Road Trip Day 4: Out of the Desert

We have an engagement this evening in Grass Valley and a long drive to get there, so we waste little time leaving Death Valley this morning. But once again, on our list of things to see are some old forgotten towns.

The first one is Darwin, population "50 or so." This is an old mining town that still has a few people kicking around, although there is no store or gas station. It seems like people tend to abandon these towns and leave unwanted possessions right where they are, so you see old vehicles and old junk everywhere. The Darwin Dance Hall is at the center of town and sports an Obama cut-out in the window.

Next up is the town of Keeler, only slightly more active than Darwin. The main attraction seems to be a would-be artist who has taken much of the junk lying around and turned some of it into sculpture, such as this train, which I photographed as an old dog expressed his disapproval.

And with that the road points us toward Mt. Whitney, and civilization in the form of Lone Pine, CA. We grab some fast food and eat it in a park beside Mormon missionaries.

The drive to Grass Valley takes us by Mammoth, Mono Lake, and finally Lake Tahoe for a brilliant sunset.

Arriving in Grass Valley, we receive a warm welcome among friends. We smell like campfires, haven't bathed in days, and are full of stories to tell.