Scenic Route 395

Our adventure down scenic route US 395 moved us into snow cover and white as far as the eye could see. Only 395 was open through this winter wonderland. Highways into Yosemite and old mining towns as the historic Bodie were all closed.

395 began as a series of wagon trails, game paths and paths created by the
Indians extending from San Diego to Canada. Modern highways have obliterated some of the original road. We followed the original from Nevada to Bishop,Cal.

Our first stop was Meadowcliff Resort surrounded by a rugged outcrop of rocks in sharp contrast to the Aspen valleys we were passing through. Here I again bought books describing the lives of those who had settled along this Highway. In todays world of conveniences it is hard to understand why these early settlers chose to endure the harsh changes in climate to eke out a living for their families. But they did survive and their stories are an inspiration for the demonstrated courage, can do spirit and will to survive.

Continuing our journey we passed through the unpretentious town of Bridgeport. Main Street houses the Historic Bodie Victorian Hotel. Originally a brothel, it was moved to Bridgeport in 1886 when Bodie was declining. Today it is still a hotel with lots of antiques located across the street from the historic County Courthouse. The town, with it's 1880's buildings, was the set for the 1947 movie "out of the past" staring Kirk Douglas and Robert Mitchum.

This scenic road passes through 700,000 year old Mona Lake, one of the oldest in North America. The lake is popular for it's "tufa towers", calcium deposits formed by underwater springs, exposed when water diverted to Los Angeles dropped the 60 square mile lake by 40 feet. A lengthy legal battle was successful in 1994 in securing protection for the lake and it's tributaries. Increasing water levels are beginning to re-capture the "towers".

Farther south Lake Owen was not so successful. When Los Angeles bought up the water rights in the agriculurally prosperous Owen Valley diverting the river and it's tributeries, orchards and farms dried up and died and so did the Lake.

We eventually descended into the north end of the 145 mile long Owen Valley to Bishop, CA. Bishop calls itself "America's Coolest Mountain Town" and boasts a town full of historic murals supported by the Bishop Mural Society.

In Bishop I sought the help of a dentist to replace a lost cap. I was treated to a rant about lawyers from the East and a Nation of crime because of the immigrants and how he had been in business for 44 years and on and on. He did not get my business but convinced me to change my course of travel north to Jackson, Wy. Where I thought I had friendly contacts.

On the way north we stopped at Laws, once a major railroad station. The village is now a museum and features the" Slim Princess " locomotive which made it's last run in 1960. This location was also a prop for movie "Nevada Smith".

It would be two more days of travel through the desolate Nevada landscape, over roads with no service for 160 miles, through "extra terrestrial" territory to Ely, the city of the Black Swan, across the Great Salt Lake and the Emmigrant Trail to Evanston, WY with it's restored railroad station and meandering old Lincoln Highway before we would reach Jackson, Wy.

And that is another story.