rusty6
07-06-2008, 10:19 PM
7/3
Finally got done editing and hosting all my pics so here we go...56ker's if you still exist, i warn you now, there are A LOT of pictures. Mom, dad, girlfriend and myself left home around 4:30 on thursday on our way up to independence. I was pretty stoked since i spent almost all of my childhood 4th's up there and it was my first time back in about 5 years. It was GREAT to get back up there. We go hungry so at about olancha, i called up the pizza factory in lone pine and put in an order for us. We got to lone pine and picked up our pizza and surprisingly, a hitchhiker.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1411.jpg
He told us his name was sierra pete and was a transient of the eastern sierra. we asked him if he liked to join us on our travels, he was more than happy to as you can tell by the big smile.
We pulled into our site at Lower Gray's around 8ish and set up camp. Sierra Pete gave us a big reminder that we should all take to heart.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1398.jpg
After a good pizza dinner, we all went to sleep anticipating an extremely full 4th.
7/4
Woke up to a beatifully and rediculously clear morning, absolutely no smoke from the fires we saw the night before. We decided to do a little fishing before breakfast. Pete was pretty excited to come along with us. Luckily for us, the fish were on the chew.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1400.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1401.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1519.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1535.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1534.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1418.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1536.jpg
Even Pete managed to pull out some nice trout
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1537.jpg
Pretty soon, we all got hungry and went back to camp and washed up for the awesome breakfast my mom and dad whipped up.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1409.jpg
By the time we finished, we realized we had missed the parade in town. No biggy, it's a small and tacky little parade, but it's fun nonetheless. Either way, we headed down into town so that we didn't miss the rest of the festivities. If none of you have been to indepence for the 4th, it's a trip. They have a parade, pie, craft fair, games in the park, deep pit bbq, and then topped off with the fireworks. Anyways, we headed into town to see what was going on.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1424.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1423.jpg
Pete showing off his patriotic side.
After walking around for a while, it was about time to go to the park for some delicous pie and some games.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1427.jpg
We got a bunch of pie since they were so good. Some apple, cherry, peach, apricott to name a few.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1430.jpg
Next thing we knew, it was time for the games in the park.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1448.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1434.jpg
Me and my dad teamed up for the wheel barrow race and the three legged race. Unfortunately, i was taken out of the wheel barrow race when a fairly overweight lady fell on top of me, but the three legged race was a little more successful. We pulled a solid 3rd after i dove across the finish line!
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1450.jpg
Then it was time for the most entertaining part of the day, the frog races!
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1452.jpg
(Damn that hand, that would've been such a classic picture if it wasn't there!)
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1456.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1470.jpg
After the games, we decided to go swim and play around at some of the ponds down near independence. It was wide open on bluegill and 6 inch bass.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1476.jpg
Then we decided to explore up one of the canyons a little bit and ran across this.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1482.jpg
It was starting to get late, so we headed back to camp for some dinner. Pete was starving after such a long day.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1486.jpg
After dinner, we looked outside and were blessed to see this:
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1497.jpg
One of the most epic sierra wave clouds i have ever seen in my life! What a treat. Well, we washed dishes and watched a gorgeous sunset form. Then headed down for some fireworks.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1513.jpg
And then headed back to camp. We all partied a little but pete, being the transient he is, took a little too much advantage of the free booze.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1488.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1487.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1489.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1490.jpg
Goodnight Pete.
7/5
The next day, we decided to go for a nice hike up out of onion valley. if you are ever in the area, i would advise that you go on this hike, it is one of the prettiest areas i know, especially mattlock lake.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1515.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1516.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1517.jpg
We got up to flower lake and did a little fishing, got some pretty nice brookies and some pretty nice views.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1524.jpg
After a bit at flower, we headed up and over to mattlock, which is one of the prettiest lakes i've been to in the sierras.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1525.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1526.jpg
USFS apparently has been eradicating non-native species in the area, so there were no brookies here in mattlock, but we did, however, run into some other cool creatures in the area.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1527.jpg
There a ton of these mountain yellow-legged frogs in there area, which i hope is a good sign for the species.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1530.jpg
Also got musked on by the biggest garter snake i've ever seen! That pretty much capped off our day, went back to camp and nailed a few more stocked bows and a couple nice browns.
7/6
We left.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1402.jpg
Pete says goodbye until next time.
Finally got done editing and hosting all my pics so here we go...56ker's if you still exist, i warn you now, there are A LOT of pictures. Mom, dad, girlfriend and myself left home around 4:30 on thursday on our way up to independence. I was pretty stoked since i spent almost all of my childhood 4th's up there and it was my first time back in about 5 years. It was GREAT to get back up there. We go hungry so at about olancha, i called up the pizza factory in lone pine and put in an order for us. We got to lone pine and picked up our pizza and surprisingly, a hitchhiker.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1411.jpg
He told us his name was sierra pete and was a transient of the eastern sierra. we asked him if he liked to join us on our travels, he was more than happy to as you can tell by the big smile.
We pulled into our site at Lower Gray's around 8ish and set up camp. Sierra Pete gave us a big reminder that we should all take to heart.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1398.jpg
After a good pizza dinner, we all went to sleep anticipating an extremely full 4th.
7/4
Woke up to a beatifully and rediculously clear morning, absolutely no smoke from the fires we saw the night before. We decided to do a little fishing before breakfast. Pete was pretty excited to come along with us. Luckily for us, the fish were on the chew.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1400.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1401.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1519.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1535.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1534.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1418.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1536.jpg
Even Pete managed to pull out some nice trout
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1537.jpg
Pretty soon, we all got hungry and went back to camp and washed up for the awesome breakfast my mom and dad whipped up.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1409.jpg
By the time we finished, we realized we had missed the parade in town. No biggy, it's a small and tacky little parade, but it's fun nonetheless. Either way, we headed down into town so that we didn't miss the rest of the festivities. If none of you have been to indepence for the 4th, it's a trip. They have a parade, pie, craft fair, games in the park, deep pit bbq, and then topped off with the fireworks. Anyways, we headed into town to see what was going on.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1424.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1423.jpg
Pete showing off his patriotic side.
After walking around for a while, it was about time to go to the park for some delicous pie and some games.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1427.jpg
We got a bunch of pie since they were so good. Some apple, cherry, peach, apricott to name a few.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1430.jpg
Next thing we knew, it was time for the games in the park.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1448.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1434.jpg
Me and my dad teamed up for the wheel barrow race and the three legged race. Unfortunately, i was taken out of the wheel barrow race when a fairly overweight lady fell on top of me, but the three legged race was a little more successful. We pulled a solid 3rd after i dove across the finish line!
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1450.jpg
Then it was time for the most entertaining part of the day, the frog races!
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1452.jpg
(Damn that hand, that would've been such a classic picture if it wasn't there!)
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1456.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1470.jpg
After the games, we decided to go swim and play around at some of the ponds down near independence. It was wide open on bluegill and 6 inch bass.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1476.jpg
Then we decided to explore up one of the canyons a little bit and ran across this.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1482.jpg
It was starting to get late, so we headed back to camp for some dinner. Pete was starving after such a long day.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1486.jpg
After dinner, we looked outside and were blessed to see this:
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1497.jpg
One of the most epic sierra wave clouds i have ever seen in my life! What a treat. Well, we washed dishes and watched a gorgeous sunset form. Then headed down for some fireworks.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1513.jpg
And then headed back to camp. We all partied a little but pete, being the transient he is, took a little too much advantage of the free booze.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1488.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1487.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1489.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1490.jpg
Goodnight Pete.
7/5
The next day, we decided to go for a nice hike up out of onion valley. if you are ever in the area, i would advise that you go on this hike, it is one of the prettiest areas i know, especially mattlock lake.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1515.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1516.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1517.jpg
We got up to flower lake and did a little fishing, got some pretty nice brookies and some pretty nice views.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1524.jpg
After a bit at flower, we headed up and over to mattlock, which is one of the prettiest lakes i've been to in the sierras.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1525.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1526.jpg
USFS apparently has been eradicating non-native species in the area, so there were no brookies here in mattlock, but we did, however, run into some other cool creatures in the area.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1527.jpg
There a ton of these mountain yellow-legged frogs in there area, which i hope is a good sign for the species.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1530.jpg
Also got musked on by the biggest garter snake i've ever seen! That pretty much capped off our day, went back to camp and nailed a few more stocked bows and a couple nice browns.
7/6
We left.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk271/MrGr00n/IMG_1402.jpg
Pete says goodbye until next time.