California road trip - updated w/ pics

Glad you enjoyed Browns and hope the afternoon winds weren't too bad. Sure is nice to walk 50' to some awesome trout fishing isn't it? My grandson caught his first fish under the bridge at Brown's, he still talks about that trip.

Yes, next time bring your Razor, you can go anywhere from there via logging roads, even back down to Bishop and up to June Lake loop.

BoonHauler, glad you had the pleasure of Hap's company, very nice man and is passionate about the Eastern Sierra

eDUBz wrote:
Snip

Huge thanks to Hap Hazard to for a lot of the local knowledge places to eat and things to see / do. We will be back in the sierras soon.

eDUBz, I'd like to second that one as well! I've been in the Mammoth area for a month now and had the opportunity to sit down and have a beer with Hap. Great guy and very knowledgeable about the local area, thanks Hap!

eDUBz, awesome thread and thanks for sharing your vacation with all of us .... =)

mrw8i wrote:
When you can plan a one week trip to the Mammoth area - lots of legal RZR riding in the forests. Requires GPS/maps etc so as not to get lost. We rode from Glass Creek campground to Bodie one time - not sure I want to do that again.

Bicycle riding in Yosemite Valley makes for a nice day.

Fishing a few weeks ago in Lone Pine - trout weren't biting bait. Used Panther Martin spoon lure in the stream - caught a few trout in different holes along the stream in a 30 minute period.

Dang! A ride to Bodie, lots of planning for that one. Definetly want to go back.

When you can plan a one week trip to the Mammoth area - lots of legal RZR riding in the forests. Requires GPS/maps etc so as not to get lost. We rode from Glass Creek campground to Bodie one time - not sure I want to do that again.

Bicycle riding in Yosemite Valley makes for a nice day.

Fishing a few weeks ago in Lone Pine - trout weren't biting bait. Used Panther Martin spoon lure in the stream - caught a few trout in different holes along the stream in a 30 minute period.

Naio wrote:
That pic of el cap is amazing!

Thanks

Once we left Golden pines we headed out
For a quick 25 min drive to the upper Owens river to Browns Campground, Thanks Nayther! - No hook ups no dump station. We were in site 30, nice site with no neighbors to one side. Campsites 8 / 10 / 34 / 48 / 50 & 52 are closest to the river with gate access to the water. Quiet a few RZRs and dirt bikes here, I think this is a perfect CG for it, fishing off Roading is a perfect match.



Once we got settled in - straight to Buisness, I made a bet, first trout wins Jackpot. It was $20 bucks before we started then girls suckered me into raising it $50 so I agreed. Dad gots this, pppppsssshhh. I was using salmon eggs for nothing while my daughter wanted a nite crawler. Dang!!

Winner winner chicken dinner!!!!


2nd fish - we caught 4 fish on nite crawlers, before running out.



My turn finally came!



I continued to fish into the evening off and on using power bait and salmon eggs without a bite.



Next morning I woke at 5:45 am for the early bite - this time I rigged up with Mice tails. This was the go to bait for the rest of the trip. Trout were biting.





Nicole and her pouch couch watching me fish with a corona in Hand!




What to do mid day when the fish bite turns off? Jump on the SUP and cruise the Owens!!







Back at it for a sunset bite



All fish were Catch and release except for one unlucky trout nicole ate.
All my fishing now a days is salt water surf fishing - to catch these trout and to find the technique fishing this kind of water was a great learning experience for all of us and what a perfect way to end our trip / relaxing and fishing. Thanks again Nayther for bringing up this CG, Me and nicole felt this was the best CG and time during our road trip, she enjoyed relaxing most of the time while I fished most of the time and the kids just explored finding lil creatures In the water.

Huge thanks to Hap Hazard to for a lot of the local knowledge places to eat and things to see / do. We will be back in the sierras soon.

That pic of el cap is amazing!

Thanks - We had a great time, but Browns at the Upper Owens was the best. Thanks for the recommendation. I'll post that up in a bit.

You guys really packed it in! What an awesome trip and one the girls will remember forever, creating memories, that's what RV'g is all about. My boys are around 30 and still talk about the trips we made when they were small.

Thanks for sharing. And I do like Hap's comment about the tourism board.

Loaded the bikes and drove up 120 for Yosemite.

Lots of snow on the way up


Yosemite entrance - we have never been here so we are stoked!


A rock face that looked cool and the kids wanted to climb - there was a map that we saw walking back to the truck, we didn't realize how far the Yosemite valley was from tuolumne meadows - we didn't stay any longer in the area. If you are in the area but don't have much time tuolumne meadows is a beautiful area, you can easily spend a day here or just few hours.




Made it to the Valley - Yosemite Falls


We followed the signs that said Visitor center that way half dome village that way, we did a circle that way and this way and found some random parking spot as someone was leaving - Score!! Right between half dome village and the visitor center. Unloaded the bikes hit up the Yosemite village store for a back pack to carry our water and off we went.

Half dome lurking in the distance.


Stopped at the Merced river to dip our feet - Ah nice and COLD!!


First sign we saw was Mirror lake 1 mile- we took that trail and ended up with a bunch of other people. After the photo shot we shedded some clothes and went for a swim.






Left Mirror lake after about an hour and just cruised around on the bikes enjoying the outdoors.






after rolling around for a bit we seen a sign - Vernal falls 1.5miles that way no bikes on trail. Hoped off and went to see Vernal Falls. Easy hike up.

Pic from the Bridge - there's also a water filling station. We hiked up about another .4 miles almost to the top - it was a lil busy and nicole wasn't going any higher in wet steps about 3-4' wide along the cliff.






The splash was getting my glasses wet, had to take them off - otherwise I never take my glasses off.



Walk back down




Kids saw some wildlife and just had to get a closer look.



Some burnt up hollow tree truck


Did some more cruising around exploring the lower and upper pines campground
Interesting, there was quiet a few empty sites.

Stopped on the way out to Admite el cap, i still can't believe Alex Honnold free soloed this in under 4 hrs last month - Unbelievable!! If you haven't read or heard about it google or YouTube Alex honnold El cap.


Once out of the NP we stopped and ate dinner at Whoa Nellie deli - gas station / awesome food where the 120 and 395 meet :)

We will be back to Yosemite in Nov.