Mono Lake
The main activity of the trip was canoe tour on the Mono Lake. The tour departed from Navy Beach at early Saturday morning. We sailed out with 3 canoes on to the lake. The guide explained almost everything about Mono Lake. We got to touch the Tufa, ate small shrimp (or??), and paddled the canoe. This tour is defininitely recommended. Mono Lake Committee has a great web site where you can learn more about the lake, and make a reservation for the canoe trip.

There are many thing I can write about the lake; its geology, ecology, and politics. One story I was amazed most was about a specy of bird. Every year, they fly across the Pacific Ocean from the Mono Lake to South America. I forgot which country, but places like Peru or Chile. They fly thousands of miles on the ocean without any stop. Before they start the journey to the south, the birds rest at the Mono Lake, for its abandance of food supply. Without the lake, the bird cannot store enough energy. The lake is at about 6,400 feet above sea level. Yet there are no rivers running out of the lake. That means the lake is very salty by accumulating the water flowing into it. This rich nutrition is an ideal environment for many micro organisms and insects. And birds did not miss such place. It is an interesting place to visit.

We also spend an hour walking along a nature trail in the South Tufa Area. This is a good place to observe the Tufa without venturing onto the lake. Out from the lake, we took another trail to Panum Crater, a volcano that is only 640 years old. A little bit steep but short trail went all the way to the top of the crater, where we could see the Mono Lake from above.

I took only a few photos at Mono Lake. And none of them are great although this is a great photo opportunity place. Anyway, the white "rock" looking is called Tufa. Pink Floyd used this location for their inner sleeves of "Wish You Were Here". The black mountain in the middle of the lake is called Paoha Island, and was once connected to the main shore. When city of Los Angels drained too much water from the lake in the 60's.

Hot Creek

WARNING:
Entering the creek is not recommended by the Forest Service. A few people have died from scalding water in the past.

In the afternoon, we went to one of my friend's favorite spot: Hot Creek. From the US395, take the Hot Creek road. It has a sign for Hot Creek State Fish Hatchery. Passing by the hatchery, the creek is located about 2 miles of drive. I used to bathe in hot springs back in Japan. But this was my first time in 8 years after I came to the US. There was a nice (not bad) public restroom where we could change to swimming suit. There were many people enjoying the creek. We floated in the nice warm creek, watching the granite wall of Sierra Nevada. All along the creek, there were many "really" scalding hot springs as well. It was a very interesting place as well.

Old car and decaying town of Bodie

Main street of the Bodie.

Bodie
On Sunday, we visited Bodie State Historic Park. From US395 just between Bridgeport and Lee Vining, take CAHwy270 to Bodie. The last 2 miles are gravel road.

Bodie is the largest ghosttown in the west, preserving the essence of California's gold rush. Once claimed population of 10,000, the town was abandoned in 1940. After California purchased the town in 1962, the town is maintained in a state of "arrested decay" as State Historic Park.

This town has everything modern (?) city has today: gold mills, fire stations, gas stations, saloons, houses where people lived, schools, hospitals, and graves. Many houses still has furnitures inside, and we could see through glass windows. My friends (all American) looked at almost every houses and inside, as if they were looking for a trace of their origin. It was unrealistic for me to accept that a town exist in the middle of nowhere. There were no water, the winter was extremely severe, and there were not even trees around to burn for warmth (maybe they cut all down...) Yet, 10,000 people once lived here for the dream of becoming rich. I cannot imagine living here as a family. What is it like for kids to grow up here? Anyway, all of the dreams are now preserved as a historic park.