After a hearty breakfast in a great American diner opposite our motel, we explored June Lake village. Then drove the scenic loop road past Silver lake where we stopped for a walk and chatted with an older couple from San Diego on their annual fishing pilgrimage, and he pulled in a Rainbow Trout as we watched! Apparently we’d just missed a Deer that had gone to the water for a drink.

Then back on the US395 heading South. On the way we couldn’t resist the signposted diversion to see Mono Lake’s ‘tufas’, strange vertical volcanic structures caused by freshwater springs uprising through the saline lake water.

Getting late in the day so we made our way to our next overnight stop, Olancha. Our motel was billed as a ‘rustic oasis’… Our arrival was accompanied by ominous storm clouds, it looked like a scene from the first Mad Max movie!

Ready to leave this great little motel.

Down by Silver Lake… Where are you Katie?

Ah, there you are!

These trees were felled by an avalanche last winter.

A splendid Scree slope backdrop here.

Mono Lake.

The weather is getting ominous.

And here is our final destination. Yes, it was as awful as it looks.