Travel and Computer problems

Location, Tionesta, CA

Oh, how we are hooked on our computers!!!!!! Mine died last week while we were in Mammoth, CA after I had used it for an hour at the library. I tried to turn it on back at the RV and it would immediately turn off. I suspected the battery but a check of the AC power cord with a multimeter showed voltage to the battery so that meant the battery itself.

This weekend our friends Cindy and Gary drove over the mountains from Walnut Creek to Carson City where we were staying at Silver City RV Park to spend the weekend with us. We did some testing of the laptop and browsing of the internet which convinced us that the battery was dead. Gary did more research on Sunday after he got home and told me of a Batteries +Plus store in Carson City. I called them this morning and drove to the store which was 10 minutes from the RV Park. The new battery needed a 15 minute charge before it would work but it did the trick. Back in business again but with my billfold depleted by $139. That is still cheaper than a new laptop by far.

To bring the blog up to date I need to go back to Tuesday May 26th when everyone left Bishop. Here are some pictures of the "Cottonwood Snow" around our camp before we left on Tuesday.

Cottonwood in the air.



Making "snowballs".


Everyone else was going south while Clyda and I were headed north towards Seattle. After saying our goodbyes everyone pulled out and we were the last to leave. We drove to a forest service campground between the town of Mammoth and June Lakes for a few days of R&R. The campground is one we have used before but this time there were few campers and no campground host. We picked a spot that Budd and Brenda and we had used 2 years ago. We went to the town library to send and receive email and update the blog and later bought groceries.

We drove around June Lake one day and checked out a forest service campground for future reference. There is lots of water falls from the snow run off and the lakes are full with few fishermen around. In fact there were few tourists in Mammoth or June Lake. The mountains still have lots of snow and the Mammoth Mountain ski area is still running two lifts for the few skiers willing to ski “corn snow”.

June lake from Oh! Ridge.


Snow on Mammoth Mountain.

We left Mammoth on Friday May 29th and drove north on Hwy 395 up Deadman summit, Conway summit, and up the Walker River drainage to Carson City. Gary and Cindy arrived late Friday afternoon and we talked and relaxed the day away. I BBQ’ed a pork tenderloin for dinner. We played Dominos until bedtime.

On Saturday after a lazy morning we drove to Virginia City east of Carson City for the afternoon. It was a very pleasant day as we strolled the streets of the old town poking our heads into shops and checking out the merchandise. Later, we rode the steam train to Gold Hill which takes about 35 minutes round trip.



On our way back to the RV we stopped at a DQ (Dairy Queen) a favorite way to end any trip.

Later that evening we drove a few miles away to a newer casino for a prime rib dinner which was very good. Later, the ladies played a few slots before we went home. No big winners this night unless you count the casino as a winner.

On Sunday morning we drove to another casino for breakfast. Afterwards the slots again were calling so we spent a few hours feeding the machines while it poured rain outside. Clyda played for a few hours on $3 while Cindy played a slot machine with Siamese something in its name. She couldn’t figure out the play but punched a few buttons and then decided to cash out thinking she had won $20. The ticked was for $102 and we still couldn’t figure out the machine. Maybe all our slot play should be on a machine like that.

Gary and Cindy left for home about 2 PM so Clyda went to do t he washing in the parks laundry while I cleaned the trailer. As I walked to the laundry room out of the corner of my eye I noticed a Blue Chevy Tracker driving towards me. The driver beeped his horn so I turned to look as they drove up. Much to my surprise it was Tony and Joanne, friends of Budd and Brenda’s who I have met several times as we camped in Quartzsite and Death Valley. It was a real surprise. Budd knew they were going to camp at Minden, NV so he told them we were at Carson City and they should look us up. What a surprise. Nice people!

Today, Monday June 1st, we left Carson City and drove to Tionesta, CA which is between Alturas, CA and Tule Lake, CA. We are at Eagles Nest RV Park which is 2 miles off the highway on one of the roads to Lava Beds National monument. We first found this park several years ago on a day trip around Lava Beds. Our friends Jack and Judy later stayed here. There is a new owner but he seems nice enough and even has WiFi. He moved a repeater antenna so I could get a signal inside the RV. We are the only people here tonight although he had 150 school kids and parents here last weekend. Jack and Judy, it is not as nice as when the two old ladies owned it.