Thursday, March 10, 2011

HOPALONG CASSIDY, GENE AUTRY, ROY ROGERS….TODAY WE DID THE COWBOY MUSEUM:))

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SUNRISE IN LONE PINE CALIFORNIA

From my chair in the Motor Home I can now watch the rays of a morning sunrise splash over the Sierra Nevada mountains.  

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Lone Pine Peak picks up the morning sun & lets it wash down it’s slopes & flood out onto the valley floor.  The Sierra Nevada mountains have begun another beautiful day.

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A mountain stream makes it’s way along through the rocks about a hundred yards in front of us & we can hear it.  Nice touch to this already splendid place.  Could have camped closer to the stream but we knew Checkers would turn herself into a mud puppy there.

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Surprised that the temps only dropped into the 50’s overnight.  Thought at this elevation & mountain snow nearby it would have been colder.  We were at 53 by 9 this morning with the day time temps in the low 70’s.  Perfect:))   Noticed Borrego Springs hit 84F today so we are both very glad we are here in cooler Lone Pine.

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GROUP OF ROCKS PHOTO AT LOWER LEFT ARE CALLED ‘THE SPOOKS’

Nice breakfast this morning in the Alabama Hills  CafĂ© & we hear people line up to get in there during busier times.  We can’t get over how truly lucky we are to be here at this precise time of year.  No annoying traffic or scads of tourists everywhere.  Could fire a canon down the main street & not any a thing.  Just the way we like it.

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THE DOW HOTEL HAS HOSTED MANY A HOLLYWOOD MOVIE STAR

A stop at the Visitor’s Center netted us an armful of brochures of things to do & see.  I saw right away where I had made 2 mistakes in Wednesday’s blog.  What I thought was Mount Whitney is actually Lone Pine Peak.  Mount Whitney is further back & to the right of that Peak.  Second mistake we both made was in calling this the Turtle Creek Campground.  Is is the TUTTLE Creek Campground.  Thanks to the young fellow at the Visitor’s Center for pointing that out to us.

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LONE PINE PEAK IS THE ONE ON LEFT & MOUNT WHITNEY IS THE POINTED PEAK  IN THE DISTANCE AT RIGHT

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AT THE VISITOR’S CENTER IN THE SOUTH END OF TOWN

After the Visitor’s Center we headed for the must see Beverly & Jim’s Rogers Museum of Lone Pine Film History.  THE MUSEUM.  As a rule, Kelly & aren’t big Museum people but if you are interested in the old western movie era this Museum is not to be missed.  A great majority of western movies were made right here in the Alabama hills.  Roy Rogers, Hopalong Cassidy, Gene Autry, Tom Mix, Randolf Scott & Hoot Gibson,  were just a few of the movie Cowboys who hung their hats in Lone Pine’s Alabama Hills.  TV western series like The Lone Ranger, Zorro, Have Gun Will Travel preferred this location with other series like Bonanza also using the movie sets & locations.  Filming dates back to the Fatty Arbuckle silent era for this area.  Humphrey Bogart did ‘High Sierra’ here.  Cary Grant was in Gunga Din.  John Wayne & Douglas Fairbanks filmed in the area & the list just goes on & on & on.  Friday we plan to drive out to the movie & TV location sites & see where filming actually took place for these movies.

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L TO R….. GENE AUTRY’S HAT & GUN, WILD BILL HICKOK'S (GUY MADISON) HAT & GUN, ROY ROGERS HAT & GUITAR, LONE RANGER’S HAT & SHIRT (CLAYTON MOORE)

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WE WERE THE ONLY ONE’S IN THE THEATRE TO WATCH A 20 MINUTE HISTORY PRESENTATION OF THE WHERE, HOW, WHEN & WHO STARRED IN THE MANY LONE PINE LOCATION MOVIES FILMED HERE YEARS AGO

We had no idea there was so much to see & do here in the Eastern Sierras.  We plan to visit the MANZANAR National Historic Site where 110,000 Japanese American people were interned during the second world war just north of Lone Pine.  We may even venture up to Bishop & Mammoth Lakes where history abounds as well.  I can see this region is chalked full of marvelous & beautiful adventures for anyone having the time it would take to see & do everything.

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HEY ELFRIDA TUMBLEWEEDS, HERE’S A BIT OF AN ‘S’ CURVE FOR YOU

Both Nikon camera batteries were getting low so we were back to our spot in the Alabama Hills by 1 o’clock.  Kelly had some catching up to do with her work related Deer Park Lodge reservations so we spent the afternoon just enjoying our good fortune at being where we are & loving the great weather we are having.

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Thank heavens for the digital camera age because Kodak could never have made enough film to truly cover the Eastern Sierra Nevada’s beauty.

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Should mention how we found this boon docking spot….& others.  Just go to RV NET FORUM & scroll down to ‘Public Lands, Boondocking & Dry Camping.  If you are heading for a certain place just post a question on the forum asking if anyone knows of some good Boondocking sites in the area.  That’s how we found our spot in Lone Pine when someone answered & suggested the Tuttle Campground.

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 DSC_0098Today we welcome new blog Followers Grant & Kathy from BIRDINGRVERS.  Thanks for stopping by folks:))

For any of you techno head cell phone people out there you might want to check out RETIRED ROD'S blog on green cherries, or was that Blueberries.  No, wait a minute I think it was a Blackberry tethered to a Volkswagon with 5 Gigabytes in GSM mode….or something like that.  I think I crashed & burned on the learning curve when Rod said something about, “Apps that will allow tethering without rooting.”  Has that got something to do with tying up a Hog in sand box??

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SAW THIS COYOTE ABOUT 50 YARDS FROM OUR CAMPSITE AT DUSK TONIGHT….WE ALWAYS HAVE TO BE VIGILANT

GROANER’S CORNER:((  Did you know people are a lot like potatoes…Some people never seem motivated to participate, but are content to watch others ... They are called "Speck Tators."
Some are always looking to cause problems and really get under your skin ... 
They are called "Aggie Tators."
There are those who are always saying they will, but somehow, they never get around to doing... We call them "Hezzie Tators."  
Some folks spend a lot of time sitting and peering into their garden ...  
They are called "Medi Tators." 
There are those that try to maximize their crop yields while reducing expenses ...   
We call them "Compu Tators."

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The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

14 comments:

  1. I am in love with your coyote. But keep an eye on the puppies. I also tried to learn about tethering but gave up when I got to the rooting part. Just not a techie. Once again, beautiful pictures.

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  2. once again your pictures are breathtaking!..thanks for the great day!!!..we had fun riding in the backseat!!

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  3. Enjoyed your post today Al, Those guys were the STAR'S when I was a kid. I would enjoy that place.. Hope I can find it someday...Right now I'm anxious to get home! Yuma don't do much for me...Enjoy your privacy!

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  4. We love going to search out different spots...Looks like this place is one we need to get to...That Coyote smells fresh canine smells in the grasses...Keep you dogs safe..if you have a leash, it may be wise to use it....
    Your pictures??? MAGNIFICO!!!!

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  5. The little Motormouse would be a tasty morsel for that hungry coyote! Be careful out there...

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  6. I wonder how a big Lab like Rigg's would fair with a a coyote, They are sure a pretty animal. Be safe out there. Sam & Donna..

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  7. Al, I think your first picture today should become your new header picture! It's fabulous. If you saw our latest blog post, you'll know that, although we have a few Speck-Tators in our park, and some Commen-Tators as well, we have a lot of Co-oper-Tators working very hard!

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  8. GREAT header picture. I was thinking of going home that way, and think you have made it a solid "yes"
    Take care!
    Saw a really scruffy coyote in Yucaipa yesterday, right in the houses!!!

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  9. Great pictures! Will have to add that museum to the list. If we get into that area this year, I am afraid it is going to be in the busy tourist season.

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  10. Al and Kelly, what a wonderful post today. I loved the last rock picture. It looks like a dog spreadeagled on top of another rock and right behind that is an old indian womans face. Lots of other characters in those rocks. Love your photos.
    Happy trails...

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  11. You must be nearly in cowboy heaven. I'm pretty impressed myself,

    My late brother in law was born in Manzanar, and some day I'm going to see it. It must have been awful,

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  12. Beautiful sunrise pictures. Looks like a great spot.

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