We turned onto Movie Flat Road in the dark cover of night. We could see nothing save for a few illuminated boulders from the roadside. After a 12 hour day of driving and breakdowns, we had finally arrived at Alabama Hills. We navigated to an unmarked campsite with gps coordinates borrowed from someone's travel blog. In true boyhood fashion, @chriskautzer said, "I'm going to wake up first so I can see it before you!"
As it name eludes, Movie Flat Road is the entry to 100's of filming locations. Our biggest interest was one of our childhood favorites, Tremors. However there's many more, including Star Trek Generations, Bonanza, Gladiator and Iron Man (just to name a few). I've heard stories of huge film crews setting up right next to your campsite, and although they can't force you to leave, I imagine a short relocation would provide an up-close first hand experience in movie making.
Photo found at a yard sale for $3.00 from the movie set of the 1939 movie Gunga Din, set in India, filmed in Alabama Hills
We are big fans of the Eastern Sierra Mountain Range, and often travel the long 395 highway which follows the base of these glorious snow capped mountains, yet we had never made it this far South. I had a photoshoot on the books, and although we originally planned to keep it close to home, I could not get these boulders and mountains out of my head. I was surprised when our team agreed without hesitation to drive the 6 plus hours to a location in the middle of nowhere.
When morning came, Chris was in fact the first one out the door. He hollered from outside, making sure I knew I was missing out! I crawled out from under the blankets into the frigid 20 degree desert morning. It was tough, but the immediate view of bright white Mount Whitney peaking it's head over orange baked potato boulders was all I had hoped for!
Unable to wait, we wandered the maze of boulders in our pajamas.
Later that afternoon our team met us and with them they brought a winter storm. Thankfully the brunt of it was visible to us on the low ground at the top of the Sierras. We watched the blue clouds sink lower over the range, bringing with them gusts of freezing wind.
That night our little RV was tossed about on the waves of an invisible sea. I felt like a ship on the ocean, which in hindsight is perfect since the Alabama (in California) Hills was named for a ship. I asked Chris several times if we would blow over. He assured me we would not. Later a little VW bus pulled up right next to us to use us a wind break.
This trip marks our furthest adventure south. We hope to return in the summer with more pleasant temperatures!
That's crazy they built that giant building there! Guess you could get away with more in 1939.
I should have done that pose!
I'm certain you'll have another chance. I prefer the dancing down the dirtroad with the dogs anyways.
Congratulations @joleenwillis! You have completed some achievement on Steemit and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :
Click on any badge to view your own Board of Honor on SteemitBoard.
To support your work, I also upvoted your post!
For more information about SteemitBoard, click here
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPvery beautiful mountain different from our planet, mountain banyqk plants, thank you for sharing friend.joleenwillis
Thank you! I agree, it's very otherworldy!
driving for 12 hours ....ugh. I've done that one time and never again....well maybe :)
I love your $3 photo....that's so fun, especially with your love for this area.
Your trip sounded like a lot of fun. You two are so adventurous. And your photos are beautiful, of course.
I really enjoyed reading this post @joleenwillis. Thank you.
It wasn't supposed to be 12 hours, that's for sure. We had never taken this rv anywhere, and we had no idea it was so slow, combined with being stuck outside of a mechanic for a few hours, it felt like forever.
That photo isn't mine (from the yard sale), I didn't mean for it to sound like it was. I saw it online and while I was searching I learned the history, I thought it was interesting so I included it. Doesn't seem like there's much out there from so long ago! Thank you for reading, I always like hearing from you:)
The Eastern Sierras Mountains look amazing! Very nice pics 👌 I would love to make a road trip there.
Are you in California? I think it's totally worth it!
No, not at the moment, but I would love to go there! Maybe next year...
How could I have never heard of Alabama Hills. Love it. And love that RV.
It was a great first time exploring and I can't wait to go back! Don't even get me started on the rv...I bought it just to drive it to Mexico and so far it's not going smoothly. This trip was a test run so hopefully I'll be posting from Mexico soon!
Best of luck with it. The best of voyages start on a basis of uncertainty.
Thank you! I'll tell my mom that...not sure if she'll agree but I sure like the sound of it!
Perhaps read her this Sterling Hayden quote from his book Wanderer which was published in 1963. Its about sailing but you will just be sailing along in your RV !
“To be truly challenging, a voyage, like a life, must rest on a firm foundation of financial unrest. Otherwise, you are doomed to a routine traverse, the kind known to yachtsmen who play with their boats at sea... "cruising" it is called. Voyaging belongs to seamen, and to the wanderers of the world who cannot, or will not, fit in. If you are contemplating a voyage and you have the means, abandon the venture until your fortunes change. Only then will you know what the sea is all about.
"I've always wanted to sail to the south seas, but I can't afford it." What these men can't afford is not to go. They are enmeshed in the cancerous discipline of "security." And in the worship of security we fling our lives beneath the wheels of routine - and before we know it our lives are gone.
What does a man need - really need? A few pounds of food each day, heat and shelter, six feet to lie down in - and some form of working activity that will yield a sense of accomplishment. That's all - in the material sense, and we know it. But we are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention for the sheer idiocy of the charade.
The years thunder by, The dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience. Before we know it, the tomb is sealed.
Where, then, lies the answer? In choice. Which shall it be: bankruptcy of purse or bankruptcy of life? ”
― Sterling Hayden, Wanderer
Wow this really says everything all these "vanlifers" I follow (in the here and now) are saying! I'm surprised it was written in 1963. Even now I know it's frowned upon to live in the now and not work towards that retirement. So many people much younger than me are quitting their 9-5's and living day to day while they travel. Most say something like they want to do it now when they're able and not when it's safe. It seems Sterling Hayden was saying it before everyone else! Thank you for the excerpt. I will now endeavor to be a voyager!!! (Sans mortgage!)
Yes people always think their on the head of the curve . Then you read some of the stuff the Roman’s wrote 2k years ago about fashion and lifestyle and freedom and realise that no matter how much we change we always stay the same. Stirlings book is worth reading just for the historical context.
Beautiful! What kind of camper is that?
Thanks Austin! It's a 1986 Toyota Sunrader
Those landscapes are really something else. Amazing collection of images Joleen