Trip Report

[wizardmickey]

Wasn't Disney related in any way, and was rather whirlwind, but figured I'd share a few highlights.
Tuesday we drove from Alexandria, LA to Houston, TX. Spent the night there and had a little "per-flight" bottle to help me sleep. It was cheaper to book last minute trip from Houston by nearly $300 per person, so we took the drive and used some hotel points to stay the night.
Wednesday we flew out at 7 am from Houston to San Francisco, CA - last time we flew into SF we had to cross over the terminal that was "under construction" (felt more like the Twilight Zone!) From there we flew to Reno, NV where my Uncle Lou picked us up. We drove the 2 hours from Reno past Carson City, Topaz Lake, the Walker River Canyon, Devil's Eye & Devil's Gate, and then on into Bridgeport. We were dropped off at the Ruby Inn (were we stayed for free - the family who owned it saidsince we were there for Granddad's services that meant we were family to them as well, so no charge) were we settled in and cleaned up as Uncle Lou did some running around before coming back to pick us up to head up the hill's to Grandmom's house where Aunt Karen and my cousin Jennifer were.
We visited, ate dinner, laughed a bit, and Grandmom kept noticing how "tired" I looked (I was!) We called it an early night and took my Granddad's truck back to town.
The next morning we were up bright and early to accompany Uncle Lou back to Reno to pick up Uncle Tom from the airport, so got to see a lot of the same scenery again. We got dropped off at the Ruby Inn as they went on to Grandmom's so we could all get ready for the Services that night. It was a great service, filled with pictures, music, funny stories, my Grandmom grasping my knee so hard we thought she might leave fingerprints, then as we went outside to leave, we were greeted by a double rainbow in the sky. I think we all broke down then!
Went back to Grandmom's to eat and visit, then back to the Ruby Inn to crash for the night.
Next morning we were up around 6 am and headed the 14 miles out to the Twin Lakes where I used to live (and where I first picked up the guitar in 1979!) We hit a picnic area/campground along the way and hiked around a bit. Then we next stopped at the Lower Lake Marina and Campgrounds for a few. From there we drove to the area seperating the Lower from the Upper Twin Lakes. Two house up the road from the bridge that seperates the lakes was the house we lived in and we walked around it a bit (nobody was home or I'd have asked to look around more.) Sat near the spillway and looked and both lakes and the stream between the 2, then made our way up the road to the Upper Lake and Mono VIllage. We did a little shopping and walked around the marina before hitting the backpacking trail that leads eventually 5 miles up the back side of the mountains to overlook Yosemite.
After almost 4 hours of hiking around and reliving old memories at the Twin Lakes we headed back to Bridgeport and did an abbreviated walking tour of some of the older and more historical sections of town (google Bridgeport, CA or Mono County to read about some of the history of the area.) Then we went up and down Main Street visiting the shops (and pausing at the Jolly Kone, the very first place I ever held a job at!) Got back to the Ruby Inn and headed from there to drove to the Travertine Mines and Hot Springs with intentions of taking a dip, but a sudden thunderstorm began sweeping across the craig's and towards town with huges flashes of lightning, so we just took a few pictures from the mine area and made quick tracks to Grandmom's for eats. Apparently, the Uncle's had never drank with each other in their entire lives, and Uncle Tom wanted to go to Buster's Market (my second job) and get some beer. Uncle Lou was a little nervous never having had a drink that he could remember with his little brother so he wanted me to stick around just in case (me he's had drinks with!) So any chance of returning to the mines later was shot down, but we enjoyed just sitting on the deck and watching the sun go down over the mountains that surrounded us.
Next morning we we went back over for more food and a whole bunch of pictures. By 1-ish it was time to be driven back to Reno so we could spend the night at the Peppermill and catch a shuttle to the airport at 4 am (didn't want anyone having to get up and leave Bridgeport by 2 to get us there by 4 am!) So the only time we paid for accomodations and a big meal (other than airports) was at the Peppermill.
We returned the same route we did to get there; from Reno to San Fran to Houston, where I drove Lady Ice to Cypress to drop her off so she could stay to work and then I drove myself home from there (about 4 and a half hours.)
So many happy and new memories were shared and made in those few days. In one picture you can see a white box in front of a framed drawing of my Granddad; apparently it was a picture I'd drawn when we lived up there of him and they framed it and kept it in his garage, where his remains were kept (temporarilly at least.) When I heard this it really got me!
Here's a link to the pictures;
http://s194.photobucket.com/albums/z...ALIFORNIA2009/

[TinkRocks]

Awesome pics, Ice - some pretty places out west!

I'm sure y'all had some great stories / memories to share...

[trackbarroness]

Awesome pics ice dude. I enjoy reading your trip reports they totally rock dude.
2

[JPL]

Very cool pictures Seems like you had a good time considering the circumstances of your visit.

[Marla]

Nice pictures. I did not know that you were from Bridgeport. Beautiful country, now you have got me wanting to go backpacking. We used to go through Bridgeport at least once a year to hike. We would always stop there for a burger.

[wizardmickey]

Actually Tink I grew up in Oceanside and we used to vacation & camp up around Palomar & a place I think was called Thunderhead... Any way, the Granparents loved that area so much they moved there first, then gradually my Uncles followed and then my family. They were all in Bridgeport and we lived 14 miles out at the Twin Lakes. Grandmom plans to stay, and my Uncle Lou who lives in Sutter Creek plans to stay with her off & on for a few months (he's only really I think 2 hours away) so even though I'm here in Swampland much of my family is still in and around Bridgeport. I have decided the 2 most beautiful places I have been to in my life are Mono County in the Sierras and Hawaii!