Sunday Stills Challenge ~ Bristlecone pine forest~062710

Hubby and I recently stopped by the Bristlecone National Forest over Memorial Day weekend on our trip to the Sierras. We drove up to Hesperia Friday night, getting that much closer before the drive on Saturday. We decided to drive up the narrow, winding road to the bristlecones because hubby had never seen them before. I remember visiting them once as a kid. BELIEVE ME, it was a completely different journey at age 58!!! First, I got a headache. And, I'm not the kind of person who gets headaches often. I just don't. Second, I started to get dizzy. Hmmmm...Finally, I got nauseous. Now, the bristlecones are at 10,500 feet, so I decided it must be the elevation and, indeed, there were signed posted about the elevation and how it can affect some people. Well, I guess I'm one of them. By the time we got to the visitor center and the main grove, all I could do was just SIT in the car! I told hubby, "YOU go take pictures. I'm staying here!" I actually did manage to get out and take a few, and hobble into the visitor center. So, be aware...especially if you are on heart medication, like I am, to go SLOWLY and sit down if you need to! Here are some pics that hubby took of the bristlecones. I completely recovered by the time we drove down to the bottom of the valley floor and after breakfast, I was back to normal! Just be aware of the elevation when you visit them, especially if you are my age and on medication!!! Your heart has to pump more in the thin air and I think that also contributed to my condition. Now, we were there, like I said, over Memorial Day weekend and there were still spots of snow on the ground. And, the road to the second grove was closed due to snow! Bristlecone pines are among the oldest living things on our planet. One of them is over 3,000 years old! I do not know how old these were, but they certainly are over 60 years old! Bristlecones also only grow where there is poor soil and grow in groves. They are indeed interesting and unique trees! I would encourage you to visit them and see them for yourself! Just be aware of the elevation, take plenty of water, and sit down if you need to! Sunday Stills Challenge for Jne 27, 2010. If you want to read more about these interesting trees, here is a link for you: http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/bristlecone_pine.htm Apparently there was one dated 4,500 years old!

"W" is for wagon~ABC Wednesday 062310

And this wagon is slowly deteriorating in Bodie, CA. We love to visit Bodie because it has so man interesting things to see! ABC Wednesday for June 23, 2010. For other "w" posts, please visit:

http://abcwednesdayround3.blogspot.com/

"U" is for...ABC Wednesday 060910

unknown. The future of this ranch cafe is UNKNOWN. It sits right off Highway 395, outside of Olancha, CA, the site of the Crystal Geyser bottling plant. Hubby and I have often driven right by this little cafe and have been too busy to stop. But, over Memorial Day, we planned our trip and planned to stop and visit it, only to hear that its future is unknown. Cal Trans is planning on expanding Highway 395 and the cafe sits right in its path! The waitress was saying that there are three possible plans for the cafe: (1) move it to a new spot OFF the highway; (2) close it; (3) Cal Trans might bypass this area and make a new road, in which case, the cafe will be off the highway and will lose its business. Not very good options, in my opinion. The cafe employs 10% of the town's population and its closure would be a great loss to the community. Sigh...progress... If you ever drive up Highway 395 and want to stop and eat here, DO IT NOW! Apparently a decision will be made in August as to the fate of the cafe and right now, its fate is UNKNOWN. I can tell you...the food was delicious, the service was extraordinary, and if you want to visit it, do it before September!!! It is a UNIQUE spot! ABC Wednesday for June 9, 2010.

Twin Lakes, Mammoth~Scenic Sunday 060610

We recently traveled back to the Sierras over Memorial Day. Not all the roads back into the mountains were open, but when we got to Mammoth and ate lunch at The Stove, we decided to see if the road to Twin Lakes was open. It was open up until the cabins. You can see all the snow on the mountains and next to the lake. Some people said the roads should be open in 2-3 weeks, which would be mid-June. Twin Lakes is always such a beautiful area! Scenic Sunday for June 6, 2010.

"T"~~ABC Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Hubby and I returned to our favorite location, the Sierra Nevada, over Memorial Day weekend. We left right after I got out of school that Friday afternoon. Believe me, we BOTH needed a break from the desert! So, hubby got the car washed, filled it up with gas, and packed it that day and away we went! We stayed overnight in Hesperia and then traveled to Bishop and Mammoth on Saturday. The Sierras are having a late spring this year. They just had snow a couple of days before we left the desert and many of the aspen haven't even got their green leaves. They are still bare. We did find some spots where they were getting their leaves, but not many. As we drove around June Lake (which was open and the Silver Lake Resort was full!), we did find some patches of aspen TREES with leaves! Here they are. We enjoyed our 3 days in the Sierras and, alas, returned to work today, but we are already planning our next visit! ABC Wednesday for June 2, 2010. "T" for trees.