October 7, 2013---Bishop to the Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, CA

It was 11:00 when we left the parking lot at Von’s.  We stopped for fuel before heading south.  Our plans were to stop in Big Pine to do some geocaching, but we couldn’t find a suitable place to park.  The next time through the area, perhaps we will try harder.

As soon as we arrived in Lone Pine, we drove west to the Alabama Hills.  It is the site of many, many films, mostly westerns.  That’s right up Bill’s alley, eh?

We usually park a BLM campground not very far from here, but because of the government shutdown, that area is closed.  

During the actual Lone Pine Film Festival, we park in an area between McDonald’s and the rodeo arena.  That puts us close to the “action” and makes it really convenient for all of the festival activities.  It also allows us a place to rest between events.  

We went into back into Lone Pine on a couple of errands.  After using the Internet at McDonald's we headed for the hills.

I made Taco Soup for dinner.  We watched it closely this time so it wouldn’t end up like the vegetable soup yesterday.  Tonight everything was fine!

October 6, 2013---Bishop, CA

We went to McDonald’s for a late breakfast and to use their Internet connection.  It was a good place to sit and take care of some messages, app updates, and things like that.

We got back home in time for the start of the NASCAR race.  We watched the first part of it and then recorded the rest so Super Race Car Driver could inspect the insides of his eyelids...aka take a nap.

The race was still going round and round when the Bronco football game from Dallas kicked off.  We alternated between watching football and racing for most of the afternoon.  

When the race was over, we switched over to the game, only to discover that the “gizmo” hooked to the TV stopped recording the football game with less than two minutes left.  

I called Michelle to see what we had missed.  It seems as if we missed a very exciting finish.  With three seconds to go, Denver kicked a field goal and won the game.  I was really bummed that we didn’t get to see the exciting finish, but very glad the Broncos won.

My efforts at domesticity completely bombed today.  I made vegetable soup.  It was simmering nicely when I started working on a beading project.  I forgot all about the soup until it ran dry and started to scorch the pan.  So much for my culinary efforts.  I think I’ll just stick to toast!  

Bill, bless his heart, went to KFC for our dinner.  While we ate, we watched a movie, Patch Adams, starring Robin Williams!  We enjoyed both Bill’s dinner and Robin’s entertainment.

October 5, 2013---Bishop, CA

At 8:00 this morning, we went to the Tri County Fairgrounds, not far from where we have the motorhome parked.  There was a full schedule of events planned for today.

Our first place to stop was at the pancake breakfast, sponsored by the local Lions Club.  The pancakes and sausages were good and so was visiting with the couple sharing the table with us.  They were from Nevada and in Bishop for the car show.

With happy tummies, Bill went to the Car Show and I went to the Swap Meet.  I have no idea how many cars were at the show, but there were a lot.

The Swap Meet had a lot of sellers with a wide variety of items to sell.  Present were lots and lots of buyers, me included.  I went to just about all the booths.  My problem was that I bought several things right after I got there so I had some heavy purchases to pack around the rest of the morning.  

One of the vendors was a black guy singing as he worked around his booth.  He had a really good voice.  I bought something from him and he said, “I will have to charge you for this bag.  Oh, here is an old bag I can let you have for free.  Every time I look at it, I think of my sister-in-law, because she’s an old bag, too.”  When I good-naturedly scolded him for his comment, he said, “You just haven’t seen my sister-in-law!”  It’s always fun to meet someone with a sense of humor.

Bill had called to tell me he was walking back to the coach.  When we came into the fairgrounds we had followed some of the Car Show cars and parked fairly close to their registration table.  When I left, I went to the gate we had come in earlier.  It was locked.  Every place I tried to gain freedom was either locked or was a dead end.

I asked a lady walking along, where I could get out.  She pointed toward a trailer and said that might be a way.  It wasn’t!  It would have taken me to the Car Show area and I thought the Honda was too dirty to convenience anyone that I was an entry in the show.

I looked in the rear view mirror and saw the lady waving at me.  I turned around and went to her where she was unwiring a gate to let me out.  Then she rewired the gate.  It surely was nice to have a new helpful friend.

I hadn’t been back at the MH for very long when there was a knock at the door.  When we were camping at a BLM campground in Lone Pine last October, we met Craig and Betty and their scruffy little dog, Sammy.  They had read on my blog where we were parked here in Bishop and looked us up.  It was great to see them and, of course, I had treats for Sammy.  I also got to scratch his tummy for a few minutes and that made my day!

Bill and I relaxed most of the afternoon while we watched the Oregon Ducks beat the University of Colorado  It started out as a somewhat close game, but then the Ducks “turned on the heat” and won 57-16!

Sammy

October 4, 2013---Bishop, CA

The weather was much better this morning.  I spent some time working on my bead organization project.

We went to Taco Bell for lunch.  Afterwards, we decided to hunt for a couple of caches.  They were both northwest of town.  We drove for several miles along a canal.  We had to walk about a tenth of a mile to actually get to the cache site.  Bill made a good find, we signed the log and drove to the second one.

We weren’t so lucky with this one.  We spent about 20 minutes searching for it and then claimed a DNF.  Oh, well!  As they say in baseball, you win some, you lose some, and some get rained out.

There is a K-Mart in this shopping center where we are parked.  While Bill rested, I went shopping.  I haven’t been to a K-Mart in a coon’s age, whatever that means.  It was nice to stroll around the store at a leisurely pace.  I don’t very often do that.

I worked really hard on my project when I got home.  I have just a tiny bit more to do and I can claim the bead organization project finished.  Yippy, Skippy!

October 3, 2013---Bishop, CA

After a lazy start this morning, we set out to find some geocaches.  We have cached here in Bishop several times and have done all the in-town caches.  Today we drove into a pasture, but couldn’t get very close to the hiding place.  There were barbed wire fences between us and success.  

Before we got to the next “hidden treasure” a strong wind began to blow.  We were on a dirt road beside a canal.  Were made a quick find, but decided to call it quits for the day.  

On our way back into Bishop, a highway sign warned of high winds and suggested that trailers stay off the road.  We were certainly glad this isn’t a necessary travel day.

The wind brought with it a drop in temperature.  Bill got the catalytic heater. out of the basement and hooked up.  Natalia called it our fireplace and it felt that good today.  The only problem is that we can’t roast marshmallows.  Shucks!

I started on a bracelet and worked on it for quite awhile, but didn’t finish it.  After dinner, I did some more sorting and cleaning out of beading supplies.  Hopefully, I will get the bracelet finished tomorrow so I can send a picture.

October 2, 2013---Manteca to Von’s Supermarket, Bishop, CA

As soon as we got on the road this morning, I called the Park Service to see if we would be able to take Hwy. 120 across the northern part of Yosemite.  It has been closed because of the government shutdown.  We were told we could drive the route, but we would not be allowed to use any of the pullouts and there were no services available.  

About 40 miles from Manteca, I began not feeling well.  I thought it might be motion sickness because of the curves, but I’ve never had car sickness before.  Then there was the elevation gain, but that’s not a problem with me, either.  I counted out food poisoning, also.  I’m fairly sure I’m not pregnant, so that just leaves hunger.  I perked up after a snack, so that must’ve been the  problem.  A midmorning snack was just what I needed.

When we got to the park entrance, there was a stop sign.  Bill rolled up to it and just kept right on going.  Oh, no!  I had visions of having to spend the night in the slammer.  Actually, the person in the entrance building was on the phone and waved us through, according to Super Driver.  I like my version better.  It sounds much more exciting!

It was a very twisty road going to the top of Tioga Pass made more excitint by the crazy people on the road with us.  At one point, a car three ahead of us stopped on the road.  We nearly landed on top of the convertible in front of us.  

Appearantly, most people didn’t get the message about not using the pulloffs.  At one of them, there were probably 20 cars and one tour bus stopped.  We went around a curve and there was a woman standing in the middle of the highway, taking a picture.  Bill use the air horn and she ran off the road just as we got there.  Yikes!

We reached Hyw. 395 without further incidence and continued on south to Bishop where we parked at the Von’s parking lot.

  

Today’s Travel Totals:  Mileage, 222---Highest elevation, 9945.

October 1, 2013---Walnut Creek to Bass Pro Shop in Manteca, CA

We decided that before we did a “Willie Nelson” and got “on the road again,” we needed to go back to Verizon.  Bill had some questions he wanted answered about our Mifi.

Once that was taken care of, Bill was tired from the ordeal and wanted to take a nap before we ventured out into traffic.  So, alas, it was noon before we sang along with Willie Nelson. 

When we arrived in Tracy, the first sign I saw was for In-N-Out.  Of course, I “squawked” to go there for a late lunch.  We were able to park at Super Walmart, about a mile away.  

Lunch was great.  The bonus was a geocache in the In-N-Out parking lot.  That was a double treat.  Wow!

After a trip to Walmart for a few groceries, we drove on to Manteca.  We have parked at the Bass Pro Shop on several other occasions, so it was kind of like “old home week” to stop there. 

Travel Totals:  Today’s mileage, 57---Geocaches, 2---Critters, 1 llama---In-N-Out, #7.