So Last summer on the great book signing roadtrip from California to Las Vegas Chuck and I saw spectacular landscapes and had a absolute blast on the short 2 day trip. I was on deadline, had the computer in my lap as Chuck drove us toward Vegas. One of the things that happened to us was me being chased by the cutest little chipmunk! And Chucks veggies being stolen from his hamburger as we sat down at a picnic table to eat and enjoy the fabulous view! I've been planning to share photos so here we go!
We had entered the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range and stopped at the Tioga Pass to stretch our legs and admire the beauty! Amazing is all I can say. It was beautiful. We were standing there looking out over the range. To my right the mountains were a grey tone, I'm sure it all has to do with the different types of rock 🙂 but to me its all about the colors! Then directly in front of me the rocks had changed as you stared down the deep valley between the mountains and was more of the reds and gold tones found in the Grand Canyon. The pictures really don't do it justice but they are still gorgeous. So as I'm standing at the rock knee high wall over looking this beauty I look down at a rock below me and spot this little guy! The chipmunk is sitting down there looking up at me. I snapped a shot as he'd jumped to all fours and I didn't realize he was coming to see me. I lost sight of him and then suddenly he reappeared! Right beside me as he'd come up the rocks and onto the wall where I was standing. I was thrilled. I zoomed in on him and took more photos.
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- Entering Tioga Pass
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- Beautiful Grey Mountains
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- Changing to reds and golds
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- Then I spotted this guy
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- I took pictures
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- Then he was right beside me!
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- “Is he going to bite me?”
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- He stared at me from his perch
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- Mono Lake in the distance
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- Check out the cool salt formations in the lake.
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- The hamburger vegetable thief.
He was intent on getting closer and startled me by dashing toward me! I snapped a shot but honestly I was thinking “is he going to bite me? How wide can a tiny chipmunk open his little mouth! Do they get Rabies!
I was so nervous at his mad dash at me that the photo missed and I just got his head in the shot-and then I ran!!! Honestly its embarrassing but true. You had to be there, he was coming at me like lightening, Chuck was standing over near the road studying the dynamite holes in the rock left from all those years ago when they blasted through the mountain to make the roads. But he turned to laugh as he watched me running to the car with the tiny chipmunk racing after me. I got the door open, hoped inside and YALL if I had not closed the door this little guy would have been in there with me. I was laughing by this time because I really didn't know what to do. So then he stared at me for a moment, made me feel bad because I realized he was looking for food, I think! He went back to his perch on the wall, looked at me and then disappeared. I realize now that he is probably a big attraction there greeting people like me and maybe getting fed by others. We're going to make the roadtrip again it was so amazing and I hope I see my little friend again. If you pass that way, and see him I'd love to see your pictures!
The next spot was not too far down the road on as we left the pass and down in the valley we could see the really cool Mono Lake. look it up it is amazing. These cool salt formations rise up out of the water and its beautiful. But our next animal encounter happened as we stopped at a travel stop overlooking the lake and decided to eat lunch there. We bought our open faced hamburgers and headed outside, it was a gorgeous day and there were picnic tables lined up filled with families eating. We sat our food on the table and Chuck went to grab ketchup. It happen quickly. One minute I was sitting at the table with two open faced burgers and then BAM!!! This flying thief had dive bombed Chuck's burger, snatched his onions and tomato and landed on the table next to us to scarf down the food. He ate the tomato instantly and scattered onions all around him. Chuck came back about that time, as I was laughing and everyone around me was too because they'd witnessed what the bird did. Chuck asked me if I'd fed the bird his veggies. “No, not exactly!” I know you can't see it but the bird is standing in front of a sign posed on that fence that says “Do NOT feed the birds!”
Okay, so I didn't he stole the food. But it sure was fun! lol Now I know how a fish in the water feels when these sea gulls dive in and grab them!
So there you go, my animal adventures along this amazing road trip. We also saw, later that night a donkey walk out of the midst and across our path as we drove through a nearly deserted town. A badger that was out in the middle of absolutely NO where with no cars or anything for miles and miles and he chooses to run across the path of our car as we were passing through his desert. If Chuck hadn't hit the brakes the little fella would have been hit! That would have been a terrible thing to happen so I was so thankful it didn't happen.
All in all, the road trip to Vegas was amazing. I can't wait to do it again. I was working on the BETTING ON HOPE at the time of the road trip and am thrilled to be celebrating its release this week at book stores across the country and the internet! Readers are loving it and I'm so thrilled. This says pre order but its on shelves now! here's a link to the buy page of my sight. https://debraclopton.com/
Thanks so much for stopping in! I hope you have a great day!
Debra
