Nice Lunch-spot...

Boy, this was a longer downhill climb than I anticipated, and also getting rougher the further down we got, more scrubs and other obstacles that made it hard to decent. But here we are, back at the camp, quite a bit exhausted and ready for another swim. But first I need my cup of coffee and a snack of some sort. How about a Peanut-butter Jelly Sandwich, one of my favorite snack. I haven't seen the rest of our hiking group, by the time we was down at the trail I though that i might be shorter on the trail but they are not back from their adventure yet.

Good to be back at the Campground...

Where coffee gets brewed and some relaxation happens before the next good thing!!!

Off for another dip into the great Lake of Silver...

Before touring the different camps again for snacks and drinks...

In the meantime Stefan Ernie, Susan and Dell with the pack of dogs finally made it back to camp too, they on the other hand had NO fun al all to come down that mountain. Dell convinced them that is is easy to go down the same way we went but that turned out to be NOT the case. First Stefan has vertigo and so it was extremely difficult for him to overcome all these obstacles, like steep, drops to clim down, and just the feeling of going down that steep gulch is not his thing. Then there where the 4 dogs how could not get down some of the drops and so Dell had to carry them down, ohh boy, I'd say Dell is the major Hero in this action and he was really exhausted. I took quite some time until Ernie joined us in with conversation, he was exhausted for the mental stress he had to go through, and all of that because of me telling Dell that this is the way down for me, and he wanted to do the same!!!

Now getting serious with preparing dinner at our camp...

Making nothing less than a "real" Cheese-Fondue!!!

Some others had other dinner plans...

And the final dinner is ready to eat!!! Lets have a seat...

What a feast we're having here, in the middle of the Eldorado Forest!!!

Sunday, July 19th

The basic idea today is to pack-up, clean campsite, go for the last swim and then head out, but all of that certainly not without any breakfast. So lets get started...
This time Stefan and I went swimming at the private beach of the Kit Carson Lodge, the signs all pointed out that it is for registered guests only, but what the hell, nobody was there but a women painting the rail with a fresh green color.

Finally back in the water again, a private beach never the less...

Finding exceptional rare piece of art along the shore, wondering how much it is worth???

Ultimately it was time to say good-bye to the strange collaboration of Swiss and Stefan and I hit the road to return back to civilization, but not without finding another swimming-hole.
We found one, after a few misleading attempts. In Placerville we turned right onto Hwy-49, after that 299 veers off to the right and goes way down into a canyon where the South Fork of the American River flows through. Just after crossing the river we turn left onto a parking-lot and installed ourself for some lunch. Come to find out is that place is called the Chili Bar, and it is a place where rafters put in to flow towards Folsom Lake. And when I study the map closer I remember that I did that about 20 years ago with a bunch of friends. It took us 2 days to get to the lake and we all had a blast, one day I'll find the pictures from these days, it was my very first rafting-trip.

making big splashes with big rocks...

We're not the only ones with that great idea to have a soak here!!!

And then as it happens every day around this time... it's 3 o'clock once more, and it is way past any lunch-time!!!

Having our lunch at the south fork of the American River...