OUR 5 DAYS AT MAMMOTH

We took the only logical road out of the Park west to go to Zoe’s brother John’s ranch in Olancha, California. And oh what a road! The nine percent grades for over ten miles was bad enough but then came the 20 mph hairpin turns and more steep grades. Zoe did a fantastic job of getting us over the mountain. She concentrated on the road while I peeked at the 1000-foot drop with no guardrails.

What a refreshing stop at John’s ranch. It is at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and quiet with clear, crisp breezes. He gave us a tour of his ranch and horses and then for tours up into the mountains in his new Rubicon jeep. He is a charming host and his housekeeper, Fary, cooked us a couple of delicious dinners. Her husband did a wonderful job of washing our car and the front of our rig, They really needed it after their desert sojourn.