Archive for the ‘landscape’ Category

Dirtkids in the…water?!?!?!

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

I know, I know…what are the dirtkids doing in the water? Not exactly compatible with dirt. Well, in our ridiculous quest to overload ourselves with all possible activities, we’ve been spending more time in the water this summer than in the past.

I suppose the big winter snow is somewhat to blame. Big snow means a longer wait until the dirt is available to play on. Hey, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em! When it has been Tom’s turn to commute between locations and to meetings, he found himself passing through Reno on more than one occasion. He seized this opportunity to hit the whitewater park in downtown Reno. I was all for it…much safer than him paddling alone on one of the swollen rivers…see I’m not much of a paddler…and it’s safer if I keep it that way.

This year also saw Tom get the itch to start fly-fishing. I learned to fly-fish years ago when I was in Montana but Tom always watched me fish, not really interested in participating until now. Now that waters have calmed down from the spring run-off, fly-fishing is getting really good…especially around Bishop. So if we’re hiking or doing something else near a river or pond, the fishing gear comes along.

What really sent us over the edge though was the trip to NY. To spend several days at a cottage on one of the Finger Lakes, constantly in the water…was a blast. Imagine the shock to our system to come home(s)…especially to the desert of Bishop. We missed the Iceberg, the trampoline, the Waverunner. In the many hours we spent travelling home, we talked about how much we missed playing in the water…how our activity focus changed once we left the Bay Area years ago. I grew up waterskiing, swimming and playing in the lakes and rivers of the Sierras. I couldn’t find the enjoyment in the ocean that I always felt in fresh water. Tom…his time spent kayaking, windsurfing and wakeboarding had dwindled down to nothing. Granted he wasn’t complaining much as we wouldn’t be the dirtkids without a other outdoor play options but nonetheless, we missed one of the outdoor elements that can be so fun to play in.

In a fit of insanity/inspiration, we decided it would be a good idea to get some toys that would get us both back on the water regularly, together. Seadoo. x2. These aren’t the jetskis we grew up knowing…these are like little boats. And these little boats have an epic journey coming in October when we spend a week exploring Lake Powell in southern Utah.

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Eastern Sierras + long weekend = Adventure

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

As with each weekend in Bishop, we struggle to decide what activity to indulge ourselves in. As spring hits (because clearly summer isn’t here yet) and snow starts to melt in the high country, the possibilities are even more numerous. We’ve literally wasted parts of weekend days debating on what to do because it’s hard to make a choice (I know, such hard decisions). So this long weekend, we tried to fit in a little of everything. The only thing we didn’t add in was a moto ride…which will happen tomorrow. Kicked off with a Friday mtn bike ride and more work on the motos, we rolled through the weekend with multiple hikes (with and without dogs), some backcountry skiing and some fly-fishing. As Tom skied down the canyon to Horton Lake and I hiked down the opposite side, I couldn’t help but look around me and be struck by just how awe-inspiring the Eastern Sierras are. I make the distinction for the eastside because as anyone knows, the west side is a long, gradual run up to the mtns and much more heavily wooded. The eastside dramatically shoots straight up from the valleys to reveal granite crags, chutes, etc. not visible on the west side. We capped off the weekend with dinner in Mammoth last night since it was close to our fishing spot. The mountain still looks like March with how much snow remains. The locals told us the temperature at the top was in the teens on Fri/Sat nights…

It’s sometimes frustrating to be so far from home and the cabin…knowing we’re missing out on time north, not getting as much work done to prepare for fire season, etc. but we’ll look back on this time in Bishop and realize we were lucky to have the chance to explore the Eastern Sierras.

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The desert…a whole different kind of fun

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010

So over the long weekend, Tom and I were anxious to get the RV out to explore new territory on our motos. Between some warranty repairs and winter weather, we hadn’t had a chance to really get out for a weekend in a while. So we packed up the motos, gear, food and dogs and headed south…to Ridgecrest. Our original plans to head to Death Valley changed at the last minute due to an unusual rain storm that saw all of the backcountry roads in Death Valley closed due to flooding/mud/washouts. A quick internet search and we found an alternative relatively the same driving time, with more freedom to explore and no ridiculous rules about dogs. Friday night saw us arrive after dark to an area where all camping is dispersed, meaning no formal campgrounds. We could see collections of lights where people were camped but weren’t sure how to get to those spots. We eventually settled in after a short drive down a hardpack, pot-holed road (the kind Tom swore we wouldn’t drive in the RV)…it wasn’t bad just an adventure after dark.

After sleeping in despite the sounds of motors starting and generators running to take the chill off the morning, we slowly got ready to head out and explore our home for the weekend, the Spangler Hills OHV area. We had camped in an area called Searles Station, for the railroad switching station nearby. This OHV area was a new concept to us as it is an “open area,” meaning you can literally ride wherever you want, whether a trail exists or not, and it’s 57000 acres provide some much room that despite a holiday weekend crowd and an event, we rarely came upon another rider except near camp. The terrain is quite different than the area around Bishop, very little rock and the desert plant life a little taller and more sparse. I’ve always loved the desert…whether because I’m a CA native or because my parents often took us camping in the desert growing up, there is a totally different kind of beauty and ruggedness in the desert. Now the hardcore environmentalists would faint if they spent much time around an OHV park/camp such as this. It’s loud, got dusty as the weekend wore on and certainly not the activity everyone likes. That being said, places like this need to exist…if they don’t people will ride where they aren’t supposed to. There are many families out, not only enjoying motorized toys but parents again passing down how different and fun the desert can be.

The riding itself took a little getting used to but once we did, it was amazing. Tom and I have always figured a preference for riding in dirt and trees more typical of where we live. Tighter singletracks trails where visibility may just be a few feet ahead as you curve through forests and tree canopy. The desert varies from hardpack with some rocks to thick, sandy washes (not my favorite) but the wide openness of it all it what sets the riding apart. You can see for miles, literally. The sand, when mixed with a little gravel or water is a blast for riding and provides a totally different feel than the tacky dirt of north. You’re typically riding alot faster in the desert as the terrain lends itself to more wide open speeds. That being said, you have to be more alert for the feature of the desert…washes. More than once over the weekend, we were hauling along at decent speeds only to come upon a small, deep wash with little time to figure out how to navigate it…

We had a blast and can’t wait to go back again in the coming weeks…

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Winter Wonderland

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

It happens in the blink of an eye…nothing transforms the landscape quite like the first major snowfall. I’m at our cabin as a precaution…so I got to witness the transformation first hand. Our cabin, built in the 50′s, was only recently modernized to include some insulation, siding, double-pane windows, etc. by the previous owner. The only heat sources are a small propane wall heater and a wood burning stove. The quality of work from the previous owner, although not up to Tom’s lofty standards, was good enough to sell us on the place. We’ve since seen pictures of it before the work was done…clearly this was a summer-only, seasonal cabin. Anyway, I digress…

The first major storm of the season was predicted to hit California this past weekend and promised to be unusually cold. I’m skeptical of weather forecasts like most but usually when nastiest is predicted the forecasters aren’t far off. Rather than join Tom in Bishop, I came here to warm the house up. Last winter, before we plumbed in low point drains for the water lines, we had a crack in the shower valve which eventually resulted in us remodeling the bathroom. Although we can drain the water now, we also have concern for appliances and a TV…how will they be affected by extreme cold? More than once last winter it was literally 32 degrees inside the cabin when we arrived. So as the pictures reflect (I really digressed!)…what was a snow-free landscape on Saturday transformed…

There is something so peaceful about the snow. Sound is dampened. The dusting of snow hanging on all the trees in the forest…the site of mountain tops slightly covered…watching dogs bury their faces in the snow like it’s the best thing they’ve ever done…all of it is what makes winter beautiful and distinct from the other seasons.

Final digression: It was a good thing I came…it was down to 5 degrees last night…and we’ll be looking at installing a heating system!

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White Mountains exploring…

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

Soon the snow will fly in quantities that make travel in the high country (at least on wheels) impossible, so we’ve been venturing to the high elevations while we can to get in as much exploring as possible while Tom continues his job stint in Bishop.

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Sierra Landscape

Thursday, June 11th, 2009

Heavy thunderstorms near Bishop (where Tom is currently working) allow for some great lighting and photo ops…this is Devils Postpile near Mammoth Mountain.

Devils Postpile B/W

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