KCFDCapt wrote:
The route we always take is Hwy 178 through Ridgecrest and Trona. It meets up with Hwy 190 3 miles east of Panamint Springs. If you are coming from the north, it is a little out of the way, but well worth it.
Trona is a kick in the pants. We were just there last weekend.
Points of interest in Trona:
* Trails Drive-In: The food is great and the people are very dear.
* Trona High School: If you can visit while school is out, check out their all-dirt football field. Everyone in that conference hates playing away games in Trona.
* Gas: I forget the name of the station, but gas up at the generic station (not the name brand, can't remember if it's Chevron or Shell). The plain wrap station must have some sort of tribal ties, because their price is way lower than the competition and they must not be paying any fuel taxes.
On the way into Trona, keep your eyes out for the Fish Rocks. Pull over and get some pictures if you have a few minutes.
And if you have another 30 minutes to burn, turn off at Trona Pinnacles and take the dirt road to visit the Pinnacles. You'll recognize them from movies, commercials, and TV. They're pretty interesting. They're the same "Tufa" formations you see at Mono Lake, but they aren't underwater. Also, visiting the Pinnacles gives your nose a chance to acclimate before you get into Trona. The smell is something else. Our kids love to say, "Did you just Trona?"
If you feel like watching something quirky, check out Just Add Water on Amazon or Netflix. It's a very strange rom-com set in Trona, if you can believe that.
We often camp in the area and Trona is a fun destination to ride to and get some lunch.