Lighthawk
Weekend warrior
Just a quick note to say we're loaded and heading out soon.
We enjoy the East Side and have been visiting Benton Station, near Mono Lake. We enjoy the remote volcanic tablelands with their hidden petroglyphs, mining remains and big views of the White's and the Sierra.
This trip will start out with a seventy mile dirt road tour starting in Bridgeport, CA. and ending on Hwy 120, just west of Benton.
From CalTrans:
SR 120 :
[IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA & SIERRA NEVADA]
IS CLOSED FROM CRANE FLAT TO 5 MI WEST OF THE JCT OF US 395 /TIOGA PASS/
(TUOLUMNE, MONO CO) - DUE TO SNOW - MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO USE AN
ALTERNATE ROUTE
CHAINS OR SNOW TIRES ARE REQUIRED FROM 7 MI EAST OF THE SOUTH
JCT OF US 395 TO 15 MI WEST OF BENTON (MONO CO)
We're familiar with alternate routes if 120 is closed.
We'll go through the Benton Hills (weather permitting) to visit Bodie. Depending upon the crowds and weather, we may stop and pay the fee to walk and photograph the town. It's kind of daunting, when everyone else has already shot the town a zillion times.
Then down Cottonwood to Hwy 167, aka Pole Line Rd. It's one of those where you could lash the steering wheel in place for a twenty mile stretch. Many years ago I went looking for the rail bed from the old Benton-Bodie line and drove my Trooper completely around the eastern edge of Mono Lake. It was deep sand and marginal, but I did find some unusual stuff. I do not wish to repeat that experience.
Instead I've mapped a road called Dobe Rd. about five miles further east that heads south to Adobe Valley where we spotted a herd of mustangs Thanksgiving. It's a twenty mile stretch with little info about it. I do see it is shown as verified on my brand spankin' new Benchmark map book. I'm sure it will be fine. (cue minor chords and haunting melody in background).
At least if we get lost or stuck, we're packing some serious provisions!
We enjoy the East Side and have been visiting Benton Station, near Mono Lake. We enjoy the remote volcanic tablelands with their hidden petroglyphs, mining remains and big views of the White's and the Sierra.
This trip will start out with a seventy mile dirt road tour starting in Bridgeport, CA. and ending on Hwy 120, just west of Benton.
From CalTrans:
SR 120 :
[IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA & SIERRA NEVADA]
IS CLOSED FROM CRANE FLAT TO 5 MI WEST OF THE JCT OF US 395 /TIOGA PASS/
(TUOLUMNE, MONO CO) - DUE TO SNOW - MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO USE AN
ALTERNATE ROUTE
CHAINS OR SNOW TIRES ARE REQUIRED FROM 7 MI EAST OF THE SOUTH
JCT OF US 395 TO 15 MI WEST OF BENTON (MONO CO)
We're familiar with alternate routes if 120 is closed.
We'll go through the Benton Hills (weather permitting) to visit Bodie. Depending upon the crowds and weather, we may stop and pay the fee to walk and photograph the town. It's kind of daunting, when everyone else has already shot the town a zillion times.
Then down Cottonwood to Hwy 167, aka Pole Line Rd. It's one of those where you could lash the steering wheel in place for a twenty mile stretch.
Many years ago I went looking for the rail bed from the old Benton-Bodie line and drove my Trooper completely around the eastern edge of Mono Lake. It was deep sand and marginal, but I did find some unusual stuff. I do not wish to repeat that experience.Instead I've mapped a road called Dobe Rd. about five miles further east that heads south to Adobe Valley where we spotted a herd of mustangs Thanksgiving. It's a twenty mile stretch with little info about it. I do see it is shown as verified on my brand spankin' new Benchmark map book. I'm sure it will be fine.
(cue minor chords and haunting melody in background).At least if we get lost or stuck, we're packing some serious provisions!
