Sierra Nevada, California

Road Trip – Vulcania, Revisits to Emberz BBQ and Shelter Distilling, the MacLeod Lake Trail, Crystal Lake Trail, and Other Stuffs in Mammoth Lakes.

March 11, 2026 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, BBQ, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Italian Restaurants, Road Trip, Sierra Nevada, California, Travel

After spending a few nights in June Lake, we headed back to Mammoth Lakes. Being a bit early for check in, we headed off to the Twin Lakes area and took a nice walk and got some views of the falls.

When it was time for an early dinner, we headed back to the Emberz BBQ trailer.

We had enjoyed both the Heirloom Tomato salad and the Elk Sausage the last time. So we made sure to order those items.

That tomato salad was so refreshing; still a favorite.

Loved the smokey-savory elk sausage as well.

Didn’t care for the bland beans; though the potato salad was better this time around; not overly dressed as before.

While we were eating; the really nice gentleman came out and handed us some cornbread; gratis.

As I mentioned in my previous post…..so far, Emberz has been our favorite food stop in Mammoth Lakes.

Emberz BBQ
120 Commerce Dr.
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546

The next morning we woke and did the fun and easy MacLeod Lake Trail.

We had lunch at Old New York Deli & Bakery which I’ve posted on twice already.

Then the Missus just “needed” to do another hike during the early afternoon, so we did the Crystal Lake Trail.

Which along with the beautiful lakes had some lovely views as well.

Which even JJ appreciated.

When dinner time came along, we headed across the street to the Village. We noticed that there seemed to be an event going on.

Turns out that Mammoth has a yearly Reggae Festival in July and we just happened to be here on this weekend.

Several booths and lots of people enjoying the music!

On our previous trip to Mammoth we had wanted to dine at Vulcania, an Italian style restaurants, but was told that patio dining was not yet available. So, we decided to head on over. This time the patio was set-up and we had a nice table outside here we could enjoy the music.

We ended up getting two apps and one main for dinner,

Seeing Beef Carpaccio ($24) on the menu…well, of course I had to get that, right?

I’d say that this was more of a salad. The vinaigrette was so strong that it overwhelmed the beef. And even more strange was where those french fry looking things at top…they were hash browns! Still, I got my arugula fix, right?

We also got the Mortadella Toast ($23). The bread was nicely toasted, but was just your run of the mill ciabatta…like you’d get at the market.

Standard issue Mortadella, but I liked the Pistachio Mustard, which while nicely pungent, had a nice nutty-savory tone to it and went nicely with the Mortadella and (yet more) Arugula.

For our shared main we went with the Ravioli Bolognese ($30). I was looking forward to seeing how the lamb ragu was going to taste.

This was very over-sauced, so definitely an American style dish, definitely not the “Ragu” like we got in Emilia-Romagna! The ravioli was on the chewy side and the flavor of lamb was quite mild. I know that mint is supposed to go well with lamb, but in this case that was a distraction.

We enjoyed the service and the vibe, but am not sure we’ll return.

Vulcania
6201 Minaret Rd. #240
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546

And of course, we ended the evening right across the way at Shelter Distilling, another place I’ve posted on before.

We enjoy sitting on the back patio area to enjoy an after dinner cocktail. And JJ likes the shade here as well!

Shelter Distilling
100 Canyon Blvd. #217
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546

The next morning we had leftovers for breakfast and then checked out of the Westin. We headed back to the Twin Lakes area and went to take a look at the Tamarack Lodge.

Apparently, the Cabins on the grounds are dog friendly, but not the lodge itself. Still…..

And of course we walked along the lakes again and saw this posted on the bridge.

And JJ even had a morning “dip”!

And then we headed back home.

The Missus (and JJ) can’t wait to return to Mammoth!

Road Trip – Tiger Bar, Pino Pies, the Fern Lake Trail, and More June Lake

February 27, 2026 mmm-yoso Australian/New Zealand Cuisine, BBQ, Road Trip, Sierra Nevada, California, Travel

Less than a month after returning from Mammoth, we were headed back. This time we needed to make a stop at June Lake. Just as the previous year, the Missus’s coworkers were camping out at June Lake and wanted me to cook for them. So now, with JJ in tow I prepped and we packed up everything and heaed on out to June Lake. We again stayed at the June Lake Villager, we like the rooms, which have kitchens and they have dog friendly accommodations.

And upon arriving, we headed straight down the street to Gull Lake.

And of course the Beware of Cats they Will Attack Dogs Sign. Which seemed like a good photo-op for JJ.

And of course………that cat was present!

We got JJ dressed in his life jacket……

You see, we had a plan…..at this time JJ was afraid of water…even little puddles! We needed to cure him of this fear. So, I decided that JJ had to learn how to swim, the way I did “back home”……

And he was a champ! In fact, I have a video somewhere of folks hanging around on the dock…they asked us if this was his first time swimming and we said “affirmative”. Well guess what? They were all cheering him on!

The rest of the day was quite busy with additional prepping, then cooking and such. So, we didn’t do much else until the next morning when the Missus….well, you know….”needed” to go on a hike.

We did the Fern Lake Trail which Alltrails grades as “Hard”.

There was a 1,550 foot elevation gain and was pretty steep; but JJ did well….better than me to be honest.

Here he is telling me to hurry up!

Nice secluded lake at the end.

Where JJ got to show off a bit more…..

Lunch was leftovers and we relaxed. When dinner time arrived, well, it was going to be interesting. You see, other than the local pizza place, there was really nothing open for dinner that was dog friendly. Heck, even June Lake Brewing, which was basically outdoors did not allow pooches. In fact, we’d seen dogs leashed up on poles on South Crawford Ave while their owners were having brews and eating al fresco several yards away. Sorry, that wasn’t for JJ!

So what we ended up doing was that the Missus hung out with JJ who was pretty pooped, while I walked across the street to Tiger Bar and ordered the special of the day Baby Back Rib Plate. We had thought the rib tips were pretty good on a previous visit, so we went with that.

I had a seat at the bar while waiting and had a Pilsner and admired the decor!

When our dinner was ready, I strolled on back to the room and we had the remainder of our leftovers and the baby back ribs.

The portion size was quite generous; though the fries got soggy quickly.

The ribs were decent, not very much smokiness as you can tell by the lack of a smoke ring. The meat was very moist, though I should have asked to have the commercial grade BBQ sauce separate.

Tiger Bar & Cafe
2620 CA-158
June Lake, CA 93529

We love June Lake, but the lack of dog friendly dining kinda dampens things.

The next morning the Missus wanted to do the Gardisky Lake Trail again on the way to Mammoth.

I needed a bit of breakfast, so we walked over to Pino Pies. This used to be the Lift which was our stop for coffee in June Lake, but now the place specializes in Meat Pies….and coffee.

Being one of the few places that opens early in the morning in June Lake, it was fairly bustling. The Missus watched JJ while I went in to order.

And of course I had to try one of their New Zealand Hand Pies.

Even though it might seem odd for breakfast; I decided on the Lamb Pie ($13). The Missus got Her latte and I had an Americano.

The Lamb Pie was pretty good.

The best part was the crust, which was quite fairly flaky and buttery. It had been nicely heated for us. The filling seemed more “beefy” than “sheepy”, but the lamb was very tender and the filling quite rich.

I’m fairly certain we’ll be back….if we can find a pup friendly place for dinner in the area…or perhaps, we’ll just have to pack our own food.

Pino Pies
2587 Hwy 158
June Lake, CA 93529

And the hike to Gardisky Lake was as lovely as before.

Though I still wasn’t “fast enough” for JJ!

And by now; JJ had no fear of “dem big puddles”!

Next stop….lunch in Mammoth!

Road Trip – Smokeyard BBQ and Chop Shop and Emberz BBQ (Mammoth)

February 7, 2026 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, BBQ, Road Trip, Salads, Sierra Nevada, California, Travel

So yes, here we were in Mammoth. The Missus loved the hiking with JJ….on this day we headed back out to the Horseshoe Lake Parking and then took the McLeod Lake Trail. Of course JJ just loved it out here.

And the views were outstanding.

And while the lake was lovely….it was what we saw near where w parked the car at the Horseshoe Lake Parking lot. While the lake views were lovely…..

This section looked totally different.

All those dead trees. We walked over and read the signage.

Apparently, there were a series of small earthquakes under Mammoth Mountain in 1989. This caused the magma to push CO2 up thru the soil, which caused the roots of the trees to die. Testing by the USGS in 1994 confirmed this. Crazy, huh?

We headed back to the Westin to…well….you know what….

After resting up a bit; we headed across the way to the Village. There was a place we were interested in dining at; but because it was still early in the season, the place was not yet opened for outdoor dining.

So, we walked over a bit and found this place.

Which had a large outdoor eating area and also a Happy Hour menu.

We ordered a couple of appetizers and a salad…..

We started with the Tri-tip skewers.

The cubes of tri-tip was really dry and tough. The sauce overly sweet.

We also got the Peri Peri Wings. We were warned by the really nice Server that it was going to be spicy.

Which it wasn’t. The sauce was quite tangy and salty. The chicken had been really overcooked and was tough. It did have some decent smokiness though.

The Missus did enjoy the Wedge Salad, especially the Blue Cheese Dressing which had a nice funky tanginess along with a not overly sweet balsamic glaze.. This is why the Missus had me start making Blue Cheese Dressing from scratch at home.

Lots of crumbled bacon…nice refreshing salad.

Overall; very nice service, but I don’t see us returning here.

Smokeyard BBQ and Chop Shop
1111 Forest Trail Suite 201
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546

We did sleep well. And JJ did fine staying on an upper floor. There’s quite a bit of open space around the hotel and I even saw some wildlife while taking JJ out to potty early…think 5am in the morning!

Up early the next morning, we did the hike from Lake George to Emerald Lake.

Where JJ could show off some of his newly found balancing skills…..

You actually pass five lakes along this hike. This is Lake Barrett.

Even though it was early June, there was still snow on the ground in places.

And of course you know JJ and snow, right?

Making it to Emerald Lake, we headed on back.

We had lunch at Old New York Deli & Bakery and then had a well earned nap. Upon awakening, we decided to take a drive around…we did the Mammoth Scenic Loop…then went to by JJ some toys and snacks at Tailwaggers. By now it was just about 430. The Missus was really not into hitting up the Village again. I had found a BBQ truck/trailer of sorts while doing some research. It was located in a business park, next to Devils Creek Distillery.

We got a combo plate with Ribs and Elk Sausage, plus a tomato salad.

The tomato salad was excellent…using sweet-acidic-tangy tomatoes.

The slightly sweet-acidic balsamic dressing was wonderful.

Our favorite item was the Elk Sausage, very savory, nice and smoky, quite rich. The ribs were nothing special…though decently smoked.

That mashed potato salad had a bit too much mayo in it, though the greens were really refreshing.

The gentleman working was really nice. And he even gave us some moist and tasty cornbread….which was gobbled up so quickly, so no photos.

Anyway, we enjoyed our meal and even returned here the following month! We made sure to schedule that stay with the days the trailer is open – only Thursdays thru Sundays.

Emberz BBQ
120 Commerce Dr.
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546

As we took in the view of the Village from our patio, the Missus had me planning a return trip to Mammoth the following month. She, and JJ had really taken to the place.

Road Trip – Old New York Deli & Bakery (again), The Eatery at Mammoth Brewing Company, and Shelter Distilling again (Mammoth Lakes)

January 31, 2026 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Cocktails, Road Trip, Sandwiches, Sierra Nevada, California, Travel

The Missus was so excited to be in Mammoth…She couldn’t wait to take JJ hiking. And so first thing in the morning we headed out. She had decided on doing the Skelton Lake Loop, which started at the large parking lot at Coldwater Creek Road. This was an interesting hike as there was still snow and ice at some parts of the trail. It was only 3 1/2 miles long, but seemed longer. What we did find out on this trail was that JJ loved snow….

And the views of the different lakes we passed were gorgeous.

Including Skelton Lake which we got to at the end.

We then headed back to the Village. The Missus decided that we should hit up Old New York Deli & Bakery again. She had really taken to those Sweet Potato Fries. This time we went with the Vegetarian Sandwich ($16.99) + Sweet Potato Fries ($1.89).

The sandwich was not nearly as good as what we’d had the day before. Very bland and routine, the red bell pepper hummus was not up to the task of adding flavor.

Still, the Missus loved the sweet potato fries.

From this point on, we’d stick with the club sandwiches all the way.

Old New York Deli & Bakery
6201 Minaret Rd. Suite 105
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546

After a short afternoon “siesta” I headed out to the Earthquake Fault Trail. A place where one could actually see an actual earthquake fissure which was initiated 500-600 years ago!

It’s not really a hiking trail per se, but an amazing thing to see…….

And then we headed back to the Westin to relax before dinner.

For dinner, we decided to walk down basically a block from where we were staying to Mammoth Brewing Company. We weren’t looking for any beer; there’s a restaurant on site called the Eatery.

The Missus went with the Quinoa Falafel Bowl ($18). The looks of the falafel tells it all.

The menu said “crispy falafel”; this was actually overcooked, dry and gritty falafel. That tzatziki tasted a bit odd….then I read that it was coconut tzatziki. The quinoa was fine as the lemon vinaigrette paired well with it.

I saw a Pork Belly Banh Mi ($16) on the menu and I couldn’t help myself.

While there was so much “not right” about this sandwich…starting at the bread which was not a banh mi….so basically this was a banh mi in name only. The cabbage and carrots was basically the shredded stuff you can buy at the market. The pork was hard and dry, though it had a some hints of savory and sweet. At least that egg was decent, crispy edges, slight soft interior.

Totally “con-fusion” cuisine.

The Eatery at Mammoth Brewing Company
18 Lake Mary Rd.
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546

As we crossed back to the Westin thru the Village, we decided to stop at Shelter Distilling. While not being fans of the food there, we had enjoyed their cocktails.

This time; instead of sitting in the front of the restaurant, we took JJ thru to the rear which had four tables with views of the ponds and courtyard.

We had the “Crib” again and also tried out their Old Fashioned. Both of which were really good.

While still on the search for something good to eat for dinner, at least we knew where to get our cocktails….

Shelter Distilling
100 Canyon Blvd. #217
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546

The next morning, the Missus (and JJ) were rarin’ to go. This time I chose the Sherwin Lakes Trail, which was a 8 1/2 out and back.

There was a 800 foot elevation gain, but JJ had no problems with that at all.

Sherwin Lake is quite beautiful…..

I was just glad to be done with it…..because then we could get some lunch….

Road Trip – Tacos Los Hermanos (Lone Pine), Old New York Deli and Bakery, and Shelter Distilling (Mammoth Lakes)

January 22, 2026 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Cocktails, Distilleries, Dog Friendly, Food Trucks, Road Trip, Sandwiches, Sierra Nevada, California, Taco Shops, Travel

Just about a month after we returned from our two week road trip up to Mendicino, we were back on the road again. This time to where the Missus wanted to go, Mammoth Lakes. One great thing I found out was that The Westin Monache Resort, Mammoth Lakes is dog friendly. And it was right across the street from the Village at Mammoth, which had a variety of restaurants. We’d been to the area around Old Mammoth Road before and really hadn’t enjoyed ourselves.

We decided to make an overnight stop in Lone Pine to rest up before heading to Mammoth. So, I got us a night at the Dow Villa Hotel. This was back in June, so it was pretty darn hot already in Lone Pine. We checked in and basically just stayed in air conditioned comfort. When dinner time rolled around we just wanted to eat in the back garden area of the motel. It was too hot for JJ, so I walked the four blocks up to the Tacos Los Hermanos Truck. I was in a rush so I didn’t take photos of the truck which is on the corner of North Main and Willow Streets. I hustled back to the Dow Villa and we had dinner in the shaded public area behind the offices.

I got us four tacos, Adobada, CArne Asada, Buche, and Cachete. The Adobada wasn’t too bad, some good smokiness, sweet tones, and not too tough. The worst was the Carne Asada which was quite tough.

The Buche was pretty chewy, but the Cachete, beef cheek was nice and beefy. The tortillas were no big deal, but the salsas pretty good and spicy.

Not too much variety in Lone Pine, so this was a decent meal.

Tacos Los Hermanos
120 E Willow St.
Lone Pine, CA 93545

This is what Lone Pine looked like when I took JJ out for his 430am potty break…..

In the morning I took JJ for a short walk before things got too hot…..

And then we headed out….stopping in Bishop at Erick Schat’s Bakery which I’ve posted on twice before. The Missus ran in and got us some stuffs and we ate at the park across the street, under the trees. JJ needed the shade!

We then headed up the 395. We knew we were going to be early, so we decided to take a detour to Convict Lake and did the easy loop trail.

JJ got to try out his “boots” which we would later find that he really didn’t need.

He even saw horses for the first time and did well when they passed by!

We then headed up to Mammoth Lakes. We were still too early to check in, so we got our parking pass and headed across the road to the Village.

We walked around Village Plaza and found this sandwich and bakery along the side facing Minaret Road.

And as you might know, I’m a sucker for a club sandwich ($18.99) which seemed kinda pricy, but I added sweet potato fries (+ $1.89) which ended up being a good move.

The Missus enjoyed the sweet potato fries, which while not crisp, was quite creamy with a nice sweet and earthy flavor. The sandwich was pretty massive and this was enough for the both of us for lunch! The sourdough was fine, the turkey thinly sliced and quite moist…….. Good crisp bacon.

This would end up being our “go-to” lunch during our visits to Mammoth Lakes.

Old New York Deli & Bakery
6201 Minaret Rd. Suite 105
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546

Soon enough we got to check in at the Westin. We enjoyed the service there…in fact, one of the Bell men is from San Diego….Bay Park! He was so nice to JJ. To get an idea of how closed we were to the Village; this is the view from our room.

And there was a lot of space for JJ to do “his thing” as well.

When dinner time came along er headed down and across the street. It was interesting to see folks who didn’t want to walk down the steps actually drive their cars around the block! We came across Shelter Distilling, they actually make many of their own spirits, have outdoor dining, and serve food. So, we thought, why not?

Of course we started with some cocktails and man were we hooked!

I think the favorite was the “Crib” which was made with Jalapeno infused Blue Agave.

So good! We actually ordered another one!

We also tried the Beet It, made with Bourbon, honey, lemon, and of course beets! It was a bit sweeter.

We liked the fact that you could actually taste the spirits and it wasn’t overly watered down or overly sweet.

As for the food…well, we weren’t impressed. The Mandarin Orange Salad ingredients were good, but the Ginger-Soy dressing didn’t have enough savory-salty-tangy tones.

Like PF Chang’s lite…..

The Crispy Confit Pork Belly Tacos was fine, but one was served on a pita? The Harissa Shrimp Taco didn’t have much of a kick.

The pork was more chewy than crisp. The pico de gallo was too mild. The Harissa Shrimp was at least served on a tortilla…which fell to pieces quickly. The shrimp was overcooked and rubbery.

On a good note, we’d found a place to have cocktails each night we were here. And I also noticed a back outdoor dining area which we enjoyed the next evening. We’d be looking to dine elsewhere…..

Shelter Distilling
100 Canyon Blvd. #217
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546

And the Missus and JJ both were really enjoying Mammoth….

Road Trip – Tiger Bar & Cafe (June Lake) and it’s back to Erick Schat’s Bakkerÿ (Bishop) and Alabama Hills Cafe & Bakery (Lone Pine)

July 26, 2025 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Bakery, Breakfast/Brunch, Diner, Pubs and Pub Grub, Road Trip, Sandwiches, Sierra Nevada, California, Travel

I thought I'd best finish up this series on our stay in June Lake so here goes…..

After the Missus did Her morning paddleboarding while I got breakfast at Silver Lake Resort Cafe and then hiking the Reversed Peak Loop Trail, we headed back to June Lake to freshen up. We waned to grab a quick lunch and just relax. Right across the street from our accommodations is the Tiger Bar & Cafe, one of the few places opened daily from nine to nine.

The place serves everything from breakfasts, to "Mexican" dishes, to burgers, to salads……you get the picture. We decided to just get a simple sandwich and you know the Missus….She loves Her bacon; so we got a BLT on sourdough, with chips as our side to go and walked on down to Gull Lake, returning to pick up our lunch.

Once we picked up our order; we simply strolled across the street, to our accommodations, and split our sandwich in the comfort of our room.

This was pretty much a by-the-book BLT. The chips were a bit thicker than we prefer.

The bread was a bit under-toasted, but the bacon was nice and crisped, the tomatoes decently ripe.

Would I go out of my way for this sandwich…..well, no. But since it was right across the street…..

On my way out, I noticed the "specials" menu.

I noticed a couple of items that we interesting. Plus, the Missus and I just wanted to relax before leaving the next morning. So, after our afternoon nap, we decided to head on over for an early dinner.

It was 4pm and there were a few customers already in the place….most of them having a "happy hour" it seems.

The Missus had a glass of wine, I had a light and refreshing Mammoth Brewing Pilsner.

And we ordered from the specials grease board menu, all items were priced at $9.95. Our Server was very nice and friendly.

First to arrive were the pork rib tips.

This was actually pretty good. Not a huge fan of the overly sweet, mass-produced BBQ sauce; but the rib tips were fairly tender, with nice cartiledgeous chewiness. A decent amount of smokiness with a mild rub. It was better than we had expected.

Next to arrive were the fried pickles. Man, the portion size was pretty large.

Crisp outside, with a sour-tangy-saltiness, this was a nice version.

The Fried Brussel Sprouts on the other hand was our least favorite.

The batter didn't hold up well and was quite salty. The actual brussel sprouts were mushy and had a weird texture.

Still, two out of three ain't bad. Again, I wouldn't go out of my way for this, but being across the street…..

Tiger Bar & Cafe
2620 CA-158
June Lake, CA 93529

Of course, after all of that fried food, we needed to take a walk and headed back down to Gull Lake to watch the day turn into night.

The next morning we headed out early and made a stop in Bishop at Erick Schat's.

This time we got the Sheepherder Bread and of course more cookies for the Missus.

That bread is great…..this will be a regular stop for us from now on.

Erick Schat's Bakkerÿ
763 N Main St.
Bishop, CA 93514

About an hour south of Bishop is Lone Pine and it seemed like a good idea to make a brunch stop before the five hour plus drive home. We decided on revisiting Alabama Hills Cafe. We stopped an easily found parking and unlike our previous visit, things were rather mellow in the restaurant.

The Missus got the bacon and egg breakfast, which came with a rather dense biscuit, and breakfast potatoes….and of course bacon.

While the potatoes had a generous amount of bell peppers and onions, it was bit on the greasy side. No complaints about the bacon as She also ended up poaching some of mine.

Having thought that the BLT I had for lunch here was decent; I got the Breakfast BLT.

Other than the bread being a bit under toasted….and the interesting portion of grapes….I guess they wanted to make sure I had some fruit with breakfast; I enjoyed this sandwich. Even though the eggs could have been a bit more runny; there were no off flavors, the nice smoky saltiness of the bacon (before the Missus stole it), acidity of the tomato, this was a decent sandwich. I'd have it again.

Typical diner-ish fare; pretty much what we expected.

Alabama Hills Cafe & Bakery
111 West Post St.
Lone Pine, CA 93545

And then we were headed home……intent on getting some Asian food for the Missus!

Thanks for stopping by!

Road Trip – Silver Lake, Silver Lake Resort Cafe, and Hiking the Reversed Peak Loop (June Lake)

July 12, 2025 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Diner, Road Trip, Sierra Nevada, California, Travel

Since I've posted on these places before, I'll just mostly do photos for this one.

After a pretty busy evening, we both slept well. The next morning the Missus was ready to get Her paddleboard out. I had suggested Silver Lake, which always looked quite nice in the morning…plus, well, I knew I could get a decent breakfast nearby while She was out on the lake.

After getting our caffeine fix at The Lift, we headed on out. This time we parked in the Silver Lake parking near the boat ramp and the Missus headed on out. It was as usual during our visits, a lovely day.

Once the Missus was out on the water, I headed across the street to the Silver Lake Resort, which is the oldest "resort" in the Easter Sierra's; formerly known as Carson's Camp it was established in 1916. It's basically a bunch of cabins and RV parking, but it has a shop and most importantly, Silver Lake Resort Cafe, all of which I've posted on before.

Quaint and charming, it's a great place for an old school breakfast.

A bit busy on this morning, I found a spot at the counter. Deciding what to get was easy……

Nice, hearty breakfast…and heck, that slice of watermelon helps suppress the guilt from enjoying that sausage gravy.

Looking at this photo makes me miss Perry's. I guess I need to get back to Rudford's one of the days!

Silver Lake Resort Cafe
6957 Hwy 158
June Lake, CA 93529

After my filling breakfast I sidled back to the boat ramp to see what was up with the Missus. Lot's of folks fishing and pooches splashing!

I could see the Missus make a turn and head back to shore.

While I waited for the Missus a boat was being winched up the ramp. One of the guys was really friendly and he'd done quite well fishing, don't you think?

Once the Missus got to shore, we stowed Her paddleboard and headed back to our room where we freshened up, before heading right back out to our next stop; the Reversed Peak Loop Trail and 4 Lakes Loop.

The beginning was pretty steep with a 600 foot climb, but things flatten out after that.

You do see a couple of lakes/ponds.

Though some had already dried up.

I enjoyed the rock formations and the view of the mountains.

And I learned a new term on this trip. I've been fascinated with the dead trees I've seen on hikes, I found out that they are called "Snags".

The hike was a bit over 3 1/2 miles, with an 800 foot elevation gain. We finished in about 2 hours, not bad. But at this altitude the sun does get to you and there's no shade on the trail.

I'm glad I had my hearty breakfast. And the Missus had gone paddleboarding, plus we'd gone on a hike….and it wasn't even lunch time yet!

Thanks for stopping by!

Road Trip – Alabama Hills Cafe & Bakery (Lone Pine) and Returning to June Lake

July 11, 2025 mmm-yoso Diner, Road Trip, Sandwiches, Sierra Nevada, California, Travel

Just a couple of weeks after returning from June Lake and Tahoma, the Missus had me back on the road again with a return trip to June Lake. This time the Missus wanted me to cook for Her coworkers who regularly camp at June Lake. Yeeesh, talk about having to do a bunch of prep and then organize and pack!

So, off we were again. We decided to make a lunch stop in Lone Pine again, though not at Lone Star Bistro. Instead, I'd read that Alabama Hills Cafe seemed like a good stop, with diner-ish breakfasts and sandwiches. It's located right off the 395 and on this September early afternoon, the weather wasn't scalding hot yet.

So we walked in and looked over the menu…..

Placed our order and took a seat outside. We had a lovely view of Mount Whitney from our table.

And things started with some ice tea for the both of us.

The sandwiches looked huge, so we decided to share a California Club. And yes, that sandwich was quite large.

We subbed onion rings instead of fries which was a $2 upcharge. The onion rings were incinerated which kinda killed the flavor.

I've mentioned my nostalgic love for club sandwiches in various posts over the years. It brings back memories of having lunch with my mom….you know a "clubhouse sandwich". Anyway, this one was pretty good. The sourdough bread was fine and the Missus enjoyed the addition of some creamy avocado.

I know folks that balk at the addition of cheese on a clubhouse, but the provolone added a nice milkiness, and this was overly slathered in mayo. The turkey was standard issue stuff and there wasn't enough smoky-salty bacon for the Missus so She poached all of mine. I think we'll order extra bacon if we get this again.

Anyway, no muss, no fuss…we'd end up back here for breakfast on the way back from June Lake.

Alabama Hills Cafe & Bakery
111 West Post St.
Lone Pine, CA 93545

From here, it was a 2 hour drive to June Lake. And as before we stayed at the June Lake Villager. Our room had a full kitchen which made my prep for dinner easy.

After prepping for the campsite dinner, we took a stroll down to Gull Lake.

On this day the June Lake Jam Fest was going on! Even so, it wasn't overly crowded.

And the attack cats, remember them, where busy patrolling the grounds.

We took a look at relaxing and serene Gull Lake.

Then headed back to the room…packed up and drove to the campsite where I made dinner for everyone; which they enjoyed! Whew….

Road Trip – Erick Schat’s Bakkerÿ (Bishop)

July 6, 2025 mmm-yoso Bakery, Road Trip, Sandwiches, Sierra Nevada, California, Travel

On the way back from Lake Tahoe, I wanted to make a stop at an iconic Bakery in Bishop. I had been reading about Erick Schat's Bakkerÿ for ages. Originally working at the Bishop Bakery established in 1903 by the Schoch family, Jacob "Jack" Schat an immigrant from Utrecht, who's family has a long history in baking came to Bishop in 1950 and found work at the Bishop Bakery, eventually buying the business and naming it after his son. The bakery has become an institution. It is said that it has over 2 million visitors a year! Atlas Obscura mentions that the bakery produces 25,000 loaves of bread a day. Considering that the population of Bishop is around 4,000, that would be 6 loaves per person….that's a lot of carbs!

We headed on thru Bishop and stopped entered the crowded parking lot, and voila! A car was just leaving a space! Must have been fate, right?

We had decided to stop in for an early lunch. The place was bustling, even in the middle of the week! The shop is packed with loaves of bread, cookies, and a sandwich section. The Missus decided to go bread and cookie shopping.

While I decided to get a sandwich for us to share. Calvin had told me his favorite was the turkey on the special bread of the house Basque Sheepherders Bread which has been trademarked since 1938.

I stood in the queue, placed my order, and picked it up when ready. The Missus was still shopping so I found us a table outside.

It was a nice morning, the heat hadn't settled in yet.

As for the sandwich….well, the bread lives up to the hype. The crust had a mild chew to it; the bread was so soft and almost fluffy, with a light yeasty-sweetness.

Loved the sprouts and tomatoes, but that turkey was so try and tasteless……

I'll pass on sandwiches from here in the future.

And the Missus went with a sourdough loaf instead of the Sheepherders bread! Though we'd get that on our next trip thru Bishop.

And the Missus really enjoys the cookies from here.

Just the bread and the cookies makes this a regular stop for us when we're in the area.

Erick Schat's Bakkerÿ
763 N Main St.
Bishop, CA 93514

Road Trip – Hellman-Ehrman Mansion, Sugar Pine Point State Park, and a Return to the Dog & Bear Tavern (Tahoma)

July 5, 2025 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Gastropub, Lake Tahoe, Road Trip, Sierra Nevada, California, Travel

**** Not much food in this one, so perhaps you'd like to return tomorrow!

I had decided to create a category for our Sierra Nevada road trips, when I suddenly realized that I never finished my posts on our stay in Tahoma. So, I decided to do something rather quick. Here goes.

We had strolled down to Sugar Pine Point State Park the previous afternoon and Lake Tahoe looked so beautiful and calm. So this is where the Missus decided to do Her paddleboarding the next morning. We drove over early; the place was so serene; paid our $10 entrance fee and parked in a space that was strategically placed with shore access. While the Missus did Her paddling; I decided to take a stroll around and just enjoy the serene beauty of the park.

Lovely trails/paths and views.

I walked past the pier with a boat house in the distance.

There was a cabin alongside the boathouse. I came to find out that this was the cabin of William "General" Phipps, who was the first non-native settler on the west shore of Lake Tahoe.

Who settled here in 1860. His original cabin burned down, but this one was built in its place.

I walked to the area where General Creek empties into the lake.

And then decided to turn around. On the way back, I ran into this.

An honest to goodness Ice House!

So, this really got my attention. You see, right up from the pier is this mansion.

The is the Pine Lodge, better known as the Hellman – Ehrman Mansion. Designed by Walter Danfroth Bliss, completed in 1903, financed by San Francisco banker Isaias W. Hellman, who made it his summer home. It is said that the area reminded I.W. Hellman of his homeland Bavaria ,so he started buying up property. So, what about the Ehrman part? Well, upon his death in 1920, Hellman's daughter, Florence, who managed the property for her father, inherited it. She was married to Sidney Ehrman and thus added her married name to the estate.

The view from the porch of the property is quite lovely.

And there were quite a few structures on the estate.

At this point I was quite interested in taking the 330 tour of the mansion. So, I decided to head on over to where I would meet the Missus and see if She was interested.

As I waited near the parking lot area, one of those amazing little incidents happened. A woman walked by with a sweet Rottweiler who I just needed to pet. After a short chat, she asked me if I'm from Hawaii!! I guess I still have that accent! Well, wouldn't you know, this woman and her late husband used to own a small cattle ranch in Waimea on the Big Island! Of course we both called it Kamuela! I mentioned that Kamuela is one of my favorite places! I had a blast talking story! I'm not going to mention her name since Tahoma has a population of just over 1,000 and I'd like to respect her privacy! She walks her pooch to the park daily during the warm months. During the winter you'd need skis or snowshoes! She also introduced me to one of the Park Rangers…..she knows them all by name!

I met the Missus and we stowed Her paddleboard. I then mentioned the possibility of doing the 330 tour of the Pine Lodge and She was all for it! So, while the Missus showered and stuff, I walked over to the Nature Center/Gift Shop….which I think used to be a water tower to purchase tickets for the tour. Which were $15 a piece.

There were some signs with interesting tidbits of history along the way.

We met our guide, Lindsay on the porch. The place was quite a "summer home".

Loved the wood siding and the spiral staircase.

Check out the wood paneling in the dining room!

The second floor features 8 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms! I found the circular bedrooms on each side of the lodge to be the most interesting.

Another thing that caught my attention was the elevator. I asked Lindsay about this and she told me it was installed in 1958 as Florence Hellman Ehrman was 76 years old and starting to have a hard time climbing all those stairs.

Of course I was interested in the kitchen. Lindsay told us that until 1945 they still used an "icebox" (aka cold closet) and the stoves were wood burning. A "state of the art" kitchen was installed in 1945.

During the summer season there were 27 staff on hand and 2 full time chefs! The butler and the maids actually have their own cabins on the estate.

We had a fun time on this tour.

Hellman-Ehrman Mansion (Sugar Pine State Park)
Tahoma, CA 96142

When dinner time came along, we decided to just walk on over to The Dog and Bear Tavern again. This time we just sat at the bar and who would we just happen to sit next to? Well, it was the woman we met earlier. She was wonderful; in fact, since she's a regular here, she ordered for us!

Never would have thought of having Hamachi Crudo in Tahoe, but heck she lived on the Big Island for decades so we trusted her. And yes, the two fish dishes were quite good!

I made sure to order her a drink to show our appreciation.

The Dog and Bear
7000 West Lake Blvd.
Tahoma, CA 96142

And as we were leaving she asked us if we'd like to see where she lived! After her husband passed away, after moving a few times, she found Tahoma and bought a condo on the water's edge.

I got to play fetch with her lovely pooch!

We had such a lovely time in beautiful Tahoma!