Tuolumne Tales

Grab your bear can or camp chair, kick your feet up and chew the fat about anything Sierra Nevada related that doesn't quite fit in any of the other forums. Within reason, (and the HST rules and guidelines) this is also an anything goes forum. Tell stories, discuss wilderness issues, music, or whatever else the High Sierra stirs up in your mind.
User avatar
markskor
Founding Member - RIP
Posts: 2442
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2005 5:41 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Crowley Lake and Tuolumne Meadows

Re: Tuolumne Tales

Post by markskor »

A "typical" Tuolumne Meadows day off -

I don't know exactly what day of the week it really was. Working four 10-hour shifts a week at the TM store, it was my Saturday, (was off the day before) and had another day off afterwards too. The week before Harry, (my POS roommate and a decrepit old fart), had expressed interest in fishing/visiting May Lake...an easy 1 1/4 mile backpack up, intending on spending the night, maybe catch a few Brookies, and seeing some old friends. He grabbed a permit somehow for May Lake - a crowded TH - and told me the night before we were going. Nobody says no to Harry.

One thing you should know about Harry, after a few decades working in Yosemite (many years in cash OPs down in the Valley, and 9 years now at the TM store) he knows everybody. He also is old (70+), smokes like a chimney, drinks incessantly, can swear like a sailor, and is cantankerous. Fortunately, he is also generous, gregarious, affable, and warmly welcomed everywhere in the park.

Early "Saturday" morning, somewhere around the crack of noon, we found a place to park at the May Lake TH... our backpacks slimmed down for a one-night stay only, ready to hike up. A scant 2 hours later (Harry only had to stop/rest every 100 yards...smoke a few cigs...complain a lot...all good) we arrived at the HSC. A tradition exists in Yosemite that to enjoy full employee status while visiting at the HSC, you must come bearing gifts. Harry came equipped with a "handle" (large bottle) of 100 proof Bullet Rye to be given to Brian (head man there)/ shared among the crew. "Dinner at 8:00, right after the guests are done" was Brian's cheerful reply...warm smiles all around...just the response Harry expected.

Tents set up at the backpacker camp close-by, we moved on to more important matters - fishing. Harry stayed ashore while my Klymit LWD enabled me to circle the entire lake from off-shore...a one man raft still works fine! Chucking 3/8 Z-Rays, red, the backside, along a deep hole proved the hot honey-hole...16 Brookies up to 14"...Harry snagged 5 too on the shore North side of the lake. BTW, we kept none as dinner was already to be provided, just fun fishing.

Ambling over to the HSC at 7:50, we joined/met the rest of the employees for dinner - a steak feast, a fresh salad, warm fresh bread, and a rich chocolate something for dessert. Lots of laughs, lots of stories...Yosemite. FYI, the HSCs provides the real paying guests a paper-bag lunch option. One "special touch" they do at May Lake is to personalize each paper lunch sack with hand-drawn art. We all sat around after dinner and drew...witty sayings and bon mots added free. BTW, I contributed my share too - $20 into the tip jar.

The next morning, a mirror lake surface, eggs, pancakes, bacon, potatoes, fresh fruit (typical HSC great breakfast fare) greeted us before our departure. Down again to the car by noon, we headed back to Tuolumne...Harry was a happy camper.

Back at Club Med again, Guillermo (friend/ another TM employee) who, because he was forced by visiting friends to visit Bodie 3 times in a two week period, now goes by the name Bodie G. Bodie G had just returned from visiting Mammoth (an hour away), and had stopped at Vons - bought tri-tips and some expensive, imported red, sweet vermouth for a Manhattan night. Trevor, another Club Med denizen, even though young and had never bar-tended before, was (for some reason only Harry knows?) pressed into barkeep duty for that evening. Harry gave him a 5-minute crash course...Shaker, ice, stemware, 2 parts VO to one part vermouth, bitters, add cherries... but he somehow immediately got reversed in the ratios. "Tastes like candy"...Janine's response on her third cocktail...when it was all over, only the 3/4 empty jar of cherries survived. The vermouth was gone and the VO handle empty.
Time to break out the wine.

Tri-tip, fresh corn, pasta, and watermelon was the dinner's menu - we fed ~12. Elwood, a Blues Brother (Dan Aykroyd's radio show) came on at 9:00...on the Hawk. The Twilight lounge lights go out at 10:00... Work again started the next day.
Mountainman who swims with trout
User avatar
WarrenFork
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 89
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2015 1:55 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: Tuolumne Tales

Post by WarrenFork »

Fifty percent off prepared food is a big upgrade from my working days at the old YP&C Co. Back then an employee privilege card entitled you to 15% off. I still remember my take home pay from my first job at Housekeeping Camp: $42.10 for a 40 hour week. They took out $20.00 for (mandatory) meals in the cafeteria and $5.95 rent for housing in a (shared) tent cabin at Boys Town.

Still felt like living the dream...
User avatar
markskor
Founding Member - RIP
Posts: 2442
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2005 5:41 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Crowley Lake and Tuolumne Meadows

Re: Tuolumne Tales

Post by markskor »

Just got an invitation from Aramark to work again in the TM store 2017.
Doing the happy dance!
Mountainman who swims with trout
User avatar
ERIC
Your Humble Host & Forums Administrator
Your Humble Host & Forums Administrator
Posts: 3254
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2005 9:13 am
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: between the 916 and 661

Re: Tuolumne Tales

Post by ERIC »

Congrats!
New members, please consider giving us an intro!
Follow us on Twitter @HighSierraTopix. Use hashtags #SIERRAPHILE #GotSierra? #GotMountains?
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HighSierraTopix
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 60 guests