We took a last hot shower and soak then washed some clothes at the communal sinks. We were sad to leave but needed to move east again. Saline Valley was a great experience with friendly campers, informal disbursed campsites, exceptionally clean vault toilets, and eccentric art. There is no potable water or trash removal.
We drove slowly back to out to CA 190 with stops at Saline Lake and the salt tram access road. Salt was evaporated from the lake and carried over the mountains via a 14 mile tramway. There were still tram towers near the lake and tower foundations on the rough road towards the mountains. The perfectly still water reflected the mountains like a mirror. Of course we also sampled the pure white salt.
We didn’t meet many vehicles going up the narrow Grapevine Canyon and over the South Pass. Back on CA 190 we stopped at Emigrant to refill our water tank and deposit our trash.
When we arrived at Texas Springs, there was a dinette cushion on the floor in a puddle of liquid. The lid had popped off the plastic sauerkraut tub in the refrigerator and sauerkraut juice leaked out onto the floor. Thanks to the dry desert air, the cushion dried without any smell.
Texas Springs is basically a parking lot for RVs with neat closely spaced rows and narrow parallel level sites. Fortunately it was almost empty that night.
Today’s lesson: Don’t try to save weight by putting liquids in plastic deli cartons. Use glass jars with screw on lids instead to avoid accidents on dirt roads.
