Benton Station

Coming from the east, Boundary Peak can be, by me at least, mistaken for the Sierras.

Boundary Peak East

Boundary Peak West

LATER

The pies were baked by the Paiute women on the nearby Reservation. They made Benton Station a destination. This time, the store was closed and didn't look as if it was going to reopen.

The gas pumps were on...$6.85/gal for regular and $7.08 for premium. Water came from the spigot in front just like the olde days.

Highway 120 was closed at Benton Hot Springs. There was nothing to do but go back to Nevada.

Pie!!! The next best thing to sex!

After you've been around a while yer focus jus' natch'ly narrows. The things that hold yer 'tention gits fewer. One of them is pie.

At Benton Station I had a slice of apple. Three weeks later, much like that one-time dose of heroin, hit whar still on muh mind. Thus, when I agin found muhse'f in duh hood, I made sure I got there when they were open.

It's at the corner of highway 120 and 6, just up the road from Bishop (California). Gas is reasonable, there's a water spigot out front for your jug-filling convenience and the eezee access restrooms don't require a key. Pie is $2.99 a slice.

Whole pies are $12.95.

I tipped her $1.00 for ringing it up and strolled out to the lot. There's a fine elm at the far end that gives shade. I tucked muh napkin unner muh chin and set to.

It's almost like you gotta do this on a hot afternoon in July. There jus' ain't no better time. The cold-case chill tickles yer fingertips as you peel off the sarano-wrap. Nevermind 'bout slicing...we jus' gwonna eat it!!

The peaches were crunchy, like REAL ones. And the crust had a flavor reminiscent of my own....and tha's sayin' sumpin' cuz when duh cosmoz aligns jus' right I kin whomp up a pie dat make folks sit up and (in their best ebonics) say "Yaaaaaaassssss SuHHHH!!!"

I ate nearly half. Not to worry, it won't go to waste. In fact, it probly won't last more than an hour or two. The waitress said they make them every morning. I'm a believer.

Elm shade at far left 

White Mountains - California & Nevada

I spent the past few weeks savoring the last of Fall in the White Mountains near the California-Nevada border.

The West side, a few miles north of Benton, California (photo above) is about the northern limit of the Joshua Tree. With few people, no trees to obscure the view or mar the silence with soughing boughs, and no friggin' babblin' brooks neither, the place is almost quiet. An occasional plane disrupts, but I've only recently begun exploring and still have hope of finding the perfect spot.

From highway 264 on the East side

It got cold so I moved to the East side where elevations are a bit lower. Here, I came upon some major mining trash. I admit I admired the crafted ends of the ore cart rails. Were they to tip and empty the cart?

Ore Cart Rails

Hand Crafting?

It was quite pleasant (warmer) a few miles south of Dyer, Nevada. This sculpture was on the road to The Global Stewardship Foundation.

Art is Where You Find It

Then, once again, winter descended. A cold wuss, I took the temperature drop personally and headed south.

White Mountains From Dyer, Nevada

The bright yellow areas at the bottom were actually bright blue.

This sunset was a parting gift. I guess clouds can, on occasion, contribute.

I've stopped over in Albuquerque, New Mexico for a bit of administrative tidying-up: vehicle registration and such. Then back to chasing the warmth...further South.

Supposedly, Spring'll come again.