Begin Part 4 - The Final Chapter:
Down near the western end of the Lippincott road, down in upper (southernmost) Saline Valley.
By the time we got back to the Saline Valley road, it was nearly dark. The long (25.7) mile long slog back to CA190 was a tiresome trek over the rocky and corrugated road up Grapevine Canyon to South Pass and down across Lee Flat to the highway.
At the end of the Lippicott I decided to get rid of my heavy boots, long pants and change into flip-flops and shorts. The others had taken off swiftly, leaving me driving as if alone in the expanse of Saline Valley; which was rather pleasant. It was now solidly dusk, the air temperature very pleasant with the windows down and sunroof open, and not a light to be seen anywhere in the valley. Due to the road’s surface, I kept my speed down to around 25-28 miles per hour. A couple of times things fell off my seats and dash. On fumbling around on the floor of my Tacoma to pick them up, I found two screws that used to be fastened to something on my dash …
For a long period of time, I never saw any signs of the rest of the group. Part way up Grapevine Canyon, I began to see the lights of Graham’s Tacoma hitting the canyon walls. At one point I was startled to round a bend and find an other-worldly scene of bright lights angling across my vision way up near the top of my windshield – David and Rubiblue were running up a leg of the road high up on the canyon’s wall.
At South Pass, David attempted to make a phone call to PSR to order dinner before the kitchen closed, but couldn’t get out. While Rubiblue was talking to the group on the CB, B-spec Chris overheard us on his CB from Panamint Springs and called out to find out what was needed for dinner. However, shortly after contact, we dropped below the overlook and the order wasn’t completed. Rubi tried to contact Chris via CB numerous times after without success.
Arriving back at CA190, it was time to air our tires back up. It was now just before 10:00 PM. Rubiblue has this neat underhood compressor set up. I have another shot of Jim’s setup, but he’s pointing another portion of his anatomy toward the camera, which someone quipped was “plumber’s butt” …
Graham and I aired up our tires with Graham’s SCUBA tank. But it was getting low and I only got two tires aired up to street pressure, one about two thirds of the way there when it ran out. I ran home with one front tire at 18psi, but the night coolness kept the tire only warm to the touch and a bit of front end squirreliness to remind me that I need to air up at home.
After such a long day, a cold beer sure sounded good while sitting on the front porch at PSR, sharing cold malt beverages with the group and rehashing the day and maybe solving some world problems (last night’s peace talks accounted for David’s late wakeup this morning). But being so late, the drive to PSR and then backtracking would mean Graham and I really wouldn’t enjoy it to the fullest as it would then leave us driving bleary eyed along the long jaunt home to Big Pine. Rubi and Chuck also decided to head home to Ridgecrest via CA190 to Olancha, then south on US395 for home. So we all shook hands in the dark at the junction of the Saline Valley road and CA190 and parted.
Graham and I had our sights set on some hot food at Lone Pine. The former P.J.’s coffee shop, now High Sierra Café, is open 24-hours and its sign loudly declares that fact in bold letters. The restaurant has been in business for decades and was always a reliable source of food or beverage at any time of the night or day. However, strange for a Friday night, it was closed. The outside lights were on and the blinds raised, but the lights behind the lunch counter were dark and the place just didn’t look right. Graham found the doors unlocked, but only the cleaning woman in the restaurant, who told him the place was closed. They better change their sign …
Every other restaurant was closed in Lone Pine, except for Carl’s Jr. I was surprised, as the place used to close at 9:00; but now stays open until 11:00 on Friday and Saturday. It was about 10:40 when we pulled in.
Graham is not an aficionado of fast food. In fact, he refuses to eat at a “choke and puke,” as he calls them. He prefers the ambience of a regular restaurant, where he can relax over a cup of coffee. I guess he must have been hungry also. It was the first time he’s ever set foot in a Carl’s Jr. I ordered a “Six Dollar Burger” combo. Not knowing what to have, he ordered the same, but was rather annoyed to find they had no coffee. Being that it was only minutes until closing time, I figured they weren’t about to make a new pot. Graham was rather surprised to find a tasty and good looking burger as the Six Dollar Burger.
Into the night north on US395, Graham and I pulled into Big Pine about 11:40 PM. I was now quite exhausted and bleary eyed. Graham suddenly quipped over the radio that he was now “wired,” so was planning on spending time watch TV before hitting the sack. He bid me goodnight over the CB as I turned up my street and he drove to his abode at the north end of town.
Both Graham and I thoroughly enjoyed everyone’s company. Everyone seemed to get a kick out of Toby’s crazy behavior and his doing weird things with big rocks, all the while yipping crazily like a hyena on laughing gas. Wish we could have capped it off with a bottle or two of malted beverages on the porch at PSR, if it were two hours earlier I think we would have.
Hope you all enjoy my photos. I’m sure the other participants will add some of theirs here.
Hope Rodney didn’t think all Westerners are this crazy …
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1990 Jeep Cherokee a constant work in progress.............
