Although we were separated in age only by a few years, I had long since given up
trying to tamp down their exuberant foibles. For example, they were both devoted
aficionados of the rock group “The Grateful Dead.” I had never objected to them
playing their group’s music when we worked in our make-shift labs, or even when
they applied one of the group’s decals (5 gaily colored, lei festooned dancing teddy
bears) to the back of our boat. Indeed, more than once that sticker proved helpful to
us, as gas station mechanics were also into the Dead and Larry and Chuck immediately spun into what concerts they had attended in common. This may sound trite,
but whenever we found ourselves in need of repairs or a spare part, the “Dead-Head”
mechanics would do everything in their power to fix things for us in record time. It
was like having a super-special consideration AAA card (American Automobile
Association) and it saved our butts more than once. While I prefer classical music
and enjoy the likes of Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach, a field trip just did not feel right
unless I heard their tape player blasting out “Goin’ Down the Road Feelin’ Bad”
several times a day.
The next day we linked up with Bob Jellison (U.C. Santa Barbara) who was
headed out to the lake to do some routine sampling associated with UCSB’s contract
ecosystem monitoring work with Los Angelis Department of Water and Power
(LADWP). This greatly facilitated our subsequent efforts later on, so that we
didn’t have to waste time searching for a suitable launch site and getting lost in
the maze of tufa-lined backroads that circle around the western shoreline of Mono
Lake. We likely did a few hydro-casts of our own, noticing a turbid layer in
association with the thermocline at a depth of 16–18 m. It whetted our appetites
and convinced us to make a return visit in the fall.
So that October we caravanned east towards Mono Lake but had to take the long
route (I-80; Hwy 395) because route 120 over Yosemite was closed. This entailed
driving east on I-80 and making a right turn south on U.S. route 395 at Reno. This
way adds about 3 h to the trip compared with going via Yosemite, and somewhat
longer owing to the slowness of our aged vehicles (we were towing a boat), and the
need to huddle together in case of mechanical difficulties. Owing to a late start, we
stopped overnight at a motel south of Carson City and continued on the next
morning, reaching Conway Summit around noontime and its spectacular view of
the Mono Basin.
Panoramic view taken from Conway Summit vista (~ 8,1 00 feet/2,482 m) above the Mono Basin.
Panoramic view taken from Conway Summit vista (~8100 feet/2482 m) above the Mono Basin
666
R. S. Oremland
trying to tamp down their exuberant foibles. For example, they were both devoted
aficionados of the rock group “The Grateful Dead.” I had never objected to them
playing their group’s music when we worked in our make-shift labs, or even when
they applied one of the group’s decals (5 gaily colored, lei festooned dancing teddy
bears) to the back of our boat. Indeed, more than once that sticker proved helpful to
us, as gas station mechanics were also into the Dead and Larry and Chuck immediately spun into what concerts they had attended in common. This may sound trite,
but whenever we found ourselves in need of repairs or a spare part, the “Dead-Head”
mechanics would do everything in their power to fix things for us in record time. It
was like having a super-special consideration AAA card (American Automobile
Association) and it saved our butts more than once. While I prefer classical music
and enjoy the likes of Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach, a field trip just did not feel right
unless I heard their tape player blasting out “Goin’ Down the Road Feelin’ Bad”
several times a day.
The next day we linked up with Bob Jellison (U.C. Santa Barbara) who was
headed out to the lake to do some routine sampling associated with UCSB’s contract
ecosystem monitoring work with Los Angelis Department of Water and Power
(LADWP). This greatly facilitated our subsequent efforts later on, so that we
didn’t have to waste time searching for a suitable launch site and getting lost in
the maze of tufa-lined backroads that circle around the western shoreline of Mono
Lake. We likely did a few hydro-casts of our own, noticing a turbid layer in
association with the thermocline at a depth of 16–18 m. It whetted our appetites
and convinced us to make a return visit in the fall.
So that October we caravanned east towards Mono Lake but had to take the long
route (I-80; Hwy 395) because route 120 over Yosemite was closed. This entailed
driving east on I-80 and making a right turn south on U.S. route 395 at Reno. This
way adds about 3 h to the trip compared with going via Yosemite, and somewhat
longer owing to the slowness of our aged vehicles (we were towing a boat), and the
need to huddle together in case of mechanical difficulties. Owing to a late start, we
stopped overnight at a motel south of Carson City and continued on the next
morning, reaching Conway Summit around noontime and its spectacular view of
the Mono Basin.
Panoramic view taken from Conway Summit vista (~ 8,1 00 feet/2,482 m) above the Mono Basin.
Panoramic view taken from Conway Summit vista (~8100 feet/2482 m) above the Mono Basin
666
R. S. Oremland