Welcome to OPEN ROADS 2002
June 29th Yosemite Valley
Not so far to travel to-day so lie in until 7.00a.m.!!! Away by 8.00 a.m., we make a 50 mile detour off the 120 round Cottonwood road to drive a wonderful tortuous mountain road and visit Cherry Lake, one of the reservoirs for San Francisco. First things first, we stop for breakfast at Jamestown and Lawrence falls for the waitress.
Not so far to travel to-day so lie in until 7.00a.m.!!! Away by 8.00 a.m., we make a 50 mile detour off the 120 round Cottonwood road to drive a wonderful tortuous mountain road and visit Cherry Lake, one of the reservoirs for San Francisco. First things first, we stop for breakfast at Jamestown and Lawrence falls for the waitress.
The car has been hi-jacked by the next generation. Peter lets Philip drive and we travel in comfort on the air-conditioned rental car - feels all wrong. You can't smell the scent of pine or feel the wind through your hair. Kathryn complains the Healey is too hot and too noisy. She just falls asleep.On in to Yosemite Valley via Rainbow Pool. This was the site of the toll for the old bridge across the South fork of the Tuolomne River. There used to be a cabin for the guy who took the tolls and he washed by diving in the pool every day. It is said Eleanor Roosevelt loved the spot so much when passing that she stopped for the night and had all the State out looking for her.
Leaving Yosemite with reluctance, we retrace our steps to 120 and continue on through the park. This takes us to well over 9,000 feet at the Tioga Pass past wonderful rock formations and the Tuolomne Meadows - a haven for wild flowers. We are now up above the snow-line.
Great sweeping bends take us down to Rt. 395 from Lake Tahoe. What a roundabout route we have taken to get here, but we had to do 'coast to coast' and have a Pacific paddle.
Great sweeping bends take us down to Rt. 395 from Lake Tahoe. What a roundabout route we have taken to get here, but we had to do 'coast to coast' and have a Pacific paddle.
June 30th - Death Valley
This is the day we are all dreading, nearly 400 miles through the hottest place in America - DEATH VALLEY. We set off early at 5.00a.m., hoping to reach Death Valley before the sun has climbed too high. Over Deadman's Ridge at 8,000 feet. Mountain peaks with snow patches dappling their summits. We pass Mammoth Lakes, Convict Lake then spot a sign for Owen's Lake. Must be named after my nephew - Owen Wapshaw in Australia. Dawn touching the mountains on our left - a flare of pink. Not a cloud in the sky. Short break for breakfast at Lone Pine, time is passing, it is already hot and we are still at 5,000 feet!
Take Rt 136 into Death Valley Nature Reserve, descend rapidly from 5,000 to sea level. Temperature soaring to118 F in the shade. Stop at Furnace Creek and have a quick shower.
The names are enough to strike dread into your heart, Furnace Creek, The Devil's Golf Course, Funeral Peak.
We take the loop off 190 running down Death Valley itself. Peter wants to have a photocall at the lowest point in the U.S.A. having already been at the highest driveable point. It is incredibly hot and nothing to see but salt and sand and a sign thoughtfully placed for any persons stupid enough to attempt driving Death Valley in the summer in open cars. The cars pose dutifully in front of it, 280 feet below sea level.
This is the day we are all dreading, nearly 400 miles through the hottest place in America - DEATH VALLEY. We set off early at 5.00a.m., hoping to reach Death Valley before the sun has climbed too high. Over Deadman's Ridge at 8,000 feet. Mountain peaks with snow patches dappling their summits. We pass Mammoth Lakes, Convict Lake then spot a sign for Owen's Lake. Must be named after my nephew - Owen Wapshaw in Australia. Dawn touching the mountains on our left - a flare of pink. Not a cloud in the sky. Short break for breakfast at Lone Pine, time is passing, it is already hot and we are still at 5,000 feet!
Take Rt 136 into Death Valley Nature Reserve, descend rapidly from 5,000 to sea level. Temperature soaring to118 F in the shade. Stop at Furnace Creek and have a quick shower.
The names are enough to strike dread into your heart, Furnace Creek, The Devil's Golf Course, Funeral Peak.
We take the loop off 190 running down Death Valley itself. Peter wants to have a photocall at the lowest point in the U.S.A. having already been at the highest driveable point. It is incredibly hot and nothing to see but salt and sand and a sign thoughtfully placed for any persons stupid enough to attempt driving Death Valley in the summer in open cars. The cars pose dutifully in front of it, 280 feet below sea level.
Hell on Earth
I don't know if the pictures convey the impression of the heat. I'm thinking that this would not be a good place to breakdown when the car suddenly gives a hiccough and splutters then picks up. My heart misses a beat and I gingerly ask Peter what's wrong. As usual he just mutters and I catch something about fuel evaporation or is it vaporisation. We lurch onwards, the tension rising in the cockpit as the engine struggles for air, or would that be fuel? We are now slowly climbing out of the valley, have to get back up to 3,000 feet. About half a mile from the top she gives up altogether. "Has to be the condenser". Our in-house mechanic Philip and Peter pour over the car and pontificate. The Verdict - let her cool for a few minutes and try again. How does a car cool when the ambient temp. is over 100F ?
Somehow she does and fires up O.K. She struggles manfully to the top of the Pass with a severe dose of the hiccoughs then coasts down the other side and freewheels into a service station that just happens to be waiting for us in the middle of nowhere. Philip dives under the bonnet and finds a wire has worked loose from the condenser. All is not lost, just a few pounds of weight in sweat all round.
We are soon back in business and on the road.Another 87 miles and we climb up to 5834 feet out of the Parumph valley. Our first view of Las Vegas. Our one and only view as we drive past as fast as possible and find a little gem of a place for 35 dollars a night at Boulder City. Overheated and overtired. The hottest day in the region of the year - 118F in Death Valley and 115 in las Vegas. Mileage for the day is 394.
I don't know if the pictures convey the impression of the heat. I'm thinking that this would not be a good place to breakdown when the car suddenly gives a hiccough and splutters then picks up. My heart misses a beat and I gingerly ask Peter what's wrong. As usual he just mutters and I catch something about fuel evaporation or is it vaporisation. We lurch onwards, the tension rising in the cockpit as the engine struggles for air, or would that be fuel? We are now slowly climbing out of the valley, have to get back up to 3,000 feet. About half a mile from the top she gives up altogether. "Has to be the condenser". Our in-house mechanic Philip and Peter pour over the car and pontificate. The Verdict - let her cool for a few minutes and try again. How does a car cool when the ambient temp. is over 100F ?
Somehow she does and fires up O.K. She struggles manfully to the top of the Pass with a severe dose of the hiccoughs then coasts down the other side and freewheels into a service station that just happens to be waiting for us in the middle of nowhere. Philip dives under the bonnet and finds a wire has worked loose from the condenser. All is not lost, just a few pounds of weight in sweat all round.
We are soon back in business and on the road.Another 87 miles and we climb up to 5834 feet out of the Parumph valley. Our first view of Las Vegas. Our one and only view as we drive past as fast as possible and find a little gem of a place for 35 dollars a night at Boulder City. Overheated and overtired. The hottest day in the region of the year - 118F in Death Valley and 115 in las Vegas. Mileage for the day is 394.