June 15th – Stuck in Lone Pine again
With deference to Credence Clearwater Revival: “Oh Lord we are stuck in Lone Pine again….”
Sort of like deja vu, all over again.
After a morning in which the few remaining tasks we had took all too long, Halftrack, the Carrot and I finally got started out of town around 12:30pm. It was with some sadness that we left Lone Pine, a favorite old haunt that we might not see now for some time to come. A local finaly picked us up after a longer than average wait for a ride and we watched the town grow smaller in the distance. We got as far as Independence where a separate road goes up to the trailhead for the hike up and over Kersarge pass.
In Independence we ran into Strut and her dad who were heading up to Onion Valley. We rode with them. At the trailhead we got out, they picked up her dad’s friend Jim and then left. A light rain was falling, and thunderclouds were threatening, as we debated the merits of hiking, waiting for the rain to stop or setting up camp in the campground. Crazy John came over to let us know that Spirit and Steady were in their RV and invited us to join them. As we started over we discovered that my camera case was missing. Very significant as it held not only my camera but also my wallet. Strut, her dad and Jim would have to drive through Lone Pine twice to pick up a car they had left at Horseshoe Meadows. The only route they could return by would be back through Lone Pine. The shuttle would have to take them at least an extra hour and probably more, so with any luck we could get to Lone Pine and intercept them. This sealed the deal; we needed to return to Lone Pine to track do! wn the wallet.
Fortunately Steady and Spirit were there and seemed interested n going into town. They agreed to help us out. Crazy John and Halfrack quickly decided a night in a warm dry bed with restaurant food sounded better than heading out in rain and joined us. Off we se,t in hot pursuit of the wallet and the sartorial pleasures of Lone Pine. Unfortunately our pursuit as a little too “hot.” The RVs brakes over heated on the way down, so our progress halted in Independence. At least we were down off the side road and on a busier highway with a better chance of rides. The four of us set out to get a ride, while Steady and Spirit waited for brakes to cool, promising to check up on us and help out if we did not have any luck.
After about 15 minutes we were al on our way in 2 separate cars and shortly thereafter we were back in Lone Pine again. We staked out several strategic positions, I at the Portal roads entrance to town, the Carrot at the main cross roads, Halftrack at the Library where Strut was due to meet her dad, and John in search of food, coffee and beer (not necessarily in that order.)
Our timing with rides was so good that we waited well over an hour for Strut’s dad and Jim to return from Horseshoe Meadows. We recovered the camera, the wallet and Nowhere Man’ whole identity and official “being.” Then we checked back into the Dow
In “big” news of the day the Pistons beat the Lakers 100 to 87 to take the NBA finals 4 to 1.
And, at Jakes Saloon in Lone Pine we “liberated” a small teddy bear from his smoky perch above the bar by asking the bartender/owner if he could walk with us to Canada. Her reply was: “OK”. We promised to send photos from faraway places.
