WE KEEP GOING BACK TO THE SIERRAS

We keep going back because we like it there, but this time we were also meeting up with our friends, Hansjorg and Silke from Germany.  They had shipped their motor home to the states and were seeing the country, finishing up in San Diego, where they will store the motor home for a return trip next spring.  Also joining us, Gary and Diane, who met up with Hansjorg and Silke further north and were traveling south with them.

Hansjorg and Silke

When we go to the Sierras, we tend to stay in one of two places we like because they are close to hiking.  This time we opted for Robinson Creek a forest service campground outside of Bridgeport.  Both Cathie and I have been coming to this campground since we were children.  It is the place I learned to fish when I was about 10 years old.  Since then, our children learned to fish there, and some of our grandchildren too.

Cathie and I managed to get in a couple of hikes before the rest of the crew arrived.  We headed up to Saddlebag lake, just outside of the east entrance to Yosemite.  At 10,000 we figured it would be a great hike to find out what kind of shape we are in.

I took this photo of Saddlebag Lake this past spring.  The photo below was taken on this last trip.

We took a couple of hikes with the rest of the crew after they arrived.  We headed up into Yosemite and took a 9 mile jaunt from Tuolumne Meadows to American Falls.  Every time we have visited Hansjorg and Silke at their home in the Black Forest, Hansjorg has taken us on extended hikes over hill and dale, so I wanted to repay them with a hike or two in our neck of the woods.  A big difference in hiking in Germany is that every so often you will come upon a cafe where one can obtain refreshments, something not available on most hikes in the States.

Not much water in the Toulumne River

We ran into Ranger Steve on our hike.  He was putting up some new trail signs.  He has been riding his trusty steed in the back country of Yosemite for the past 51 years.  Now that's a long time on horseback.

The following morning, while everyone else slept in, Hansjorg and I took a short hike up to Horsetail Falls.  Up hill to the turnaround point, so we got our workout in for the day. Here's the photos.

We had a little rain

The upper meadow.  There's beaver out there

Next we took a jaunt out to Bodie Ghost Town, a well preserved example of a gold mining town.  In 1859, a small group of prospectors camped there, scratching out a living of sorts on their mining claim.  In 1876, the Standard Company discovered a profitable deposit of gold-bearing ore, which transformed Bodie from an isolated mining camp comprising a few prospectors and company employees to a wild west boomtown. Rich discoveries in the adjacent Bodie Mine during 1878 attracted even more hopeful people. By 1879, Bodie had a population of approximately 5,000–7,000 people and around 2,000 buildings. Over the years, Bodie's mines produced gold valued at nearly US$34 million.

Bodie boomed from late 1877 through mid– to late 1880. The first newspaper, The Standard Pioneer Journal of Mono County, published its first edition on October 10, 1877. It started out as a weekly, but soon became a thrice-weekly paper. It was also during this time that a telegraph line was built which connected Bodie with Bridgeport and Genoa, Nevada. California and Nevada newspapers predicted Bodie would become the next Comstock Lode. Men from both states were lured to Bodie by the prospect of another bonanza.

Hansjorg takes a "break"

Silke thought the picture was of Beethoven

We will forgive her being German

Today

2008

Many of you know I've been messing with a GoPro Camera and I continue to do so.  It's a big learning curve for me, but I think I'm slowly improving.  Here's my latest attempt.