We left Vegas in the afternoon and drove through the desert, past brothels and abandoned cars, among other strange things: an abandoned boat on cinderblocks, alien-themed cafes, a lone donkey walking through an empty main street. Yair and I were also treated to a peach-colored sunset and thunderstorm during our drive. About an hour after the sun had gone to bed we reached our overnighting spot – a turnout on the side of the empty highway. A large signpost loomed over us in the dark and we realized that we were parked at an abandoned gold mine and official ghost town, Palmetto.

The next morning we set out exploring the crumbling walls and open mine shafts. We spotted old cans, a jackrabbit, and a car driving backwards on a dirt road across the highway. Gunshots rang out from the vicinity of the car and we decided it was time to go.

After a drive through ancient bristlecone pine forests (home to Methuselah and other ~5,000 year old trees) we arrived in Whitmore Hot Springs, California at a gravel parking lot within walking distance of a hot spring. On BLM land, this spot was free to stay and just over a mile from three other hot springs, each with unique tubs and views of the Sierras and White Mountains. We stayed a few days, relaxing in the tubs often and chatting with visitors as they came and went.

We left feeling refreshed and made our way up into the alpine forests near Mammoth Lakes. Currently, we are parked at Glass Creek Campground inside Inyo National Forest. Yair and I can’t figure out why this campground is free (huge sites, bathrooms, trail access, a clear creek running throughout) but we’re grateful.

So far we’ve been taking it easy but there might be some hiking in our future. And once we get to our next destination, Lake Tahoe, we hope to add climbing to our list of activities.