Craig,
This has kind of morphed into a general OX thread, but in regards to your original question, a stop by Bodie makes a cool quick trip since you will be on 395. Just south of Bridgeport, head east on Bodie Rd (270). It starts paved but most of the road is a washboard road that is nice and flat but can rattle your fillings out if you don't take it slow. If I remember, it took us 30-45 min to get there from 395. You could easily be satisfied wandering around there for an hour or so, and then get back on the road. It was crowded when we went last Oct, but it was still cool to wander around. Bodie is the biggest ghost town I have ever seen or heard of; it's almost a ghost city. There is a fee to get it, but it is worth it to see the place.