Mono Lake

We were staying on the west side of Yosemite about 5 miles outside the park.  One day we drove through the park to the other side. We ended up in a small town called Lee Vineing.  Lee Vineing is outside Yosemite but not by much.  It has a lake called Mono Lake that is fascinating.  For millions of years rain and snow melt filled this lake but a bubbling action formed towers of calcium carbonate under the surface.  Then in the 1920's the city of Los Angeles, some 300 miles away, decided to build a aqueduct/pipeline to bring the water to the city.  The lake has 2.5 times the salt of the ocean and is highly acidic.  So rather than take the lake water they took the streams that ran into the lake that had pure rain and snow run off.  The lake had been a major stop off for migrating birds and home to many other unique forms of wildlife.  But over the years the diversion of the water basically dried up the lake.  In the 1960's citizens began an effort to stop the water diversion and restore the lake.  After a major law suite an agreement was reached that LA could take only some of the water and only in normal or wet years.  The lake is nowhere near where it was before the diversion but it is coming back.

When the water level went down it reveled the giant columns of calcium carbonate.  We went down to the water and hiked along an area that used to be under water but now shows these magnificent formations.

Fire in Yosemite

Our first day in Yosemite a wild fire started far from the village.  We were unaware of the fire but as the day progressed the air quality deteriorated.  The valley filled with smoke and most of our pictures were very smokey.  As we drove out of the valley back to our campground we could see where the fire was.  These pictures, like the ones you see on TV, do not show how big the area is or how much smoke is created.

The next day we learned that a plane that was fighting the fire went down and the pilot was killed.  That day there was a sense of sadness throughout the park.

Yosemite National Park

Are you kidding me!! This place is amazing in so many ways.  The view from the valley/village is overwhelming then when we drove to the ridges and the view got better!

Lassen Volcanic National park

Lassen NP is in Northern California and has the distinction of having all 4 types of volcanoes.  Yep, there are 4 types; plug, cone, shield and combination.  Very cool...or hot on any given day.  We spent 6 nights in the park dry camping in late September.  We were waking up to temps in the mid 30s but by mid day temps were in the upper 60s to mid 70s.  Great hiking weather.

The refrigerator light

Several months ago our refrigerator light went out.  No big deal.  I checked it out to see if it was just loose or if was really burned out.  I could not really tell but it did not work.  We stopped at a camping store and looked at replacement bulbs.  The exact replacement cost about $6.  But for $12 we could have an LED light that would last longer than we will.  Of course, we went LED.

Back at the RV I replaced the bulb but it still did not light.  So I started checking the switches on the door to see if there was a problem there.  None that I could find.  So no frige light, no big deal we'll get it taken care of at some point when the RV is in for other service. In the mean time we are using a flashlight to see what is in the refrigerator...sad but true.

We attended an RV rally and I asked the rep from the manufacturer if I was overlooking something obvious.  He said no but here is our help line number maybe they can help.  I never called.  While in Coburg, Oregon we had some service on the RV and I ask them to check on the light.  When we got back to pick up the RV I asked what they found on the light.  "Oh!" the tech said, "It was in backwards."  I said "wait, what???"  It is a light bulb, how can it be backwards?

The next chance I got I took the bulb out and looked it over.  Sure enough, there is a positive and negative side to the bulb.  Really!??  When did this happen?  So I'm an idiot that can't even put in a refrigerator light!  Now, in my defense, there was no info on the packaging that there was a positive and negative side.  Nor did the salesman who sold it to me or anyone else I talked to about this say anything about a positive or negative side.  But I still feel pretty stupid!

And now I just spent 10 minutes uninstalling the bulb, taking this pic and reinstalling the bulb.  How silly is this!?

Mt. Hood

We took a day and went to explore Mt. Hood in Oregon.  On the way back we stopped and had dinner in Hood River at a restaurant and brewery.  What a great day!

Mexico

For the BIG 40th anniversary celebration we went to Mexico for a week.  We were just north of Plya Del Carmen.  We had a great stay and met some great people.

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