Lee Vining to Lone Pine
Yosemite National Park ends after passing through Tioga Pass.
As we descend the Pass, we notice a haze… Clouds? Fog? Smoke?
Highway 120, Tioga Road, empties into the town of Lee Vining. According to suburbanstats.org, only 222 people currently live here.
We intersect U.S. 395 and head south.
There’s that haze again. Our eyes start burning. It even smells funky.
I get online to investigate, and sure enough, in late June a wildfire broke out north of Lee Vining, closing parts of 395 as 819 acres of pinyon and brush burned. (mynews4.com)
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And here we are today, just shy of 3 months later, seeing, feeling, and smelling the smoke!
Fires can be beautiful and ugly. Fires can bring restoration and destruction. And whether or not they are caused by nature, carelessness, or malice, dedicated and courageous men and women risk their lives to keep us out of harm’s way. So, hug your favorite firefighter today!
I mean no disrespect or sarcasm. This is a sweet pic of my “grandson-in-law” at Halloween. His Dad is a firefighter, EMT, and Paramedic.
Once again, I am reminded that wildfires are serious threats and affect the lives and property of real people and places.
We leave the mountains and fire residue behind and finally arrive in Lone Pine where we will pick up Highway 190 into Death Valley.
wandering gypsy Laurel 