Bishop part I, 2011

I headed to Bishop. On the way I stopped near Cadiz to search for trilobites. As my sister says "Everything is better with trilobites". Unfortunately I only found busted pieces of them - mostly head segments - at least that was what I could identify. Still, it was fun poking around amongst the rocks and definitely better than not finding anything. Then I headed on passing through the Alabama Hills for some pics of Mt Whitney etc.

In Bishop I headed up to the Buttermilks to get schooled by the boulders. I am weak and my skin is soft. I am working on it. I think I can safely say that I am projecting some of my old warm ups though... Well, maybe they weren't quite warm ups back when I had some power.

Once my fingertips were worn down I took a break in town with electricity and internet and did some running and hot spring soaking. Then back out for some wearing down of the skin closer to the base of my fingers at the Happy Boulders. The first day there I managed to do a "Happy Half Hundred" - 50 problems - mostly pretty easy, but a fair number were high enough that falling at the top really wasn't an option. Actually I think I might have done 51 or 52 problems. In between climbing I sat in the shade and read a book.

Petroglyphs on the volcanic tableland

The next day I headed up Pine Creek to ski or hike. It turned out to be hiking up to the Gable Lakes. Mostly I was on a rocky trail but by the end I lost the trail in the snow. I could have used the skis up there. I don't really know what to compare it to but it seems like there is an awful lot of snow in the high country. There was a lot of mining stuff up Pine Creek. I think this was the major tungsten supply for the US during WWII.

I admire the Gable Lakes basin

Mining stuff in Pine Creek

After another day of bouldering at the Happys (this day was too hot) followed by a run and a soak I watched the Mule Days parade.  Not surprisingly there were a lot of mules, a few horses, and some of the local school marching groups. There were no motorized things in the parade until the street sweepers at the very end.

Steamer fire engine in the Mule Days parade

Tomorrow it might be cold and rainy. I can deal with the cold, but I could do without the rain, and the nearly constant wind is a little frustrating at times. Maybe next week I'll do a pack raft trip on the Owens River.