What a great trip! Thanks, everybody for making me feel so welcome.
Here's what I remember...
On Friday Rich and I explored the Darwin Canyon area and established camp in an abandoned mine work above the Keeler rendezvous. We ate steaks and corn and toasted Jim while watching a great light show above the Sierras. We fully expected to be blown off our perch during the night but the wind dropped and against the odds we were still there in the morning when the others arrived.
There was a minor incident during the night: somebody stole Rich's toothbrush and also left a large number of empty beer bottles in the back of his truck. Please be aware if you camp in this spot.
Early Saturday morning, the convoy of five vehicles (Alan, Jay, Rich, Kevin + trainees, myself) headed up the track to Cerro Gordo town and along the ridge to the salt tram cabin. Along the way, in a clandestine ceremony one of Jay's massive Power Wagon tires was sacrificed in order that the rest of us may proceed unscathed. On reflection we probably should have sacrificed a tire on a different vehicle because Jay's was heavily loaded with camping supplies, bourbon and cigars and was needed to secure the cabin.
After we arrived at the cabin Harold's G-Wagon group passed through en-route to deposit 40,000 marbles in Marble Bath after the recent alien marble heist.
There was feasting and grazing on excellent clam chowder and chicken kabobs, courtesy of Jay and Rich. Later when the sun was low in the sky, Jay appeared on the deck with a box of cigars, a bottle of Knob Creek and real glasses.
After watching an electric light show over Saline Valley we retired to the cabin for a nightcap of bourbon and Laphroig and finally when the hour was late and the cabin was cold (about an hour after dark) we called it a night.
In the morning, after a brisk night, we did some more feasting and grazing on burritos a-la Jay (we couldn't catch any burros), said goodbye to Kevin and his happily-sleep-in-a-freezer crew, packed up and headed back to Cerro Gordo and down into Saline Valley.
The whole way we were entertained and educated by Alan's enormous wealth of knowledge of the area, both the history and the roads.
The latter were smoother on the lee-side of the Inyos but tires on mine and Alan's vehicles had sympathy punctures. Because we are one with our finely tuned vehicles, we both had ignored the "you really do have a puncture" warning light for ages but despite that both tires were easily fixed.
We said goodbye to Jay and the remaining trio of Alan, Rich and myself headed to Panamint valley where we ended the day following the historic Escape Route up Fish Canyon with the sun in our eyes. And in my case, white knuckles.
Its a real shame Jim couldn't make it after doing all the organizing but the Inyos will probably still be there in 2009 and the stickers could easily be altered to work. Thanks, Jim!
I took some photos and I'll post them when I've rescued them off my camera. I might add some more words if I remember them, too.
Cheers,
Graham
