A surprise trip to Mammoth Lakes for the day!

This morning, (Saturday) I woke up at 0330 tossed and turned awhile and then told myself, if I'm not back to sleep by 0430, blog catch up time. So that's what happened. Going to get caught up here with these pictures and then go into yesterday.  I swear I don't know where the time goes, before you know it the day is done and I still haven't got the blog done.  Think i'll do it in the am and then something else happens. uhh..

First day of 7th grade for Grandson, Aaron

First day of 11th grade for Grandson, Jacob

Mason, before haircut

Mason after haircut..

Seth after haircut ..there's no before because
Seth always has a hat on..

Boys went fishing in a big pond near their house
Mason and a catch

Seth and a huge catch

Great nephew Owen is starting pre school..he's actually
headed to a day care until school has an
opening..looks like he did pretty good and enjoyed
making friends

Ken's brother, Don sent these pics yesterday of his grandsons playing at the elementary 
school in Cornersville, TN.  The boys have been staying with Don and Dana for awhile 
now as mom and dad are in the Army.  Their dad, Darryl is coming to pick them up this 
weekend and take them home to TX where he is stationed.  I know it's going to be lonely for 
Don and Dana when they're gone.  One thing about grandkids they keep you busy! Sure 
their daddy will be glad to have them home! 

Beautiful play equipment!

Devin (left) Tyson (right)

Devin doing the balance beam

Now i'll head onto Friday the 11th..We woke up about 0645! I know..late! Actually on Wednesday it was 0700.  Cooler mornings have made it easier to sleep in!  Did our usual, coffee, computer, a little exercise and then as we were finishing breakfast Ken says, "You know, I'm thinking want to take a drive to Mammoth and check out the campgrounds, maybe take some tuna sandwiches?"  and I responded, "Gee, um I don't know... yeah of course!"..so got ready pretty quickly and out the door we headed.  Too hot to get anything done at home so let's see some cooler weather! Mammoth is only about 120 miles from here, beautiful 2 lane roads pretty much all the way.  

So you know what's coming right!?!  Picture overload!  I try not too but as our grandson Jacob says.."Sometimes I just can't help myself!" 

Our beautiful Nevada Highways..love the traffic

Heading towards Bridgeport Ca on Hwy 338

Bridgeport Resorvoir 

So beautiful because it's so full!!

Back where the snow/glacier is where we usually go
camping..haven't made it yet this year..

Along hwy 395

Very smoky yesterday..

Looking down on Mono Lake..

Hwy 395 below and Mono Lake..

The School House Museum just off Hwy 395 in Lee Vining.  In all the years we've travelled that road never been to this little gem.  All because it was time to find a restroom. 

Ore Cart

Steam shovel

The Upside Down House was created by Nellie Bly O'Bryan a silent screen actress and long time resident of the mono Basin.  It was located along US 395 north of Tioga Lodge inspired by 2 children's stories..Upside Down Land and The Upsidedownian.  Nellie died in 1984 and the house fell into disrepair until it was rescued and moved in 2000.  The house became Mono County's first manmade tourist attraction in 1956 when she built it. 

This was something else...so cute

Everything upside down..

 Glad we stumbled upon this little gem..didn't have time to go inside the school house, but will

another time!

The school house museum..donations requested.

Loved this bus...Gypsies Dream..

The cars..the cars..the cars..all the way into Mammoth Village
Pretty amazing..they have shuttle stops all along the way
to take you to the village..no thank you..

Very smoky day..

Our lunch spot..Mountain biking very popular..watched kids get on the
lift..go to the top and then ride down.

You can barely see the gondola at the top but we took that
a few years ago and it goes up to 11000+..would do that
one again..

Part of Twin Lakes

Campsite at Lake Mary..no thanks..

Looking down on Twin Lake

Too many people made us do it! haha..

Horseshoe Lake..beautiful

This was on the sign board at Horseshoe Lake..Of course there
were people all over at the beach..and they were all on the ground.

Cute little trailer..

Twin Lakes

Every campsite was full all throughout the park..

Heading down from the campground areas

This lift goes right over the highway..

Mammoth Brewing..too many people to give it a thought..

 Mammoth Lakes area is also home to Devil's Postpile National Monument.  We took some of the grandkids a few years back.  We camped there so we got to take our vehicle, but now it's a shuttle from Mammoth to the Monument.  That puts a hitch in our giddyup as we much prefer to take our own vehicle, water, lunch etc. rather than be at the mercy of a shuttle.  One more park, too many people.

395 heading home..

Lee Vining..pretty little busy town in the summer..

Mono Lake once again..

Bridgeport, CA 

We live on 80 miles from here..so got 2 gallons of gas to
make sure we made it home..$4.09 a gallon!  Home is $2.77..

Love Sweetwater Summit..

 Enjoyed the drive both ways, but we know we won't be taking the trailer back there anytime soon. Just too many people to even think about camping there.

We got home about 1830. Unloaded our car and enjoyed the warm evening. Had to turn on the air conditioner as we noticed yesterday morning that little itty bitty gnats had come into the house via the screens on the windows.  We could tell as they were on the inside of the screen when the windows were closed.  Thought we were going to get by without them this year but no such luck I guess.