Humongous Hot Cakes, Inflatable Kayaks and Another Day on the Road

Our time at Tuttle Creek and the Alabama Hills has run out. The month around this area has just flown... We'll be hitching up in a couple hours and moving on north a bit.

Though we've got to wait till afternoon to leave Lone Pine. I'm waiting on some bolts to complete the saddlebag mount repair on the Raider...

It's still early in the season. Though it's HOT in Arizona, Down in Death Valley, and even over in the Central Valley of California, up in the high country, the grip of winter's still hanging on.

Every spring it seems like the same thing... my itchy nature gets us rolling before the snows off the high slopes. After months of hangin' about in the desert I'm ready for some miles. Aw hell, that's why I fixed the furnace... so we could keep warm in those frigid high lonesome nights! :)

We heard the Whitney Portal Store had finally opened and was advised they provided an awesome breakfast, so we rolled up into the mountains and took our breakfast on their porch at 8300' yesterday morning.

*Mt. Whitney Portal store*

I was being lazy and only carried my android phone to catch a couple of pics of the short trip...

The folks that run the store also have a hostel down in Lone Pine...

Their grandson had been given an inflatable kayak and wanted to try it out on the small mountain lake that sits in front of the store...

The lil' guy got it down to the bank but hesitated. We told him we'd help him shove off if he wanted... but he said his dad and grandpa were comin' to do that chore.

Heidi overheard him whisper to his dad; "How do you steer it?" :) The lil' fella hadn't a clue! All his dad told him was; "You steer with the paddle."

he dove right in and was spinning around the pond in no time. Figured out the Navigation real quick!

*Inflatable Kayak on the lake in front of the Mt. Whitney Portal Store*

The thing was well made. "adventure elements" I think was the name on it if I remember correctly...

But my memory was still trying to overcome the breakfast...

Like I said in other places... there's short stacks...

There's full stacks...

and then...

There's Mt Whitney Portal Store Wiiiiide stacks!

Holy Crow! That thing covered two plates! It must have been 16" across... and an inch and a half thick! :)

Two of those things 'd overload a mules pack... 

Not sure the pic really does it justice... but you can get a lil' perspective from the length of the knife layin' on it!

I was hungry, but 'tween it and the sausage... I could only stuff down 3/4 of the thing. :) ... then walked around the lil' lake and sat in the sun amongst the pines for an hour trying to get where I could stand up straight again. :)

Truth be known? We didn't eat supper last night 'cause I was still full! :)

Well, I better quit stalling and get to loading and hitching if we're gonna get where we're goin...

See Ya Down the Road
Brian