Sad but also fun

Today was another beautiful day, ho hum.....  We decided to drive the June Lake Loop to see the fall colors and pristine lakes it boasts.      The last time we were here (2012) we did the loop and were rewarded with spectacular yellow and orange aspens and a relaxing lunch stop on the shores of Grant Lake.    We took the dogs along today so Lewis could enjoy some off leash time on the beach and Sasha could lay in the sun or poke around in the shallow water.   An afternoon in the sun beside a beautiful lake can't be bad.

June Lake

We passed June Lake with its white sandy beach and National Forest Service Campground, Oh Ridge.



We passed Silver Lake, ringed with not quite fully colored Aspens and many people fishing.

The aspens on our drive were not at peak this week.   Beautiful, yes, but not the vibrant yellows and oranges of our last visit which was a week later.   Timing is everything.

2012

Grant Lake - 2012

When we approached our picnic destination on the shores of Grant Lake (the last in the chain of lakes) we were shocked!    It was gone.....the only water was a shallow stream flowing through what was once a huge, clear lake.

This is how it looked in 2012 from a similar vantage point....

Then, the dogs frolicked in the water as we enjoyed our lunch.

Sasha, frolicking......(2012)

2012 shoreline picnic

We all know that California and several other states are experiencing a severe drought, but seeing this beautiful body of water literally disappear really drove the point home to us.    It was very sad indeed.

But.....fun.   The four of us had fun in the dry lake bed today.    We drove out to the middle of what had been the lake and set up camp for our waterside picnic.

Obviously we had the entire place to ourselves.    Sasha set off exploring for a few minutes but then settled down on her bed in the shade of the jeep and watched Lewis play in the water.

Sasha stayed in the shade while the rest of us walked the stream

coots pecked like chickens on the dry lake bed

Lewis helps Dave clean off his dirty tennis ball

We had a fine time, definitely not we'd expected, but a fine afternoon nonetheless.

After getting home and having happy hour in the sun, Pam and John joined us for a simple dinner of Rincon Argentina's yummy empanada (frozen after the post wedding party) and salad.   Pretty nice day!

Thanks for the sunset shot Pam!

auto hiking in the eastern Sierras

We had a very long and restful sleep in our quiet campground in Mono Lake.   We woke to sunny, brilliant skies so we took full advantage, sitting outside for second cup and even for lunch.

The mountains all around us are dusted with snow, making for beautiful views in every direction.

After lunch we set out to see something we hadn't seen before.   This is our third trip down the fabled 395 so we wanted to have a new experience.    Pam and John had gone to the mountain ghost town of Bodie.    Bodie is suspended in time, maintained in a state of "arrested decay" and a place not to be missed.  these pictures were taken on our previous visit.

Since we had visited there on our retirement trip in 2012, we elected to head a bit further south and look for something new to us.

First we had to take a quick side trip to June and Gull Lakes - we always seem to find our way to a lake or stream first off.

I took no pictures of June Lake, we'll take the loop drive around it and several chain lakes tomorrow.      We did stop at a little fishing marina on tiny Gull Lake and walked on the docks.   On shore, they had a lovely campfire going with rustic benches pulled up around it...  We were tempted to sit awhile and enjoy the smells of the crackling fire and clear mountain water.

fishing boats for hire on Gull Lake

Someone at the bait shop had a humorous way with a chainsaw and the place was filled with black bear statues.

We continued down 395 south toward Mammoth Lakes.   Just past it's small airport we turned down a wide dirt road and were rewarded with more breathtaking views.

At the end of our dusty but beautiful drive we came upon this...

   A shallow gorge with water of a very unusual shade of blue.    We had arrived at Hot Creek Geothermal Site.

A steep path took us down to creek level where another dirt path wanders along its banks.   The smell of sulphur was strong and the air  hot and moist with periodic drifts of steam.    Water in the three robin's egg blue pools cascades from one to another and then into Hot Creek.   They are the hottest pools (over 199 degrees)  but certainly not the only ones.

We read that the temperature in these pools and in Hot Creek itself changes often and unpredictably.   At some times there are even geysers present in the area and we noticed many fumaroles alongside the creek and its banks.

steam was rising from the black cracks in the rocks 

If we stood still and just looked at the surface of the creek, we could see bubbles rising in many places.   We realized that the benign looking water was actually boiling!

never being much of a rule follower, Dave found a break in the fence....

he needed to put his hand in the creek
he conceded....it was, indeed, HOT

We walked along the stream for awhile before turning back and heading home.  We continue to be amazed at the diversity along the 395 corridor.  We're so glad John and Pam asked us to join them on this section of our trip!

Speaking of John and Pam, they joined us for happy hour tonight and we compared notes on our busy days.    When the sun went down and it became too cold to sit outside, we went to the Tioga Gas Mart (where you can fill your car and your belly) for dinner.   Its a strange but delicious place.

I leave you with one more mountain photo from our auto hike today.

Monday in California

The weather was "iffy" on Sunday at our next destination so we decided to stay put in Carson City, NV and wait it out.     We caught up on a few things, a run to Trader Joe and a quick trip into Reno to buy a part for Beluga.      Ever since we had her new rubber roof applied I've noticed an unpleasant smell when we drive down the road.   Unpleasant as in sewer vent smell....yuk.       To make a long story short, the new sewer vent that the roofing folks installed wasn't right for us so Mr. David's Odor Remediation crew (western division) installed a Cyclone Sewer Vent and the problem is a problem no more....

One of Mr. David's best installers working his magic on Beluga's roof

 The gray cool day gave us one more chance to socialize with friends Jodee and Bill before we all went our merry way on Monday morning.    We had happy hour in their new Tuscany motorhome and then all of us (Jodee, Bill, Tessa, Pam, John, and Dave and I) had one last dinner together at Red's Old 395 Grill in Carson City.    What a nice group of people, we're so lucky to be able to call them friends.

This morning we all pulled out of Silver City RV, two of us heading south and one moving just a few miles north.  

looking south on rt. 395

The Banks and the Wrights are moving on down rt. 395 with a destination of Mono Lake, California.     The drive was lovely, the weather perfect, the sky blue and the mountains capped with clouds and some snow.    We ran in and out of a few very light sprinkles but for the most part our drive was dry and uneventful

a view of Mono Lake from on high

We're here now, in Lee Vining, at Mono Lake RV Park, the only campground with any sort of hook ups in town.    We have a decent site with views of Mono Lake behind us.

No sewer hookup, nor any tv service here but we have plenty to keep us busy and our time will fly by.

empty tent sites in front of us
(I hope they stay that way...)

Pam and John weren't so lucky with their site.....they're in a very uneven pull through, jammed up against their neighbors on both sides.    They chose to give us the nicer of the two available sites, the back in one with a nice patch of grass for old Sasha to enjoy during second cup....and a little breathing room for Lewis the Chicken.   Thanks guys.

We'll be here until next weekend, lots to do and see this week.
 

Saturday in Nevada

We arrived in Minden, Nevada (just south of Carson City/Reno) after a bit of a detour and some backtracking.   We took a shortcut from I-80 and counted on there being adequate road signs on US 95 in Fallon, NV to point us in the right direction - there were none.

Pam and John and Jodee and Bill were already at the Silver City RV Resort by the time we got there so we quickly set up and joined everyone at Jodee and Bill's site for happy hour.    It was lovely to see John and Pam again and wonderful to finally meet Jodee and Bill.    Lewis and Sasha enjoyed meeting their little blonde Tessa and she graciously shared her site and people with them, but not her chair.

mine

three friend's rigs, three friend's jeeps

After drinks and conversation we all drove into Carson City for dinner at the Lake Tahoe Brewing Company.     The food was really a surprise.   We expected pub type food, but there were many other unusual combinations on the menu and we all had something different.   Pulled pork on waffle bread (think delicious smokey pulled pork between two waffles), wood fired pizza with gorgonzola and dried cherries,  and another pizza with grapes, not traditional brew pub offerings but we left full and happy.

This morning Dave and I (and our furry friends) enjoyed second cup in the sun.  It was cool and clear with a beautiful blue sky overhead.

walking in the desert next to our park.
Rt. 395 in the distance

  We are parked next to Pam and John and Lewis knows it.     The first time we walked by their rig he pulled me over and tried to get in the door.   They weren't home at the time, but he must have gotten their scent on the stairs, his tail wagged furiously as he looked up at the window.   Gramma Pamma come out!    After Dave shared his second cup goodie with the dogs, Lew went over to their motorhome and just stared, hoping to produce Pam and John through telekinesis.

come out, come out, come out

 
We all went our separate ways today, some of us sightseeing, some doing domestic chores and refilling our coffers for the coming week.    We met back up for happy hour outside.     The temperatures were falling and the wind was picking up so everyone put their chairs in the grassy site across from ours, in the sun.     We sat out laughing and talking until we were all thoroughly frozen.

We watched clouds build over the mountain in front of us and now it is very windy, rain spitting against Beluga's side.   If it stops by morning we'll move down to Lee Vining, California, it not we'll stay put until the rain ends.

Happy 14th Birthday sweet Sasha Marie!

BCA

All we did was drive today.   That isn't a bad thing,  just a boring thing for a blog post.

We've stopped for the night in Winnemucca, Nevada and there isn't anything particularly interesting about that either.   We watched rain clouds ooze down the mountains ahead of us as we approached Winnemucca and the bad weather held off until after set up, dog walks, happy hour, dinner and dishes - for that we're thankful.    Its pouring now and we're all happily in for the night.

Tomorrow we'll be in Minden, NV just south of Carson City to meet up with fellow bloggers and friends.    

clouds crawling slowly down the distant mountains 

low ceiling behind Beluga

view from Beluga's front seat