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Ghost Town — Bodie, CA

Bodie, CA — a very special place. One of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. A ghost town about 2 hours north of Bishop.

Photos from our Friday trip there . . . click on the 1st photo for a slideshow . . .

Burning Man & the Rough Fire

Rough Fire & Burning Man

For about a month, the Rough Fire has been burning uncontrolled just over the mountains from us.

We’ve been lucky as the smoke from the fire has been barely noticeable in Bishop — until last night.

When we took the dogs out at dusk yesterday, it smelled like every person in Bishop had a campfire going. Everywhere you turned, there was a light fog of smoke.

So we hunkered down inside our RV.

This morning it was much better, but the Rough Fire is at about 60,000 acres and only 25% controlled.

Meanwhile . . .

The Burning Man Festival starts soon (August 30 – September 7) and is held in the Black Rock Desert north of Reno.

We’ve had a few people stay at the campground on their way to the festival. Holy Dashiki, Batman, it was like 1968 again.

Too much fun.

Game of Temps — Destinations by Temperature

Winter IS Coming!

Where o where to go for the Winter (or Summer) . . . don’t want to freeze, don’t want to burn.

One of the main criteria has to be the temperature(s) you’ll find at your destination.

A few years ago I made a “temperature map” of the US.

We use it as a guide to destinations and also when to start moving — start North too soon and you may catch a snow storm  . . . start South too late and you’ll fry.

Remember — these are average temperatures.

US Average Temperatures Map (click to enlarge)

Whitney Portal

Whitney Portal Trip (click to enlarge)

Last Friday (August 14th) we made our 3rd attempt to climb Whitney Portal . . .

. . . the 1st time when we Jeeped Movie Flats in May

. . . the 2nd time when we visited Manzanar in June

. . . the 3rd time was the charm — we made it up to Whitney Portal.

Whitney Portal is the jumping off point to Mount Whitney, the highest mountain in the USA.

It was a fun trip was some hairy parts on the way up — mainly steep drop offs among the road.

Some photos from our trip . . .

Click to enlarge

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MOVIES

California Fires Near Bishop

Fires Near Bishop (click to enlarge)

Well, “near” is relative . . . the Walker Fire is near Lee Vining (60 miles north) and the Rough Fire is on the other side of the mountains.

However, as you can see on the map, once in a while we smell the smoke.

This is when it’s nice to live in a house that can drive away.