriel and JRAD next weekend in LA.
Might hit up the collective for recommendations for things to do and see on our travels.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Mice elf
Indian creek county park
Indian creek county park camping, maybe 45 minutes south of ft Bragg in philo
fresh caught beer battered fish and chips and a Rasputin from the tap at north coast brewing co
both AAA
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: nevermind
Autumn in the Eastern Sierra
Autumn in the Eastern Sierra is hard to beat. Mammoth got their first snow a few days ago, but at lower elevations, you're looking at daytime highs in the 70s, and overnight lows in the 40s.
Joshua Tree is really nice this time of year too. I just checked the forecast, and it looks like highs in the 80s and overnight lows around 60 for next week.
I'll be at JRAD at the Greek if you want to try to connect, Ken. My email's in my profile.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Druba
Huntington Gardens is truly
Huntington Gardens is truly one of the best kept secrets in the LA area (Pasadena / San Marino). The old railroad tycoons estate has hundreds of acres of botanical gardens, many interesting and unique things there (from Californian to Australian gardens, to bonsai trees and orchid research lab). It's so old that it now has many of the largest cacti in the world (100 years old +). There's also a research library with many very old documents, an art gallery, and the required Chinese Garden too. Ok, had to look up the link, looks even better these days... though they did sell off some land, likely the old orchards!
https://huntington.org/
And if you make it there, my fave pizza is still in biz (after 50 years), and is just down the road;
Tonys Pizza, 2555 Huntington Dr, San Marino, CA 91108
http://tonyspizzasanmarino.com/ (link wasn't working when I checked)
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: 2 Room Shack
yeah, take the 395!
yeah, take the 395!
i believe its about to get further beat up this winter.
el nino is coming and the state of the coastline down here is terrible. 100+ years of man made fuckery has depleted all the beaches, there is no sand. shits about to get rocked.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Ken D.
Thanks all. We are going
Thanks all. We are going down the coast to LA for the shows, cutting over to Joshua Tree (staying in Room 8 at the Joshua Tree inn) and then heading back up 395 in the Eastern Sierra. Do you know if the Whitney Portal Road is open yet from the storm? Did that drive two years ago and loved the Alabama Hills.
Bummed we won't be able to drive the entire stretch of Hwy 1 from Monterey past Big Sur as I have never done that route. Also bummed to see that the North Coast Brewery pub will be closed on the day when we go through Ft. Bragg. Rasputin Stout is one my favorite mass produced beers. But good news is that Death Valley is supposedly opening up again on October 15. My partner is a huge Star Wars geek and want to show her Jawa Canyon and other filming locations.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: nevermind
> staying in Room 8 at the
> staying in Room 8 at the Joshua Tree inn
I'm assuming you'll have plenty of Gram Parsons on hand for your Joshua Tree stay.
Ken, I'm fairly certain Whitney Portal Road will be open because we're having a pretty good warm up the next few days, and I don't know if they got much if any snow that far south. I've been up to Whitney Portal in mid-December and the creek freezes up into some pretty amazing ice formations. But even if the road is closed, you can always park at the gate and hike up the road. It's a few miles to road's end, but the slope isn't too bad because it's laid out for auto traffic.
If you want to get up even higher, another place to check out is Onion Valley, which is just up the road from Lone Pine in Independence. Take Onion Valley Road, which ends at an elevation of just about 10,000'; there's a NFS campground there, but it might be closed for the season. From the road's end, it's a short hike to Kearsage Pass, which has amazing views right into the heart of the Sierras.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Philzone Refugee
At least they've not had the
At least they've not had the devastating wildfires yet this year.
Senator Feinstein kicked the bucket and Nancy Pelosi got kicked out of her office.
The A's are moving to Nevada.
The PAC-12 is toast.
On a positive note, I had a great visit to the Bay Area last weekend for HSBG. Wrapped up the trip on Monday with a day trip to Stinson Beach. I'd never been there, but had wanted to visit for years, after hearing about Jerry and Mountain Girl living there after they left the Haight, and that's where Old & In The Way came together when they met fellow residents David Grisman and Peter Rowan. The beach was in good shape, and the sun out with no fog. The drive out there is a little arduous with lots of twists and turns on multiple switchbacks, but the payoff is huge. Hard to imagine Jerry navigating those roads.
Sounds like a fun trip you have planned, Ken. Safe travels!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Mice elf
east side nuggets
east side nuggets
buckeye hot springs
roberto's in mammoth
shepherd's bath
fly fishing in the Owens river
nicely's breakfast in Lee vining
june lake loop
sky rock
gus' really good beef jerky in olancha
onion valley (seconded)
sunrise over mono lake
easily poachable hot tubs at the mammoth mountain inn
bouldering in the Alabama hills
Mobil lobster taquitos
angeles forest highway from acton to around Pasadena
YMMV
get your ga$ long before Lee vining
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: nevermind
> june lake loop
> june lake loop
I'll second that one, and maybe even third it too. June Lake Loop is an all but hidden gem that you'd never know existed were it not for the signs on the 395. Four lakes connected by some sweet streams (Rush Creek between Silver and Grant lakes is one of favorite trout fisheries), and it's kind of like the land that time forgot; it's the anti-Mammoth.