Our return south, along the Eastern Sierras, was breathtaking, a bit exciting and always interesting!
The storms we received in Tahoe were evidenced here, making everything so spectacular.The geothermal power, along the volcanic fields, is very obvious when it's cold and the molten surface is covered in snow. Wow.At June Lake, chains were required.This was the first time, since buying our Subaru, that we had the chance to see how it handles (this was the exciting part of our drive). It did fabulously.This coffee place is so up my alley, though it was a casualty of COVID. Brewed Awakenings: Sarcasm & Coffee. What a riot.Almost all of US 395 in Inyo and Mono counties from CA 14 north is part of the old Sierra Highway, also known as El Camino Sierra, originally trekked by the great Jedediah Smith and later promulgated by prospectors from the south. Advocated in the motor age as a connector from El Camino Real (US 101) to Yosemite, it was best known during its US 6 days (in 1937, U.S. 6 was extended south from Bishop to Los Angeles and cosigned with Highway 395).Evidence of its earlier days dot this scenic byway for miles.Up until recently The Ranch Motel had been opened for business. Now it appears abandoned, one of many such places.Bypassing and renumbering happened frequently over this route's long history.One lost town is that of Dunmovin, CA. A post office operated at Dunmovin from 1938 to 1941. The place was originally called Cowan Station (early 1900s) in honor of homesteader James Cowan. Cowan Station was a freight station for silver ingots being transported from the Cerro Gordo Mines* to Los Angeles. When Cowan sold out in 1936, the name was changed to Dunmovin.
The property was again sold in 1961, and the new owners continued to operate the café and store for many years. Situated along what was then the main route between Los Angeles and Reno, the site served travelers along the highway well.Dunmovin is abandoned now, hitting hard times during the 1970s. It then became a residence for various desert dwellers until they, too, looked for greener vales and the property, so far, remains fallow (it was For Sale but the sign has recently disappeared).At one point, Mid-way was literally a rest stop half way between LA and Mammoth.It is obvious this place used to be something... long ago.Adjacent is the Golden Cactus Ghost Town & Museum. Closed currently, I read good reviews of the place, once filled with historical artifacts from the mining that occurred here. We will have to stop some day!*The Cerro Gordo Mines are a collection of abandoned mines located in the local Inyo Mountains. Mining operations spanned 1866 to 1957, producing high grade silver, lead, and zinc ore. I'm certain there were tons of artifacts to be found, making this museum quite intriguing to me.I love that there is still more to discover on our-road-most-travelled.
“I can speak to my soul
only when the two of us are off exploring
deserts or cities or mountains or roads.”
- Paulo Coelho
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