travel stories with landscape photographic artist
kent j burkhardsmeier
9 more miles
Table of Content
Journeys in July (Part 1)
Every adventure seems to begin with high hopes, anticipation, and expectations. My journey started no differently with intentions to post stories regularly along the way.
Adventure implies risks, encountering hazards and venturing into the unknown.
Traversing through internet black hole regions, working through travel logistics, as well as trying to establish new routines has dampened my early hopes of frequent postings. I hope to play catch up during the next several blog postings with monthly anthologies from the road.
Eagle Landing
(July 5 - July 8)
Susanville, CA
Proceeding to my next destination, Eagle Lake Recreation Area, the journey continued north bound along US Highway 395. Not far from Lone Pine (read previous post) you pass through Big Pine where “the local pride and joy is a giant sequoia at the north end of the town.” [Source: AAA TourBook] Sorry, I missed it. ☹ Remember: Eyes on the road.
Further north after Bishop (CA)—home of the original sheepherder bread since 1938—my route took me past Mammoth Lakes, the popular Californian mountain resort area with access to Yosemite National Park. This area has been noted as a future trip!
Mono Lake, an ancient saline lake, offered a nice rest stop. The Kutzadika`a Paiute are the original stewards and native people of this land.
Further along, I passed Honey Lake, which looks very large and the shape of Australia. Honey Lake is an endorheic sink that almost completely dries up due to summer evaporation. Summer 2021 was NOT good for Honey Lake, Honey, I shrunk the lake!
Eagle Lake—the second largest natural lake in California—was my campsite for several wonderful days amidst the refreshing pines that surround the lake. Eagle Lake Recreation Area is a place I will revisit for a longer duration.
Original Sheepherder’s Bread® since 1938
Erick Schat’s Bakkery in Bishop (CA) claims to be the home of “the original sheepherders bread introduced to the Owens Valley during the California Gold Rush by immigrant Basque sheepherders.” The bakery attracts people for all parts of the world with many tour buses stopping along their journey on US Highway 395
Desolate Dark Desert
(July 8 - July 11)
Burns, OR
Departing Eagle Lake, US Highway 395 took me past Abert Rim and Lake Abert into Southeastern Oregon and a stopover in Burns. Southeastern Oregon expands over 10,000 square miles of high desert—the ultimate off-the-grid location. Searches for southeastern Oregon read: ‘desolate,’ ‘uninhabited land,’ ‘sagebrush plains’, ‘Oregon Outback,’ etc. And it is true! I don’t think I saw a single tree in over 100 miles while crossing this area. All US cellular carriers have forsaken this land, too. It is a cellular dark hole. Bring water, fuel, food, and a satellite phone if you plan to spend time in this area.
Abert Rim
US Highway 395 runs along one of the largest fault scarp (fault line) in the U.S and the longest exposed fault scarp in North America — Abert Rim.
Note: The Teton Range in Wyoming is an active fault scarp.
Alongside of Abert Rim is Lake Abert. This lake is very large (15 miles by 7 miles) and alkaline. No fishing here since fish don’t live in this lake but it does have brine shrimp.
Continue along with me as I capture whispers from nature. Read about the rest of my July adventures as I travel from Oregon to Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, and into North Dakota. July Travel Anthology - Part 2.
how much longer?
are we there yet?
how far to the next rest area?
“9 more miles”
9 more miles segment is a place where I share random road tidbits along the way during my capturing whispers from nature adventures.
In case you are wondering "are we there yet?"
“just 9 more miles"
Can’t imagine how it feels when going to a new location with new discoveries and expectations !! Wyoming is a favorite, also visiting Dude ranches ; Buen camino !!!