Saturday, August 13, 2016

Headed Home in a Roundabout Way - Final Post for Hot August Nights 2016

This is my final post regarding my trip and adventures to Hot August Nights 2016 in Reno.

I left Carson City and headed south on Highway 395.  My plan was to go to the San Bernardino area to stay with a friend of mine, Chris and his family, whom I have known since 8th grade.  While there, I would spend a day with my Mom who lives in the suburbs of Riverside in the little town of Jurupa Valley.  I then head home to Arizona on Monday.

I loaded up the Mustang and headed out of Carson City a little later than planned, but no problem.  No real time schedule to keep except I didn't want to arrive at Chris' house too late in the evening.

Loaded up and ready to go

Southbound on Hwy 395 in the Carson Valley

I entered the People's Republic of California with at Topaz Lake.on the left.  After going through some small towns, the highway parallels the West Walker River for a few miles.  I have been this way several times since being married to my wife because we go to Carson City from Southern California to visit her Father.  I've always wanted to stop and picnic along the shore of the river, but we've always been pressed for time.  This time, I didn't picnic, but I did stop and take some pictures of the river and the area.

Just passing through

Topaz Lake

West Walker River

West Walker River

Looking back at the Mustang and truck parked along Highway 395

Continued south on Highway 395 and just outside of Bridgeport, I snapped a photo of this meadow.

Bridgeport, CA

After Bridgeport, one enters the Mono Basin where Mono Lake is located.  Pictures are hazy because of the fires in the area.  Mono Lake used to be a lot larger until the City of Los Angeles tapped into it because they needed the water more than anyone else.  Finally, after lawsuits and foot dragging by LA, the outflow to LA was cut back.

First view of Mono Lake

Shore of Mono Lake with some burned areas up ahead


Lee Vining, a small town on Mono Lake shoreline, had the highest gas prices I saw this whole trip

I saw these folks several times while headed south.  They still had their HAN sticker in the window.

Last time I'll see trees for awhile

There were a few fires along the way.  I saw helicopters staging at a small airport, and even saw one dipping for water in a lake.  At one point, there was a fire right off the highway, and folks were parked in the traffic lanes to take pictures.  I think those people are rightfully labelled "idiots".

Smoke from fire behind some mountains

Helicopter and crews staged at the Mammoth/Yosemite airport

Helicopter returning from make a drop at fire off of Highway 395

This is the fire where folks were actually parked in the roadway to take pictures.

After leaving the fire areas around Mammoth Lakes, I went past Crowley Lake and into Bishop and the Owens Valley.  The Owens Valley is one of the few places in the California I would ever want to live in.  Too bad the City of Los Angeles owns most of the land and the majority of the water rights to ensure the citizens of LA have plenty of water for their lawns and pools.  This goes back to the early 1900's when William Mulholland, Fred Eaton and Joseph Lippincott scammed the US Government to allow the diversion of water from Owens Valley to LA.  An aqueduct was built to ensure delivery of the water to LA while Owens Valley was left to suffer.

Part of the LA Aqueduct draining water from the Mono Basin

The Alabama Gates between Lone Pine and Independence.  These were take over by Owens Valley farmers in the 1920's to make their grievances heard about the taking of water from the valley and leaving them dry.  The gates were also dynamited in 1976.

The LA Aqueduct running south from the Alabama Gates

The LA Aqueduct

LA takes its water supply seriously

Crowley Lake - this was one of the sore points that resulted in a water war that rocked Owens Valley during the 1920's.  Fred Eaton, former mayor of Los Angeles, owned the land and knew it was an excellent spot for a storage reservoir.  The water could be used for both Owens Valley farmers and LA, but he wanted a million dollars for the land, and the LA Dept of Water and Power didn't want to pay it.  They ended up building an unstable dam in San Francisquito Canyon in Southern California that collapsed one night and killed over 500 people in the ensuing flood.  Fred Eaton ended up losing his property and LA bought it for $200,000.

Various sights along the way as I headed southbound on Highway 395 towards San Bernardino

The Eastern Sierra Nevada mountains on the right, and the Inyo Mountains on the left

The Owens Valley Radio Observatory near Big Pine.  This facility has been there since the late 1950's.  I remember seeing it for the first time 1976.

The Eastern Sierra Nevada mountains stretching southward with a lava formation in the foreground

The Inyo County courthouse in Independence, CA.  Charles Manson was arraigned for arson and destruction of government property after he and his followers burned some construction equipment in Death Valley.  He was later transferred from jail here to Los Angeles for trial in the Tate-LaBianca murders.

A small park in Lone Pine where I ate my late lunch.

Mt Whitney is the peak in the very center of this photo.  It is the tallest mountain the 48 states.  I have attempted the hike five times, and reached the summit three of those times.

The Owens River south of Lone Pine

The lake bed of Owens Lake.  In the late 1800's, paddle boats actually crossed this lake to take supplies to the Cerro Gordo mine across the way, and brought ore back.  That was before LA diverted the water and caused the lake to dry up.

Abandoned gas station - can't remember if was in Cartago or Olancha

Another view of the Eastern Sierra Nevadas

A cool view of a lava flow near Little Lake

Replica guard tower at Manzanar Relocation Camp between Lone Pine and Independence.  Japanese-Americans were interned here during World War II under an executive order issued by FDR.

The Manzanar High School auditorium.  When I first saw this in 1976, it was a maintenance facility for the highway department.  It is now part of the National Historic Site.

Once you exit the southern end of Owens Valley, and past Little Lake, you see the wide spot on the road known and Pearsonville, Hub Cap Capital of the World.  I didn't see any hub caps anywhere except on the vehicles driving by.

Next to the Pearsonville water tank is this Uniroyal Gal.  If you want to learn more about Uniroyal Gals, read this:  http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/36531

Pearsonville is a strange place.  Along with no hub caps at the hub cap capital of the world, there are these rusty, metal bleachers for crowds to sit and cheer on.....????

A Mobil gas station still using the "Flying Pegasus" logo.  I first saw this in 1976 and can't believe it still exists.  This is located on Highway 395 right before the highway splits into Highway 14 to go to LA, and Highway 395 continues on to San Bernardino.

Abandoned naval radar facility out in the middle of the Mohave Desert

Some of the equipment at the naval radar facility

Looks like a giant golf ball teed up and ready to be driven down the fairway

Getting closer to the smog belt known as Southern California

After spending two days in the San Bernardino area visiting Mom and spending time with Chris and his family, it was time to head on home.  While with Chris, I bought a 125cc dirt bike from him to putt around our property in Arizona.  I haven't ridden any type of motorcycle since I was in 8th or 9th grade, so it's going to be an adventure.  After loading everything up, it was time to go home.

Right after crossing the Colorado River on Interstate 10

You know you're in Arizona when you start seeing saguaro cactii

Thus ends my trip to Reno for Hot August Nights 2016.  Would I do it again....heck yeah!  Despite the food poisoning, flat tires, carburetor/fuel issues, etc., I am going back.  Don't know when, but I have to do it one more time.  It was a great adventure, met some fun folks, and enjoyed the camraderie of classic car folks looking out for one another.  Until next time....


































Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Day 7 - Last Day for Me at Hot August Nights

Day 7 turned out pretty good.  Joe and I headed over to GSR to get caught up on what was going on for the day, and got to meet Kelly and Jane!  Turned out to be good timing because Kelly arrived about the same time Joe and I did, and we spotted each other's cars while figuring out where we were on the phone.  After chatting for awhile, Kelly took off to go eat some late breakfast and Joe and I checked out the cars in the lot.  We then went inside and got some lunch, and went back outside.  Joe, being 81 years old, took a break while I went around and took pictures of more cars.  I ran into Kelly, her parents (nice folks!), and Jeff.  We spent about an hour talking cars and stuff we do and did in our lives.  Had some pretty good laughs.

Kelly, me, and my 65

Jane in all her glory

Another view of Jane

"Hey, does it have a Hemi?"  Oh yeah!

I don't know what these guy were working on, but there was a R&P unit sitting on the ground (out of the picture)
A nice, clean 67

Another view of the 67

If I remember correctly, this is a 54 Vette

Another GT350 clone

A really nice 442.  I always thought these were well designed cars

Semper Fi in a 442

A 70 Boss 302 looking lost in the crowd

This was on a 68 Camaro with "302" emblems on the hood

I don't know if it was a real GT500 or not, but a nice looking car

Another view

A 65 coupe

When I bought my 65, I was looking for a Mustang or a Nova - glad I found the Mustang first

Don't see many of these - a GT40.  

Wanna race a GT40?

Imagine seeing this in your rear view mirror

I would have a hard time calling any Ford product "Bumble Bee" - too much "Transformers"

A pair of Mustangs hanging out together

A couple of Vettes doing the same thing

A friend of mine in the Army had a 69 GTO, but it wasn't a Judge

As Flip Wilson would say, "Here come..."

A GT350 - I wondered if it was the real thing...

...until I saw this.


Afterwards, I found Joe and we headed back to Carson City for some home made enchiladas (they were delicious).  I headed back to Reno for the end of the festivities for me, to include the cruise downtown and the fireworks show.  I went one time around the cruise and kept an eye on the gauges.  I had a one scary moment when the car stalled, but it was because I let off the clutch too soon.  I made it all the way around with no issues, but I didn't want to push my luck  :)

Sign along the Cruise route

Another sign along the route

My view for the majority of the Cruise

I did see a later model (post 2005) Mustang try to get in on the cruise, but he got caught by the monitoring folks and had to get out of the cruise lane.  Listen, buddy...if you manage to hangon to the car for another 20 years, it might be considered a classic then.  Until then, give us our cruise and go somewhere else.  Another later model car was also forced out, but I can't remember what it was.

This guy stayed next to me for awhile, and played to the crowd.

Getting towards the end, and part of the crowd lining the route.

I found a parking spot on the bridge crossing the Truckee River at the end of the Cruise.  I stayed there for awhile talking with a guy with a 71 Maverick, and a guy with an extremely clean and powerful 69 Nova.  The guy with Maverick got 2d place at one of the Show 'n Shines and got a ribbon and $100 bucks from Summit.

I stayed on the bridge until about 1/2 through the fireworks show.  Didn't have anything else planned after that, so I headed back to my hotel in Carson City and prepared to hit the road the next day.

Overall, I had a great time at Hot August Nights 2016 despite being ill and carburetor/fuel issues.  Those problems were overcome, and I didn't let them get me down.  Got to share the adventures with my father-in-law, Joe, and he appreciated it.  Saw a bunch of really awesome cars, and met some really great folks.  Would I do it again....YES!!!!  I love the format, and wish I had the time to see more.  There's always next  year, right?  No late model Mustangs, Camaros, Corvettes, Honda Civics with fart can mufflers, etc.