Minarets and Bristlecones

This weekend we wanted to get out of Doge* so we went over those mountains over there, and screwed around on the east side. We got up in them Minarets (which included seeing the Devil's Postpile, finally; also see here) and seeing the Bristlecone Forest, finally. Below please see Minarets. Was warm even at 10,000'.



Simple question for geology and materials science types: if basalt sometimes forms regular hexagons (as with Devil's Postpile) because it's a stable shape, and salt flats do the same thing, why don't they always (or usually) form these shapes? Why are the regular hexagonal patterns so rare as to stick out to us?























Below, seen in Bishop: I know I'm often frustrated by gelato shops that don't sell weapons when I need one. (Or the other way around.) Finally! A store that addresses this problem! However, steak was consumed at the best steakhouse in town, which is in (no kidding) the local bowling alley, and which is (similar lack of kidding) a solid place for a steak and a beer.




Above: I said we wanted to get out of Doge, and I meant it.
Below: Cooking Wiss a Doge.



The next day we saw us some 4,000 year old trees. The 4.5 mile trail from the visitor center in the Bristlecone Forest may not seem like much but the flora changes based on north- or south-facing slopes and elevation are pretty interesting. Fun trail. Plus my car turned 100,000 on the way; can't think of a better place to mark the occasion. Panorama is taken on the high road between the visitor center and the UC research station.