Old Mammoth Road ~Our World Tuesday~101816

I went out exploring one morning of our vacation when hubby wasn't feeling well.  I didn't want to waste the incredible morning light, so off I went!  I drove up Old Mammoth Road, which winds up to Twin Lakes, above Mammoth.

I'd like to say I had a nice, quite ride, but that wasn't true.  As I stopped to take photos, I heard the lone call of a coyote not too far from me.  It was eerie the way it echoed around the mountains.  Then, at Lake George, I saw a bald eagle fly across the lake and hover (apparently) over a fish!  Then I heard a whole pack of coyotes across the lake, down by Twin Lakes!  It was magical and a morning I won't forget.

 Beautiful morning colors up on Old Mammoth Road.

 Looking down and across the valley toward the White Mountains...

Lake George.  This is where I saw the bald eagle and heard the pack of coyotes across the lake.

Our World Tuesday for October 18, 2016.   To visit OWT, please go to:   http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/
Enjoy your day!

More exploring along Highway 395

We continued our trip along Highway 395.  We both wanted to stop at Obsidian Mine Road.  We let Ripley out there and she got to smell everything!  She LOVED it!

 Lots of new smells!

 Beautiful pines

 These two ravens were sitting on the trees up at Minarete Vista

Pretty forest...

TO BE CONTINUED...

eastern Sierra Nevada~Monday Mellow Yellow~ October 17, 2016

For Monday Mellow Yellow, all of these were taken the first week of October in the eastern Sierra Nevada.  Unfortunately, the second of two storms is hitting that area this weekend and I'm pretty sure most of the leaves are now gone...sigh...

I'm glad hubby and I had the opportunity to go visit the Sierra in October.  We hadn't been able to do that since 2010.  We are both retired now, and that really makes a difference!

To visit MMY, please go to:     http://mondaymellowyellows.blogspot.com.au/

Lundy Canyon

We drove up through Lundy Canyon the morning we left Bishop, since it was on the road to Mammoth.  It had been several years since we had been up Lundy Canyon and we never did make it to the beaver ponds, for some reason.  If you go, make sure you drive past the cabins up to the beaver pond.  The road ends at a trail head and you can hike up even further, but, with the dog with us, we decided not to do the hike.  Honestly, if I were traveling alone with my dog, I would have done it.  Hubby isn't quite as adventurous as I am!

We saw absolutely stunning fall colors up there...probably the best of the trip, although Bishop Canyon was also great.  What do you think?

 One of the Lundy Lake cabins.  Be sure you continue on the road past these cabins to see the pond.

 The road up Lundy Canyon

 Hubby actually got out of the car!

 First pond

 Wow!

 Amazing reflections that day!

Hubby made me get back into the car.  I had our black lab, Ripley, with us.  He thought he heard a BEAR in the woods.  He did hear something rustling around in the bushes that he said was large...

Eastern Sierra shadows~Shadow Shot Sunday~ 101616

This was a forest road, South Lake Tahoe, last week.  Hubby and I love to explore forest roads.  Who knows where they will go?

Shadow Shot Sunday for October 16, 2016.  To visit SSS, please go to:    http://shadowshotsunday2.blogspot.com/2016/10/stone-pillars.html

Eastern Sierra Nevada trip

Hubby and I decided to take an extended eastern Sierra Nevada trip this fall (since we are BOTH now retired!).  The last time we went there in the fall, we were both still working.  I took 2 days off school and backed them up to a weekend, but, with 1 day for driving up, and 1 day for the return trip, that only left us 2 days to see the fall colors and that certainly wasn't enough time!

So, this year, we decided on an 8 night trip.  The first night was in Bishop, then 4 nights in Mammoth, 2 nights in South Lake Tahoe, and 1 night back in Bishop.  I drove 7 out of the 8 days.  I don't like hubby to drive anymore.  He drives TOO FAST!

And, we HAD to take our black lab, Ripley, with us, so we had to find pet friendly motels and cabins (which we did!).  She gets separation anxiety and starts clawing our fences the minute we leave.  She's at the point now that we can't even leave her overnight.

Our first stop was at the Vagabond Motel in Bishop.  Yes, they are pet friendly!  They have a nice, grassy area behind the motel rooms in the back for dogs and even provide doggie doodle bags!  Bishop is a fairly easy drive for us (about 5 hours)...

We were able to drive up through Bishop Canyon that afternoon.  But, being the Sierra, a storm was approaching and my photos didn't come out as bright and as sharp as I had hoped.  By late afternoon, the mountains above Bishop were completely socked in with clouds.

Here are a few photos from that first afternoon.  Sorry about the quality...

 This is at lake Intake #2, Bishop Canyon

 intake #2

 Somebody was enjoying a quiet ride.

 Yes, Ripley, our 9 year old black lab, got her 1st experience in a REAL LAKE!  She would have gone all the way out if I hadn't had her on a leash!!!!!

 Pretty leaves

 Nice view

Clouds were gathering.  Those Sierra storms sure do move in quickly!

Hubby took these photos.  He has a better lens than I do.  Mine is a Tamron.  His is a different one and his camera has a larger sensor than mine.  DARN!

 That's me and Ripley at the lake, Intake #2, Bishop Canyon

Yes, hubby took this one!  I'm so jealous!  His colors just stand out better than mine!

Seasons~apples~093016

LOTS of beautiful apples are coming into season now up in Oak Glen.  I bought a bag of the Spartan apples while we were there.  They are very sweet and juicy!  Hubby bought an apple pie.

Seasons for September 30, 2016.  To visit Seasons, please go to this site:

http://www.linkytools.com/wordpress_list.aspx?id=273027&type=thumbnail