It rained during the night, on and off. Not more than a sprinkle, we wake up to a light, steady rain and cool temps. We pack up and then heat some water for oatmeal. While we share the cantaloupe Linda bought yesterday at a roadside stand, we sense a break in the rain. Closing up the camper we’re ready to head out toward Yosemite National Park as we anticipate a beautiful ride across the Tioga Pass following Route 120 through the Park.

Driving out of Jamestown, CA and our campsite at Tulloch Lake and Dam at 10:00 a.m. we take 108/120. Following the advice of a flashing sign suggesting travelers tune into radio 1610 for emergency information. Linda turns on the radio and learns Tioga Pass is closed. This is no surprise considering the rain and fog. Going as far as Chinese Camp, CA Linda recalibrates another route that will eventually take us toward Tonopah, NV. The road splits here and we decide to take the northern route around Yosemite and over the road to Sonora Pass, through the Stanislaus National Forest. A beautiful, woody resort area, with summer homes here and there, the forest reminds us of Wisconsin’s Northwoods. Forest rangers are conducting controlled burns in the area and we enjoy the smell of burning wood.

Route 108 is a two-lane very, very narrow road leading to the Sonora Pass. The views, if you dare to look to the side of the road, are spectacular. The fall colors, mostly yellow, contrast with the snow on the top of the mountains. We ascend to 9,000 feet driving through rain that has turned to sleet and snow with a terrific wind. Once we reach the Pass road, we elect to continue on 108, bypassing a trip up to 9,647 feet at Sonora Pass. Another time. There isn’t much that can be seen today, anyway. The fog is too thick.

Where it’s allowed, we stop for just a few minutes to take a picture. When we started our ascent up this narrow mountain road that in areas warns of 26 percent inclines, the temperature was a cool 50-degrees. It kept dropping as we climbed and by 9,000 feet was 34 degrees.

Driving off of 108, we notice a US Marine Corp Training area with obstacle courses. Further on we see a condo-like residence and a few buildings, housing for the service personnel. The speed limit returns to 55 mph and the temperature to a nippy 49 degrees. We’ve all worn shorts today. Isn’t California supposed to be warm?

Route 108 ends and we take 395 south past Mono Lake and toward 120 on the east side of the park. Mono Lake is yet, another beautiful place, expansive and deceiving. It resembles the salt fields we passed in Utah. The road takes us through Toiybe Natonal Forest toward Bridgeport on 395. We gas up in Bridgeport, the last "big" town for several miles, and make our way across the desert of California to Tonopah, NV.

Pulling into Tonopah about 5:00 p.m. we fill up again and stop at McDonald’s for a salad. We decide to drive as far as Beatty, NV tonight, less than two hours. We look around Tonopah and take a picture of ourselves in front of the Tonopah sign. Our friend Bill spent several months here during WW II and he’ll be thrilled we have stopped to see this old town.

We make it to Beatty, NV at 7:30 and decide to treat ourselves to a night at the Motel 6. We’ve arrived on the day after the start of Beatty’s 100^th birthday. From October 15-31 Beatty will be celebrating with all kinds of events, including burro races, gold panning, birding and GPS hiking. We hope to get a little time to look around tomorrow while we get an oil change for the car.