The 395 and Owens Valley-Eastern Sierra Region

High Country Lumber in Bishop.

 

Lol that's where we stayed last night!



Wandering around the Laws museum this morning...

 

A good non-stick takes a quick wipe. At least that’s my experience.

 

this unit from GSI with a diamond grid pattern such that metal implements can be used without concern of scarring the nonstick surface. it seems to work, it is a interesting cook surface but the folding handle, tho adequate, just isn't my cup of panhandle. this is peripherally off 395 last august. it can be wiped clean enough to use again

 

this my version of egg in holed toast on cast iron. looking closely there is sleet collecting on the swing gate. it was colder than anticipated last April. again peripherally 395 with a touch of 120.

 

Anyone been up Tuttle Creek lately? Think I remember hearing part of the road washed out.

 

Sure is nice being able to reverse without a loose caliper binding against the wheel! Some of the roads up here are just too narrow for a u-turn...

Glad to know there's a good hardware store in Bishop -- I had tried calling all the car parts stores in the valley (and Toyota) before posting here, but never thought to try the hardware store. Doh! Hard to think as clearly when you're miles from pavement with intermittent cell service, I guess. Of course the best time to think clearly is when you're installing the calipers in the first place. But oh well, if I can't fix stupid, I can at least prepare for it--I'm adding a few more bolt sizes to my spare kit.

Oh, and if you ever find yourself in a similar predicament: My truck drove and stopped just fine in forward motion with the upper bolt missing -- although I did have to stop periodically to retorque the lower bolt. Reversing, however, the caliper would pivot outward and bind against the wheel, where up to that point, there had been a bunch of adhesive-style wheel weights. There are now far fewer, more-mangled weights there, but luckily I escaped destroying the wheel, the caliper, or the remaining bolt -- and hopefully they aren't damaged (although I'll replace the bolts at a minimum). I was able to reverse when needed by using the parking brake only, keeping my foot off the pedal, and going really really slowly.

So if you lose one of your caliper shoulder bolts on the trail, make sure the remaining bolt is in the lower position, re-torque it periodically, and don't use the brakes when reversing or holding yourself on an incline (use parking brake instead).

I will be curious to see the wheel and brake parts when I get a chance -- perhaps the bolt was missing for a while, or maybe it's sitting in Death Valley not far from where I noticed the problem. For now I'm just glad to have survived another episode of stupidity. And to be part of TW!

 

what is this cave! its super rad!

 

Reward mine. Here's my video

https://youtu.be/m8EGSbYrXNg

 

Yep! It's increasingly overrun with instagrammers, but this time we had it to ourselves. I wish I could find more on its history... wondering why the heck that cinderblock wall is there for example.

It is foolishly dangerous to enter abandoned mines, of course.

 

good thing I dont have any social media, never have. I'm just a photography nerd is all. but yes, those disgusting IG, chasing the clout, gross.

 

https://www.drivingline.com/articles/journey-to-the-center-of-the-earth-at-reward-mine/

http://raisethestakeseditions.com/reward-mine/

 

Lol I'm putting it on my instant gram now. Normally I would get two likes, but my dad didn't seem to like being driven into a mine, so maybe just one like this time. Thanks mom.

 

Cute puppies do way better…

 

We hit it on a Sunday around 1PM and had the place to ourselves. I bet it's pretty busy on a Saturday.

 

I haven't been up there in a few years. I've climbed all the routes I want to on the South Face and the bushwacking is more like the West Side then the East Side. But back to the question. I'm pretty sure it did washout a few years back. Which probably means it filled back in enough by now. What are you planning?

 

I'm going to hike to the ashram and would prefer to park at the trailhead. It's not a long hike but no need adding time to it if it's not necessary.

 

Sweet. The Stone House has been basecamp for many of my adventures. I guess you'll get to give me a trip report about the road conditions. Have fun.

 

Thank you @mk5 !
You didn’t need to do that.

 

Oh, but I did -- they just polished the copper!



I also hereby offer a similar bounty (albeit on an indeterminate timescale) to anyone who retrieves the rest of my taillight from Dedeckera... I hate littering, but I didn't realize I had popped it until I got home.


Doh! Luckily I found a replacement in the two days I spent back at the ranch before heading up again.

Finally, here are more pictures from the Laws museum...















Just can't get enough of those fall colors.