1000 WORDS

On the other side of the pass I am presented with a landscape that I could have never imagined. I drop effortlessly 3000 feet down into the valley on the west of the Sierras feeling like I am suddenly on another planet. People had talked to me of the high desert and I realise now that I had no idea what to expect.

The road drops down 3000 feet to Lee Vining in about eight miles. Joy!

Mono Lake sits at the bottom of the pass.

A long valley runs between mountain ranges: the Sierra Nevada to the west and the White Mountains and Inyo Mountains to the east.

A totally different landscape - the valley is arid, sitting in the rain shadow of the mountains to either side.

A different world.

My destination for the day is June Lake where I will stay with Doris and John, who I contacted through Warm Showers, initially to ask advice about crossing the Tioga Pass. I arrive at around six o’clock just in time for a dinner of excelled home baked pizza. Doris is an enthusiastic cook and baker and has clearly spent a good part of the day whipping up a storm.

Over dinner, which we share with a couple of their friends, I tell Doris and John that I would like to backtrack to Mono Lake the following day because I didn’t really have a chance to explore. They are quick to offer another nights hospitality and are keen to take me on a day trip to see some of the highlights of the area.