After a windy few days in Lone Pine, we headed up the 395 highway to boondock outside of Mammoth Lakes for the week.
We ended up at an empty BLM spot near the airport that would accommodate us and our friends Tori and Skyler (@meantforadventure). No one else around, beautiful landscape and friends near by. A perfect combination.
Most of our days this week have been spent playing catch up since the things we wanted to explore near by are still closed due to snow. Devil’s Postpile and the Bristlecone Pine Forest will have to wait for another visit once again.
Our roadschool curriculum is a mixture of workbooks, online apps and exploring the world… with a side of laughter.
It also includes craft projects to remind us ladies that we are so many things.
The girls were begging to wear make-up this week so I gave them the a-okay one afternoon. They were so pumped to apply some on themselves. I caught Luka grabbing my eye lash curler and trying to curl his lashes in the mirror. Afterwards, he checked himself out and made a super disgusted face. But his disgust didn’t last long once he agreed to the girls’ request to give him some blush and a new hair do. Hehe. Look how excited Ava and Mila are.
Luka wanted in on helping with a make-over too so I got to get all fancy with them.
One of the reasons we wanted to linger a bit longer than our usual pace in this area was because of all the hot springs in the area. And let me tell you. There aren’t too many things better than hanging out in a hot spring at golden hour surrounded by these snowy mountains and a cold beer in hand.
Trust me.
I hate driving in the snow. It may appear that I’m adventurous but I will be the first to tell you that it takes a lot for me to live this way. I am super anxious in new situations, especially in situations where things can end in some type of disaster. So when Dan mentioned we were going to check out a potential new site down a snowy road, I stated my concerns and held on the oh-sh*t-handle. I kept repeating to Dan that I didn’t think this was a good idea and he kept repeating that we are fine. And just as he repeated that we were fine for the fifth or so time, we got stuck. Seconds later, our buddies got stuck too. I saved my “I told you sos” for later.
Dan was able to get us out but our friends were really stuck and needed a tow to get them out of their spot.
Airing down the tires was one of tricks we used to get out of our jam. I drank a well deserved beer while the others aired back up.
The kids didn’t care that we were stuck on snow. They used their time wisely by sledding our their boogie board.
MUD! WATCH OUT!
We were actually on our way to a hike for Tori’s birthday but because of our hiccup, we didn’t get too far and had to turn around before the sun disappeared.
Since our space is so small, we usually end up in their Airstream for happy hour… and puppy snuggles.
After a few days south of town, we packed up to avoid camping on dirt during the rain/snow storm coming our way.
The food at Mammoth Brewing Company is fantastic so to break up our day, we grabbed some school workbooks and spent some time at the brewery.
The kids got a free sample of root beer. Let’s just say they didn’t enjoy it. At all.
Next stop, Oh Ridge campground. It’s a bit pricey for a no hook-up spot but the views are spectacular. The pavement will be nice once the snow and rain starts plus the kids really wanted to ride on a smooth surface. As soon as we set up camp, the kids were off racing. On your marks… get set…
GO!
Luka always comes in third so he usually gives himself a head start. Haha.
So excited to not ride on dirt 🙂
Mila seeks out Yoda snuggles more than the other kids. Yoda is okay for the most part. If not, she’ll hide in her cubby or give a gentle swat.
d
We got to park in the loop closest to the lake thanks to our smaller rig and higher clearance. You can peak at the campsite departure angle here.
That made for a quick walk to the lake for some more outdoor time and fresh air.
Mila grabbed my camera and took a couple photos.
Look at his smile. Only a kid behind the camera can make him smile so sweetly.
A lake filled with melted snow? No problem for these kids.
I wanna go too, daddy.
Giving their cold feet a break.
Our friends met us down by the beach and the kids enjoyed some puppy time.
We spent a lot of time up at June Lake Brewery also. Their beers are pretty awesome and the food truck outside has delicious Hawaiian food.
We woke up the next day to snow. I stepped outside to snap a few photos but they quickly stopped.
Ummm, that is NOT good. The weight of the snow was too much for our Four Wheel Camper so we had to quickly drop the top.
Look at those smiles!
Ok, kids! Breakfast has been served. Dig in!
Just when we thought the lake couldn’t get more beautiful.
No gloves for these kids. They are stuck in the camper. Sorry kids.
By the time we had to leave our campsite, most of the snow had melted around us.
Inside of paying for another night here at June Lake, we headed south with our buddies to a RV park back in Mammoth with hook-ups since it was pretty chilly and we had laptops to charge and heaters to run.
But first, another stop at Mammoth Brewing because why not!
Time to recharge the batteries and take showers too.
Oh and another hot tub soak isn’t a bad idea either.
Here is Dan’s VLOG about our time in Mammoth Lakes.
An here is a peek at my perspective on getting stuck in the snow.
Thanks for reading,
Marlene
0 Comments