Bishop, CA Memorial Weekend

What we didn't know when we planned out trip to the quiet town of Bishop was that every Memorial Weekend they celebrate MULE DAYS. There were people and animals and carnivals, and busyness everywhere. We were really surprised until we started seeing the huge banners- AND all the RV's and mules everywhere. It looked a lot like a Fiddler's Convention in Virginia. We avoided all the Mule Celebrators and experienced the rocks. Bishop, home of bouldering, was our playground. We camped at Owen's River Gorge and climbed Sat. and Monday in the Happy Boulders. We walked around the Buttermilks on Sunday, but we were good and didn't do any climbing. Our bodies and especially our hands needed that day of rest to recover from the volcanic rock. We were pretty beat up, and sweaty. Next time we're going when it's not so hot.

Eliza did her best climbing yet. She was such a trooper.
Eliza wearing Stan's climbing shoes- she's ready to get on the rock.
On own back on the last day. Tired but happy.
I avoid highballs as a rule. But this one had 4 stars and I wanted to conquer it. It's tried it Sat. but lost my footing and almost fell at the crux. It scared me so much that I down climbed. I tried it a little bit later but I was still too nervous to complete the climb. I thought about it Sat. night and Sunday. Can I do it? I can do it! What if I fall? . . . First thing Monday we went back to the Heavenly Boulders and I conquered the Heavenly Path. It felt so dang good that even though I was worn out I didn't care how else I climbed, I was happy!
Israel and Julia by one of the many ant houses they built. They even built them a playground- if only the ants had appreciated all that work!

This is one of Stan's last climbs. This is an overhanging one (I couldn't top out)