What a Difference a Day Can Make!

Eastern Sierras on SR-395 near Mammoth Lakes CA

My day job can have me driving over 9 counties. The most far reaching drive is to Mono County which is on the east side of the Sierras. It is a beautiful drive, but a bit troubling in the winter.

This year's weather has been strange. No rain (snow in the Sierras). But when I got the assignment to go to do an inspection in the town of Mammoth Lakes, I started stressing. It is a long 4 hour drive or more to get there. Using the Tioga pass, it is just under 10,000 ft, the second choice route the Sonora Pass is about 340 ft less at the summit than the Tioga pass. There is one more mountain pass I have not been on, but I am sure it is nearly has high, and just as windey as Tioga and Sonora passes. All three passes are closed in the winter, which would leave me with a choice of going through Tahoe (nearly 350 miles) or to go south through Bakersfield (over 400 miles).

View of Half Dome from the Tioga Pass

Pretty High!

As I said, it has not rained/snowed in my neck of the woods. All three passes were open. But that could change at any moment. Pressure was on me to get the heck over there to do my job. SOON.

Really?? Is that Cavelier supposed to
climb this grade on the Sonora Pass?

Next stressor for me in this assignment was the vehicle to get there. My assigned state vehicle is a Chevy Cavalier with 100,000+ miles. The engine light is always on and the mechanic just cant seem to find the problem. I did not have much faith in the piece of shit car getting me there and back in one piece.

My own personal car is a 1999 Honda CRV. A good car, but it has over 123,000 miles....and why the hell should I use my own car on state business for a lousy 50 cents per mile. If I got a flat or any other mechanical problem, the state would not help me out. The 50 cents per mile is supposed to cover it all.

That left me with the only option I could see. Rent a car on the state's dime. They won't really like it, especially since I insist on a substantial vehicle (SUV) to get over that way, should there suddenly be white stuff falling from the sky. A Presis just wont do.


Monday night, I picked up a Jeep Cherokee from Enterprise.  Then I went and got chains to carry in the car just in case. Hey, I gotta be ready for every disaster imaginable.  I packed blankets and food. You know just in I case I drive off the cliff and get stuck in a snow storm and need to do a re-enactment of the Donner party I wanted to be able to survive a week before I BBQ'D the old fart (Steve) for dinner. He would probably taste skanky anyways


So Tuesday morning before the sun came up we got into the car with enough provisions to feed and warm an army and I noticed a strange light on the dashboard of the Jeep In my opinion, strange lights shining brightly on car dashboards is not a good thing. Especially if you have no damned idea of what it means

I pulled into the nearest parking lot. I thought I pushed a button I should not have. After pushing everything I could find multiple times and looking for the Eject Button for my passenger who at 5:30 am has the remarkable way of having the skill an energy to royally pissing me off, I decided it had nothing to do with an unknown worthless  button.


Looking at the drivers manual proved it to be as worthless as the mystery button. It wasn't even a full manual. It was the quick start guide. Not one word about warning lights.

(Oh shut the F-up Steve. I will BBQ you and feed you to the bears)


 Fine.  I turned off the car. Maybe the light will go away. No luck. Still there. 


I am ready to belt Steve he is really pissing me off.  Ok Boss,  I know You meant well suggesting I take him along. I might put you on my spit too!


I turned the car off again. Let it sit for a couple minutes then turned it on again.  There!  If I blinked I would have missed it! Words flashing faster than I  can spend my money say "low tire pressure" and then disappear. 


Now tell me how should I know that an icon that looks like a coffee bean means that? I fail to see the connection. 


So do I fill the tire (which one ?) and go on? Or do I wait about an hour and half till 730 till Enterprise opens?


Being intimidated by tires represented as coffee beans I opted for the later. I told the guy to check out the light and all four coffee beans. He didn't understand at first. But then ran it to the back for the mechanic to check out.  


He came back with the Jeep a few minutes later and said "Strange... It was down a full pound pressure   It was just  checked before we gave it to you last night"


Just as he reached the keys to me we both looked at the  coffee bean tire. We  both notice a grey glint.


 A nail!


He pulls back the keys and says "Let me get you another car"


Great idea! !!


Now I have a Nissan Pathfinder. A GEM of a vehicle with every bell and whistle imaginable. I LOVED the car.


The Pathfinder got us there with no problem. I did my inspection, then we went to the hotel.  Then drove up the the Ski Center to have a look. By this time it was about 4pm. Darkness would not be long. We decided to go back to the hotel and had dinner at the restaurant next door.

Mammoth Lakes Ski Area

Watching TV later that evening got us a little nervous. A storm was brewing. We thought we should hit the road fairly early to get back to the central valley.


Wednesday morning, we left the hotel by 7:30. When we got to the Tioga pass it was CLOSED. Oh crap...


Second alternative, lets go towards Sonora Pass, about 40 miles to the north. Luckily it was open. Yes luckily!! 

Trying to get home on SR-395

We got home without a problem.


For grins this morning, I checked out the road conditions. All 3 mountain passes are closed. Travel advisories are in effect for the Tahoe region (don't travel if you dont need to).


Yes, what a difference a day can make. So glad I didn't wait any longer to do my inspection!!