Mono Lake

I have wanted to visit Mono Lake from the first time I saw a photo of its iconic spires, well before I moved to the west coast. From the Bay Area, it's a long drive ... and I'm not particularly comfortable with long drives.

I made it out there, finally, to cycle in the Eastern Sierras. As I drove past the lake, I couldn't resist making a quick stop. Surely I could manage a proper visit today, early on my long drive home.

Rather than the visitor center on the western shore, close to the highway, I headed for the southern edge to get a good look at the famed tufa formations.

I wandered freely on the trails. There was a small group of children on a school trip, but otherwise not much of a crowd. Curious, I dipped my fingers in the alkaline water. Not surprisingly, it felt soapy.

The passing clouds and the wind altered the view throughout my visit; it would be easy to spend the better part of a day here, especially when the migrating birds are in town. But having stretched my legs and my sense of wonderment, it was time to embark on the next phase of my journey. Westward, home!