Tag: road trip

Four Reasons You Should Plan a Trip to California’s Eastern Sierra

Four Reasons You Should Plan a Trip to California’s Eastern Sierra

Keelie Cox

I had lived in Reno for almost 8 years. I’d been to Gardnerville countless times, but never any further south on Hwy 395. One day I randomly came across a picture of Bodie, a mining ghost town located just south of Bridgeport, and instantly became infatuated. I convinced a few of my friends to head down there for a weekend getaway and instantly fell in love with the area. Here are 4 reasons why you should plan a trip to the Eastern Sierra.

Hot Springs

The land along Hwy 395 is loaded with hot springs perfect for soaking those sore muscles after a long day of skiing or just relaxing and enjoying the breathtaking views. You can either pay to enjoy a natural hot spring that has been funneled into a man-made pool like at Grover’s Hot Springs or David Wally’s, or you can venture into the unknown and find a natural hot spring. If you decided to go the natural route, please read this blog on hot spring etiquette. Finding them is always the tough part. You can definitely google “Eastern Sierra Hot Springs”, but I think the best thing to do is adventure out and find one on your own!

Natural Park Areas

We’ve all heard of Yosemite, turn right at Lee Vining from Hwy 395 to see its granite cliffs and magnificent waterfalls. If you’d like to read more, check out my blog on Half Dome. However, there are plenty of great parks located in Eastern California without climbing Tioga Pass. Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve is located near the Yosemite turnoff. This shallow saline soda lake is considered prehistoric and filled with large Tufa Towers or limestone towers. Bodie is a California Historic Landmark and a preserved mining ghost town. Rumor has it that during the gold boom Bodie was the 3rd largest city in California. The mines started to close, and by the early 1900s, the once-booming city was now considered a ghost town. The people left so abruptly, that they left behind vehicles, clothes, dishes among other items now on display in the historic town.

Skiing

You can’t write a blog about Hwy 395 and the Eastern Sierra without mentioning skiing and Mammoth Mountain. With over 3,500 skiable acres and an elevation of over 11,000 ft, Mammoth Mountain is often the training mountain for Olympic winter athletes. If you want to avoid the long lift lines at Mammoth, you can give June Mountain a try. With 1,500 skiable acres, June is a much smaller mountain, but still great to ski and a local’s favorite after a storm. Backcountry skiing is also really popular in this area. I was camping in the Bridgeport area Memorial Weekend after the epic 16/17 ski season. The mountains were still deep with snow and backcountry skiing was a popular activity. We were hiking a trail near Twin Lakes, and we were the only group not hiking with skis on our back. We saw the bowl everyone was hiking too and a couple of my friends started drooling.

Outdoor Recreation

Basically, if you are looking for a weekend getaway and love the outdoors, you should plan a trip south (or north if you’re coming from Southern California) on Hwy 395 and explore the Eastern Sierra. Here you can camp, hike, fish and play on or in the water with the beautiful Sierra as your backdrop. Paddleboard on Lake Mary or cast your line in the East Walker River.

For more information check out VisitMammoth.com or MonoCounty.org. Have you explored much in the Eastern Sierra? Where is your favorite place to go or thing to do? Tell me in the comments below!

Until next time…

Cheers!

Keelie

5 Perfect Road Trip Songs You Need to Add to Your Playlist

5 Perfect Road Trip Songs You Need to Add to Your Playlist

Keelie Cox

Who doesn’t love a good road trip? It’s an American pastime. You have your best pals in the car, you’re on your way to some place cool, and the best part – the good tunes on the radio. With modern technology, we are no longer subject to the radio (heaven forbid the service cuts out) or changing out CDs. My go-to software for playing music is Spotify. I pay for the premium subscription because I love being able to play a song on demand, and I still want my tunes when the cell service cuts out.

So, let’s get back to that beloved Spotify Road Trip playlist. What goes on it? For me, the tunes tend to be upbeat, fun, and something I can either sing along to or “dance” to (the most dancing you can do while driving). And most of them have a funny story behind them. So here are my five songs that I believe everyone should have on their road trip play list.

Highway to Hell – ACDC

Aw yes, this song is a bit ironic because you’re in the car, maybe on the highway, but hopefully, you are on your way to someplace rad and not hell. And I hope that your drive there is not hell. The song has a great beat, is easy to sing to and the perfect song to start your road trip.

Quick story – I once was on my way to Monterey with a friend. A nasty winter storm has rolled in the night before. It knocked the power out of most of the business in Northern California (including gas stations), trees had fallen over and roadways were flooding. Still, my friend and I were determined to get to Monterey. We made in there, filling up at every little gas station we saw had power and plowed through the flooded 101. We were just a few miles from my cousin’s house when I accidentally went up the curb and popped my tire. The first song of that road trip was Highway to Hell.

Wake Me Up – Avicii

Another great, fun, upbeat song. Wake Me Up was the theme song of our girls’ trip to Costa Rica. A young English woman introduced it to us and we are forever thankful she did! It has everything, a little EDM, some country and a little soul. I play this song on every road trip.

I’m Gonna Be (500 miles) – The Proclaimers

This song has been around since the late 80s, but it solidified itself on the road trip playlist when it was featured in an episode of How I Met Your Mother. This episode was the gang saying good-bye to Marshal’s beloved car through a series of flashbacks in the car. Turns out during the lifetime of the car, a Proclaimers single tape became logged in the stereo making it the only song available to play anytime you were in the car. This became the only road trip song for boys and their drive from New York to Minnesota during college.

Hello – Adele

I no way can sing like the songstress herself, but I love to pretend I can. This song has it all – emotion, heart, and the perfect lyrics for some carpool karaoke. And if you haven’t seen Adele’s carpool karaoke with James Corden add it to your YouTube playlist now!

Escape (The Pina Colada Song) – Rupert Holmes

Another lyrical genius of a song, the Pina Colada Song has been on road trip tapes, CDs and Spotify playlists since 1979. Maybe save this one for just before you reach your destination because you’ll be craving a Pina Colada at the end of this song!

What are your favorite road trip songs? Tell me in the comments below!

Until next time….

Cheers!

Keelie