Another audible today. After a serious, albeit short, crash of sleep I’m up and at ‘em, despite not feeling great. Surprisingly not hungover, but that ate too much feeling. In any event, I’m done with being on the road and going for it. Starts with CA 89, one of my absolute favorite roads. While 89 runs from I5 at nearly the Oregon border to US 395 just below the Nevada border, I’d argue the primo stretch is from Truckee to the US 395 junction. Driving into Tahoe City along the Truckee exposes you to the densest forest smell. It’s so hard to describe. The forest smell in all mountains is great, but the forest on the front side of the Sierras, particularly in the Tahoe basin, is so, so dense. It’s as if the smell has been electrically supercharged, then turbocharged and then force fed through two atomizers to the nostrils. 89 then wraps around the west shore of Lake Tahoe as it winds south, culminating above Emerald Bay with a top of the world meets Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride ending before heading away from the lake’s southern end.
Finally, after some beautiful forest stretches, including Luther Pass and the eastern side of Carson pass, it turns off for Markleeville and then eventually, Monitor Pass. Starts as a canyon and then climbs up to dramatic sierra views before a mile plus gentle saddle straight on a wide meadow before another gentle climb and windy descent. Phenomenal road, great surface, incredible views and lightly trafficked…hits all the marks! The drive wasn’t all downhill from there either. The Eastern Sierra Scenic Byway, or US 395, from there to almost the junction of CA 14 is an incredible drive and well worth it for those who haven’t done it.
For me though, it’s same old thing, as I drive to Mammoth nearly a dozen times every winter. The Walker River section and Bridgeport Valley are particularly beautiful. Get back in LA at just around 2:30 and it’s Friday afternoon on the 405…welcome home!
Still home around 4 and had time to wash her…Chemical Guys Bug and Tar stuff is excellent. Was very happy that basically no damage…EXCEPT to the hood of course. A rock must have hit so hard that it basically went through the clear bra and lifted it like a flap while also digging into the paint. I pushed the flap down into the little gouge and heated it and hoping it holds as it’s nowhere near as unsightly this way. It’s literally about 2mm in diameter, so not large, but very unsightly. Not sure if it was the trucks in Nevada or in North Dakota, but I’m thinking it was later on because I don’t remember seeing it during my pressure washing in Montana. Honestly, I love that the clear bra seems to provide protection, but once it’s damaged, I think it may be worse than not having it. Also, if I’d have been just 2 feet closer the rock probably would have hit the windshield…as frustrating as that is…that’s more easily replaced!
