We woke up to heavy snowfall in Mammoth Lakes. It took a while to dig out the car and start making our way home. Once we got on the road, I stared at the stunning views of the Eastern Sierra. Jagged mountain peaks poking out of thick snow, trees dotting the landscape, rays of sunlight cutting through the clouds. Then slowly the ground beside the road turned from snow-white to desert-tan as we got closer to home.