BajaNomad

Calling ET to Come Back to the Boonies

DianaT - 3-23-2013 at 11:19 PM

Headed east from Big Pine on 168, we find what was at one time a toll road that traveled though the natural separation between the White Mountains and and the Sierra Nevada --- just a sidenote in history





Well past the turn off to Death Valley and past the turn off to the Bristlecone Pines, we see something we have not seen before --- a turn off to CARMA

Oh my, it looks like something out of Area 51 calling for ET and friends---we have no idea, and having seen a UFO in Bahia Asuncion, we wonder





Once back at home the internet explains it all --- it is operated by OVRO --- yes, that did it, we understood it all. :biggrin:

Further investigation left me believing that all of this CARMA and OVRO was something that only Mike - - astrobaja would understand!

But when I took this picture, there was nothing in the lower right corner, so we are left with our speculations --- perhaps a spirit lurking around waiting for the contact with ET or others.



On to find the dirt road that leads to what remains of White Mountain City a town from the 1860s that was never very successful, but famous back then when
in one contested California race for governor the vote from this town was inflated by over 500 votes; the names were evidently taken from a steam ship passenger list. As of yet, I cannot find out exactly which race this was!

We found the dirt road, we found the creek and we wondered where the electric lines ended --- that is for another day, soon.



There is not much left there, but this structure caught my attention --- just rocks and quite level at all levels.



So I check a little closer and see how a little rock can make such a difference in keeping the structure in line.



We found a few old glass shards, but did not bother with them. Right now in this area the collection of any bottles, cans or ANYTHING is a problem. The BLM is enforcing the Antiquities laws that forbids the collection of items from the old mining sites and towns. It is a real hot-button issue around here as the locals have been collecting bottles, cans, etc for years around these parts.



And a great little cactus growing in the rocks



We headed on to make a big loop by heading up Highway 266 which turns into Highway 264 in Nevada that really is the boonies.



Beautiful sites to see are in the boonies --- and we will return when the light is good.





There are always reasons, but we do wonder why we did not move here sooner. --- When we miss the beach, we can head for our Baja home!

It is just so good to see our Maggie Mae hiding behind a rock still so happy and enjoying life two years after we discovered her cancer. And Tommy is almost 12 and like us, he has slowed down, but still loves the wide-open spaces.



Life is good!





[Edited on 3-25-2013 by DianaT]

Skipjack Joe - 3-23-2013 at 11:52 PM

Yes, it is indeed good.

The wide open spaces in that area always bring such peace to the soul. It makes you whole again.

It's flowering here in my part of the world. Temperatures are climbing up to the 70's and the natural world is responding. Poppies in the fields and forget-me-nots in the canyons. A man can measure his life by the number of springs that pass.

Last night we watched a film on Montana and I remembered how wonderful the summers had been pursuing trout on the big rivers.

Yes, life is good. Everywhere.

dtbushpilot - 3-24-2013 at 04:48 AM

Great pictures and trip report Diana, thanks for sharing....

Ken Bondy - 3-24-2013 at 06:01 AM

Magnificent Diane!!!

JohnMcfrog - 3-24-2013 at 06:47 AM

Thanks Diana. These pictures make me want to get the car pointed toward 395.

Juanito

tripledigitken - 3-24-2013 at 07:31 AM

I've been thinking about a spring trip north too.

Thanks for the post and photos.

Ken

woody with a view - 3-24-2013 at 08:07 AM

i shouldn't be telling you this, but here goes. youtube F35 strike fighter. that thing can ALMOST do 90 degree turns. the only UFO's are ours. i've seen some crazy lights at night too, but until ET arrives i'll be looking for the Easter Bunny!

durrelllrobert - 3-24-2013 at 08:51 AM

So, you didn't get up to the Bristle Coine Pines? You should also check out Cerro Gordo:
Because of the vast quantities of silver and lead that needed to be transported, Visalia, Bakersfield, Ventura and Los Angeles, all competed for the trade that was developing from the mines at CERRO GORDO.

Ultimately, Los Angeles, and its port at San Pedro, became the most favored Cerro Gordo point of shipping. Trains of huge freight wagons delivered so much silver bullion from Cerro Gordo that the LOS ANGELES NEWS, on February 2, 1872 stated, "To this city, Cerro Gordo trade is invaluable. What Los Angeles now is, is mainly due to it. It is the silver cord that binds our present existence. Should it be unfortunately severed, we would inevitably collapse." El Pueblo's "silver-cord" remained un-severed.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerro_Gordo_Mines

DianaT - 3-24-2013 at 09:07 AM

Thank you all for the comments. And it is always a good time for a trip up and around 395. And living here is great. :yes:

Bob, the road to the Bristlecone Pines is not open yet. We have been there before and look forward to spending a lot more time there. And now we can spend longer periods of time poking around the ghost towns. :yes:
Quote:
Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
....
The wide open spaces in that area always bring such peace to the soul. It makes you whole again.....



A beautiful statement and oh so true. Thank you


Woody, ET is on his way back --- just you wait and see. Meantime we saw so many jackrabbits yesterday and I am sure one of them is THE Easter Bunny. :biggrin:

TMW - 3-24-2013 at 10:40 AM

Beautiful, thanks. You never know what the sat dishes may get. ET might say hi.

bufeo - 3-24-2013 at 11:56 AM

Splendid photos, Diana.

If you don't already have the volume, you might consider getting Backcountry Adventures, Northern California, Peter Massey and Jeanne Wilson, Swagman Publishing. The detailed trips are superb, the best backcounty guidebook I have (along with their Southern California, Arizona, and Utah editions). It's large and not as handy as something like Tony Huegel's Sierra Nevada Byways, Wilderness Press, but the bang for the buck is off the charts.

On a side note, that fraudulent election you mention in regards to White Mountain City's legacy was the 1861 election. Leland Stanford (Rep.) won the gubernatorial vote with 47%. I think, though, the vote-padding had to do with one of the local candidates. Maybe a state representative or something similar. Perhaps even a county office.

Allen R

[Edited on 3-24-2013 by bufeo]

DianaT - 3-24-2013 at 05:41 PM

TW thanks and I will ALWAYS be looking for ET.

Allen, thanks for the tips on those books, I will check them out. Regarding the election, I found that on a site about ghost towns and they indicated it was the race for the governor, but I have not been able to find anything more about it, so maybe that information is not correct.

I will continue to look for information just because it sounds interesting. I really enjoy the people history and stories in this part of California

bufeo - 3-25-2013 at 06:55 AM

Diana, if that site about ghost towns is the same one I frequent, then I presume the author of that particular article about White Mtn. Cty is "DAW". He's extremely reliable, so I would value his information. DAW lived in Bishop for many years; now he and his wife live in north-central NV, still "ghost-town" country.

Happy trailing.

Allen R

DianaT - 3-25-2013 at 07:38 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bufeo
Diana, if that site about ghost towns is the same one I frequent, then I presume the author of that particular article about White Mtn. Cty is "DAW". He's extremely reliable, so I would value his information. DAW lived in Bishop for many years; now he and his wife live in north-central NV, still "ghost-town" country.

Happy trailing.

Allen R



http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/ca/whitemountaincity.html

Is this the site? If not, I would love to have the link to the one you are talking about. We love ghost towns. :yes:

bufeo - 3-27-2013 at 08:37 AM

Diana, I couldn't get that link to work, but the dot com looks correct. Yes, that's the forum and the author of one of the articles on White Mtn. City would be the DAW I mentioned.

Allen R

Ateo - 3-27-2013 at 08:42 AM

Thanks for taking the time to post these wonderful images and story.

DianaT - 3-27-2013 at 10:05 AM

Bufeo, I think this will work --- glad to know more about that site.

White Mountain City

Bob, I started checking out Cerro Gordo on the web and our neighbor told us more about it and other things in that area. However, I read on the interenet that Cerro Gordo is closed. It is privately owned, I guess, and the owner died and his son hired caretakers, but has closed it off indefinitely. I have not talked with my neighbor since I read this, but all I can find is that it is still closed? It looks like a great place!

Ateo, Thanks and for any possible travelers in this area, while it is still too soon to plant a garden, spring has arrived and is sharing its energy of rebirth with all plants and animals. It is just exciting to walk around the yard and see what is popping up out of the earth.







[Edited on 3-27-2013 by DianaT]

elgatoloco - 3-27-2013 at 11:06 AM

Really nice photos. That whole area is on our list of places to visit. Now if we can only come up with a 9 day week we could maybe fit it in.

Thanks for sharing, again. :dudette:

bufeo - 3-27-2013 at 02:11 PM

Diana, if you're interested in Cerro Gordo and a visit there (...and I, too, recommend it) http://www.4wdtrips.net/forum/showthread.php?6318-Coming-Soon-Cerro-Gordo-A-Ghosttown-Caught-Between-Centuries to try. The author can fill you in on myriad details about the place.

Allen R.

OOOps! Sorry 'bout the long link. I used the "Insert a Hyperlink" icon above, but something went amiss.

[Edited on 3-27-2013 by bufeo]

DianaT - 3-28-2013 at 08:04 AM

Thanks egatoloco --- the weeks do just go by way too fast!

Thanks for the link, bufeo. I hope they open it up again.