Ojai Noodle House revisited

Really good this second time around. Bellissimo.

blue hats and blue Buddhas

the return of Amy's

For those of us who can't get enough noodles.

Cajé Kitchen

500-page books

I don't usually read 500-page books, but when I do, they look like this. Actually I should have been required to read this book when I made the decision to move west over thirty years ago. Shame on me.

the return of the fog

As winter shifted to spring, the fog rolled in.

a Highly Likely breakfast

A first, and a pretty good one. Prettay Prettay good - especially the Mediterranean Eggs.

R.I.P. Paul Ehrlich

At least this man had the courage to point out the problem.

ladybug season

Oliver Sacks

I seem to read Oliver Sacks while traveling.

Mojave Air & Space Port

The Mojave Air & Space Port by day. I guess the Comfort Inn & Suites is especially convenient if you are leaving for or coming from outer space.

Mojave Comfort Inn

As our experience has taught us, this is probably the most decent lodging in the desert town of Mojave, located on the edge of town next to the Mojave Air and Space Port. While the food served at the bar wasn't perhaps the healthiest fare, it tasted good and saved us from more driving.

one more Lone Pine panorama

As seen from the Eastern Sierra Visitor Center.

Pupfish Café revisited

Talk about a "sea of green"! It really wasn't necessary to get a salad along with the quiche and the egg salad sandwich. This place is actually quite good for healthy, mindfully-made food.

commemorative plaque

It verges on hilarious that we stayed at Tamarack Lodge before and after its 100th anniversary. We didn't plan it that way; it just happened that way. Anyway I took note of this commemorative plaque that was placed after our last visit in 2023.

Dragon's Tail

This wall of rock hovering over Lower Twin Lake is impressive. I was curious what people call it. According to Google it's referred to as the Lava Tube or the Hole in the Wall. According to the front desk clerk in Tamarack Lodge it's the Dragon's Tail. I prefer this last name because 1) I heard it from a human and not AI and 2) it makes sense because the Dragon's Back Trail, which I sampled in 2023, runs alongs the top of this formation.

our old buddy

Shelter Distilling revisited

We famously had lunch here in 2022 and I've been receiving emails from them ever since. I was pleasantly surprised with everything: tasty shrimp tacos, salad and pretzel, plus an ambiance - which I feared at dinner time would be dark, crowded, loud and drunken - that was actually quite civilized. Good work Shelter Distilling.

Black Velvet Coffee

This trip to the "Village" didn't start well when parking proved to be an ordeal. Then this coffee house shocked me by not having decaf. The service wasn't great either. Things took a humorous turn for the better when various factors drove us outdoors and Mrs. and I finally found seats we could tolerate. Mine was mostly in the shade, while hers was across the way and mostly in the sun. In some strange way it worked.

the snowman of Mrs.

Lake Mary date

Mrs. hadn't had a proper stroll on Lake Mary Road so after lunch we made a point of it. I think she was happy to get out there and connect with the snow.

lodge lunch

This was new for us. Lunch was served in the lodge lobby. It was dang good tomato soup (bisque?) served with a nice, gooey grilled cheese panini. Impossible to argue with this ideal comfort food for a snowy lodge.

heading back...

More nice views on the return - Twin Lakes, Lake Mamie, Crystal Crag, etc. The sign below is about the early days of tourism in the area. Apparently fishing came before skiing.

 

Timber Sale Area?

Two notes about this area. First, this stretch of trail came very close to being downhill skiing. Second, one wonders what the logging here is all about. This is near the CO2 Hazard Area with its many dead trees, so maybe they were harvested as a result?

Horseshoe Lake, part 2

Some other trails in the Horseshoe Lake area.

Horseshoe Lake

Day two of skiing and this was the highlight. Previously I had been frightened by its designation as a "CO2 Hazard Area", but was assured that it's now safe. The naturally occurring CO2 killed some of trees along the lake, as can be seen in the photos below. At 8,950 feet this was probably my highest elevation of the trip. At 7,881 feet Mammoth Lakes is generally considered the highest town in California.

 

our famous breakfast table

After a brief intermission, we got our famous breakfast table back. This allowed us to alternate brief morning walks while the other stayed put and sipped coffee, tea or Wordle. It was a different routine from home, but it worked.

The Eatery revisited

 

This first time we came here I was a bit underwhelmed by the food. This time it was much better. Which goes to show - it's a good to give a place a second chance. You never know when something or someone will shine.