Bishop (Oct 17)

Welcome to Bishop, Ca, population 3045, Smallville US of A. Pretty impressive drive through Toulumne Meadows and the Tioga Pass, 9945 ft elevation. Bishop is in the desert of the Sierra Nevada foot hills which are all beautifully snow-capped around us at the moment. This is how I imagined the US - one wide main streed lined with shops and fast food joints, and not much else. We drive around for ages sizing up all possible camping options, before settling for Brown's Town Camping, just south of Bishop town itself. The free climbers' campsites are still closed for the season. This is a full service camp site, mostly frequented by your typical massive RV - basically mobile appartment blocks. But it's quiet, and cheap - $4 per person per night, cheaper than Camp 4 in fact, although it lacks the vibe. We head out for a few beers and a massive burrito before turning in.