I drove out of the mountains' snow, white-knuckled terror for several hours. I got down to the Owens valley, where it was dry and easy. Relief! Then I drove up to the Buttermilks to visit the boulders and pay my respects. Joy and heaven! I camped here, for free. Savings! Now this is road tripping!

At night, around 11pm, I heard the first few flakes of snow falling onto my tent. "Should I pack up and move?" I wondered. Nah... my little tent was shedding the snow alright and how much could there be? I was in the desert! This would be just a dusting.

Several more times through the night, I woke up with the snow-laden walls of my tent pressing in against me. Hmm. Shake, shake, slough off the snow. Back to sleep.

In the morning, I awoke to about 3-5 inches of snow blanketing everything. Crap! I couldn't just wait in place, I had to meet my friend. But my car is very not a rugged vehicle, as you can see. I spent several hours breaking camp and getting both new tire chains onto my wheels--it seems like the first time you attach them, they fight like crazy to be closed around the tire.

In the end, I was able to get them on, and drive the ~1 mile out to safety. As soon as I was off Buttermilks road, the snow was gone.