Toiyabe is the name of a large
national forest in eastern
California, north of
Inyo National forest. It is charactarized by eastern sierra and great basin type terrain, and extends into
Nevada as well. This area includes
Mono Lake, the area directly east of Yosemite, and many various '
basin and range' mountain areas nearby. It consists of mainly
sagebrush and
pinon pine, with areas of
jeffrey pine and
riparian habitat.
'Toiyabe' was also the name i gave to my 'soulmate', the kind everyone imagines exists in high school, but gives up on looking for later. (see For emily, wherever i may find her.) Toiyabe is the 'companion' to Inyo in the eastern sierras, and both are some of my favorite places. Sometimes, in the spring, when the sun is setting over the ocean and the creeks are full and the hills green, for a few seconds i can believe that 'Toiyabe' exists. But the illusion always passes quickly.