This is a transcript of the diary I kept during the first years of our transition to the mountains. We had lived in Orange County, CA for the past 20 years and decided to check out property in Bass Lake, CA where we had vacationed for several years.
No work on these two trips, just family enjoyment like in former years. First trip was to put the finishing touches on my husband’s planned dualsport motorcycle ride; we stayed at Russ’s cabin, and for the second, we were joined by a lot of family, my favorite situation. Now, from my journal:
July 2-4, 2001
Well, the gravel never got delivered and we never had to pay the guy for the first load! Never saw or heard of him again. This trip we stopped by on the way home from Reno. It is hot! We didn’t spend much time at the property. We got together with all our friends at the Chinese Restaurant. Tried to spray for poison oak, but was too hot. We learned to play Petanque with Ed and Mary and Don and Marcie. Met those four at the pizza place on Monday too.
July 12-22, 2001
My husband’s ride weekend. (The reason why we found Bass Lake was that he put on a dual sport motorcycle ride up here each summer. Early in the summer, the family’d go up to spend a week camping at Wishon campground, so he could lay out the course. This is also how we became friends with Russ and Ed…they love riding and volunteered to help with the ride. )
Had a great time relaxing week with first the ride, hubbie’s birthday, then a nice long vacation with all my kids and Larry’s grandkids R.J. & Denelle. Pat and Harry joined us on the “campsite” after the ride and Dennis and Ray stayed as well. Madeline’s friend Derek came along too.
We did the party boat thing, afterward and Pat & Harry and Ed joined us. This was the first time Greg was able to go on the boat. He and we loved it! I was a little nervous seeing Jolie out on the inner tube and diving from the dam wall.
Wed. Pat and Harry left with their huge motor home (we were wondering if they’d make it up the hill!) and Jolie and Greg headed for home too. The rest of us just relaxed, waited for the truck to be fixed (fuel pump went out) and took a nice drive to Huntington Lake and to Whiskey Falls. Also found a nice swimming hole down by the bottom of our forest.
We had to fill up with water at Marcie’s several times but we had very good weather. Thank goodness not like 2 weeks ago! Everyone had such a good time and R.J. and Denelle want to come back next year. Oh, forgot, Bob & Michelle came to pick up the kids so they got to see the place too. Bob arrived, jumped out of the car all dressed in camo. He wants to see deer!