Greetings from Lee Vining, California, where I am enjoying a night at my favorite RV park, the Mono Vista. The sun is setting around the yellowing Aspen trees and a cool breeze is blowing through Beagle as we cool down from a delightful high of 72 degrees. This is the time of year for the Eastern Sierra’s—but we knew that already.
I set off six days ago, anxious to test out Beagle’s new lithium batteries, expertly installed by Casey and his crew at The Car Stereo Guys in Goleta. My first three nights were at Shaver Lake, Dorabelle Campground (pictured above); a place Alan and I had stayed at a decade ago. A lot has changed; there are two new loops with well-spaced asphalt pitches but the lake itself is extremely low. Opus and I did a few hikes to check out the surrounding areas: The creek in the Dinkey Creek hike was almost dry and the most interesting looking trails around Huntington Lake were closed due to last year’s fire—too many falling trees. So not a great hiking experience but a good time to adjust to living at altitude and a great test of the batteries: Three days with very little solar and I still had 65%. Sixty-five percent on AGM's and you begin to panic but 65% on lithium means you could last another four days.
Realizing that my birthday coincided with the last day you can drive through Yosemite, I cut my stay at Shaver short by a night, hitched up and meandered my way across the Sierras. It was a delightful drive, not very busy, but overall, I have to say, I prefer Sonora Pass—the beauty there is more to my taste, more open, fewer people, more places to stop and be alone by a river or enjoy a stunning view.
Once in Lee Vining, I wasted no time in getting out to my
favorite hike in the area: Saddlebag Lake
to Gemstone and beyond. Alas, there was
no “beyond” on this trip as the only system I wanted to test was Beagle’s. But Opus and I did six miles (round trip but
at 10,000’) to Gemstone with no problem and one of us learned a lot along the
way.
There are certain areas where I’ll allow Opus off
leash. My criteria in the backcountry is
that I have to be able to see him, even if he runs 100 yards away. This particular hike fits the bill perfectly
and, as you can see from the picture below, he loved being free.
Then he walked along beside me for a while.
He took off again, faster this time, jetted as fast as he
could up the hillside and to the top of a boulder. I looked up to see what he was chasing but he
was just standing, staring down at me. I pulled out the ham, called him, and he promptly
returned. Good dog.
He walked along with me for another quarter of a mile.
Then boom! He took
off as fast as he could again. He stopped
about fifty yards away and looked back at me.
He had learned that the faster he runs away from me the faster the ham
comes out. Smart dog.
After that, I would occasionally give him bits as he walked
next to me. Easily trained human.
Opus and I are setting off for another hike tomorrow and
then Monday we will leave for Convict Lake, another favorite stop, for three
nights. After that, the plan is to head
to Colorado! It’s time for some new scenery.
And River is with us!
She is such a great car dog; usually spending car time sleeping in her
bed in the back seat. But often on this
trip I have looked back to see her sitting up gazing out the window. I wonder if she is thinking back to racing
after Ibex in the French Alps or peeing on a castle in Scotland, or, if she has
grown as much as me, just appreciating the current moment. The freedom.
Enjoying this beautiful planet.
She enjoys short walks in the morning and evening and in-between sleeps
soundly in the car while we hike. One
day I let them both off leash near a lake and she did her patented circles
until her back legs gave out. This sounds
sad, but it was joyful and she jumped right back up.
The batteries are delightful—they last forever and have
brought me peace of mind particularly when heading into these cold nights. I am happy to report that all the systems are working perfectly. Including mine.
-K
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