Friday - goodbye to 395

We left Lone Pine today before lunch and drove the remaining portion of route 395 south in to Apple Valley.

We began our trip on the Sierra Scenic Byway (395)  in Susanville, California and have now driven it all the way to its end (or start, depending on your view).  I have to say that it was the best road we've ever driven on, with the most dramatic and beautiful scenery, passing through the "other" California, the one most people don't think of.  It is a road that everyone should take at least once in their lives. Perhaps, on another trip, we'll be able to explore its northern section, all the way into Canada. 

An hour or so south of Lone Pine, we drove out of the familiar mountains and on to the real desert.  Mile and  miles of flat, sandy ground with sage brush here and there.  Windy, dusty and, for the most part, uninhabited.

Oh my, where are those majestic mountains?

near Edwards Air Force Base we drove past acres of solar panels

we pulled off the road in a tiny town, in front of this establishment and ate our lunch
(do you think this is a spelling error?)

and behind this large poster

Apple Valley is a very populated area, south west of Barstow.   We picked it because it is on the way to Desert Hot Springs and the first place that we could locate a Walmart to renew our prescriptions. The Lone Wolf Colony  is our home for the weekend.  Its an odd place, immaculate, friendly, really cheap and just what we were looking for.  It is owned and operated by retired telephone company employees and volunteers.  It was established in 1922 as a "Health Ranch" for adults and has received Historical Landmark Status.   Only in America....

I captured this beautiful desert sunset as we waited for our pizza!