Back to the Very Beginning

Recently I received some old family slides from my aunt Martha. We haven't yet looked at all of them, but this gem was in one of the carousels we have viewed. We believe this was taken in 1947, the first year the Roby family owned the Lodge. Martha remembers that they took their truck up the old road before it was closed to vehicles. She recalls being amazed at how slowly it crawled up Crankcase Grade in its lowest gear.

That's my grandmother, Kathryn, with her first three kids bundled up in the back of the truck; Kib, Jim, and Martha. Click on the image to see it full size.

Roby Invasion at Rock Creek

We Robys have a reunion with extended family every three years. This year my mom and I were in charge of organizing it, so naturally we chose to hold it in Mammoth Lakes. This was fortuitous for many members of the family who had not been to the Lodge in many years—and for those who had never been there, even though they'd heard stories about it all their lives.

Craig London graciously allowed us to park our caravan at the Lower Corral and I stood on the cabin porch to share a brief outline of the Roby history at Rock Creek.

Photo courtesy of Martha Roby Bader.

We managed to gather almost everyone for a group shot in front of the store.

Note: included in this group are Bob Clark's three kids and one grandson with their spouses, and three of his nieces & nephews with their families—I have noted previously that he built and repaired some of the buildings.

Below are four of the Robys present: Martha, who made an appearance as a little girl in my last post, my cousin David Roby (Jim's son), and of course me and my dad.

We toured the Lodge grounds and shared a few stories before heading up to Rock Creek Lake to spend some time playing in the water.

As you can see, it was one of those perfect July days. It was nice that the canyon welcomed all of us back so generously.

A note from Susie (Lawton) Reynolds

Golly, Rock Creek...Spent the better part of my summers there. (Your Dad [Kib] was 7 and I was 4 the first year - about 1950!!)...Continued to go every summer for the next 40+ years.....Jim [Roby] once tossed me in the water.....They let me "be the first" in the row boat they built: They pushed me off into the pond and the boat sunk! I spent the rest of the summer trying to catch them....Tom [Roby] was sooo cute - a YOUNGER MAN...Martha [Roby] was always so nice....Charlie [McNeil] ran the store and was such a darling - gave me the name of "Hot Lips" and my cousin, MaryAnn (who died in 2004), "Poopsie". Remember the dogs that would scatter the planted fish - Rocky-the-Lab was a wonderful dog - so sweet with the kids who would climb all over him. Your grandparents were always so nice to everyone. The Lake store with the BEST hamburgers and PIE!!! Ice cream bars in the afternoon. My grandparents always camped at the campground...in the same spot for up-teen years! I remember when your parents got married...and when you [Leslie] were just a babe in arms!!

Fishing with my grandfather on the big rock near the store. Driving that last 7 miles in the back of a bouncy station wagon when my grandfather used to stop every few 100 feet to chop a log that was blocking the road...or crossing a stream that obscured the road...or, worse, moving a boulder that had blocked our path...no super-highway then...and he was pretty close to the first one after the snow started to leave. Monopoly games in the lodge when it was too cold, or rainy, to be outside. The smell of the pine trees...and the allergies which followed...and the clearest-best-tasting water EVER!! My grandmother making baked goods over an open camp fire...ah, pioneer stock! Watching my mother cast a line at the lake...so smooooth...and she always caught more fish than anyone.

Kib-the-elder taught me to build a fire...a talent which serves me to this very day. The showers at the lodge...the thinnest towels in the world!!!!! Cabin 8 which was my father's FAVORITE!!!! He loved to fall asleep with the sound of water in the background. I hated the trips to the outhouse in the middle of the night...flashlight in hand. Spreading a blanket on the meadow grass at night and watching the stars. Laughing at your mother [Shirley] trying to figure out how to multiply recipes for 8 or divide recipes for 50.

Susie (Lawton) Reynolds