Awakened by another beautiful day and welcomed by a buffet breakfast, Day 2 consisted of more driving and a sharp contrast in the climate. Void of any CD's and lacking satellite radio in the vehicle I was driving, I was accompanied by one AM talk radio station for the approximately 80 mile journey to Mount Whitney. Standing at 14,505 feet, this mountain marks the highest point in the contiguous United States. We traveled to Whitney Portal, which is the trailhead for Mount Whitney. Increased elevation meant a drop in temperature, making unbearable sweatshirts in Death Valley a comfort among the beautiful pine trees and waterfalls. Speaking of unbearable, we were also informed of the bears in the area. Candy was strategically left in a randomly-selected sacrificial Michigan-plated vehicle, but the bears were, in fact, not hungry that day.