Supported Camping
Daily Summary
Day 24
Start Lone Pine Campground (Inyo National Forest) near Lone Pine, CA
Finish Boulder Creek Campground in Lone Pine, CA
Today’s Miles 12.1
Trip Time 01:55:33
Moving Average 34.1 mph
Speed Max 60.4 mph
Time Moving 00:27:26
Odometer 1560.1
Highlights
We drove up to the Whitney Portal campground and trailhead for a look-see. The campground sits at 8,000 feet and it began to hail when we arrived. The campground sits in a magical pine forest with the Lone Pine Creek running through it. There’s a beautiful waterfall on the western end. We liked sites 14 and 44 if we come back to camp.
We stopped in at the very nice Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center where many agencies are representing, including the US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Inyo County, Mono County, California Department of Transportation, and California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
After 3 days of dry camping in the national forest campground, we opt to head back to Boulder Creek Campground in Lone Pine for what we are now calling “supported camping” that is like a three-legged stool: showers, laundry, and Internet. While Ross considers himself clean when a strong wind blows the dust out of his hair, Robin prefers to luxuriate and wash her hair in a campground shower. It’s a bonus if the shower is free and hot.
Our 60 watt solar panel is keeping up with our electricity needs. We have a Group 31 deep cycle marine battery on board the teardrop and we power the ARB refrigerator, two iPhone, one iPad, a Garmin watch, and a Delorme InReach Explorer.
Robin is a dirty girl. Scratch that. What we mean is that she’s getting used to being dirty (while camping). She has achieved the high distinction of being able to run two days in a row without bathing. Ross likes his women au naturale.
Lowlights
A lightning bolt came out of the sky and fried the campground’s Internet. We are down to only 2 legs on that aforementioned stool.
Observation
Robin’s hair stylist recommended trying dry shampoo for those remote camping days. Robin reports that it does not work, and it smells worse than the stinky hair it’s meant to fix.
Monsieur Spock seems to really enjoy camping as compared to life in the condo. He wakes up with a spring in his steps (all four of them) and much to say. Anyone who has made his acquaintance can attest to his rather sonorous vocalizations. Nearby campers seem to enjoy his musings at 6 AM, or so we hope.
T'Chat jumped out of the Jeep at the campground during a lapse in our attention. She managed to run away and elude capture for a while. We texted her that this was an “Active Bear Area” and she was not safe “out there”. When she saw a young female bear heading to Whole Foods wearing yoga pants and running shoes, she knew we weren’t kidding. She returned promptly.