To Mammoth We Go!

I guess this still technically falls under day 4, but this side trip was one of the best parts of the trail. We had ditched the idea of going into Mamoth Lakes for dinner because the last bus was about to run and there would be no way to get back to Reds Meadow until the morning.

We started to get on a bus earlier and explained to the female bus driver that a cab would cost about $50 bucks to take us back that night. She seemed very interested in that, "I didn't think they would charge that much," she said. She advised that we get off this bus and take the last one out. So we got off the bus and started to do laundry again.

Then, Erica came running up claiming that the lady bus driver gave her a number to call, and that the bus driver would be driving us back later that night! We hopped on the last bus out bus and headed on down to Mammoth. The drive was beautiful, zig zagging through the mountains with awesome views of the Minarets.

We headed to a restaurant called Toomey's, which another bus driver had recommended to us (Who knew bus drivers were so generous?). This was like heaven on earth , back in civilization, a nice big beer and some chicken wings, ah loved it! It tasted so good compared to those dehydrated meals on the trail.

YUM YUM YUM.

Toomey's also had a baseball theme, which was right up my alley. Cool picture of some of my favorite Cincinnati Reds players and an odd shrine to George Brett?

Ron Oester, Mario Soto and Ted Powers. Cincinnati legends

George Brett shrine

George Foster, another Cincinnati great.

After dinner we called (the bus driver) to come and pick us up. She even took us to Rite-Aid to get some supplies. I needed more ibuprofen and a wrap for my knee. I also needed camp shoes, which I forgot to bring. I would have to walk around camp in my sweaty boots or socks, which was not very fun. So I assumed that all little convenient stores sold cheap sandals, but this store was out of sandals. All they had left were a pair of white fuzzy slippers. Of course I bought them.

We hopped back in drivers Toyota Tundra and roared back up the mountain. She was driving pretty fast on the winding roads back to Reds Meadow. She had been driving these roads for years she said, so I had faith in her.

We got back to the resort, paid her $50 and said our goodbyes. What a great evening, as much as I was loving the wilderness, a little civilization was just what I needed. I headed back to the bunk house and crawled into bed with a very full belly and fell asleep almost instantly.

Day 5: Reds Meadow Resort to Lake Virginia