Look Who We Found

Anyone recognize this gentleman on the left? He worked at the Lodge for two summers, 1973 and '74. We recently heard where he's living these days, so of course the senior Robys showed up on his doorstep unannounced. Fortunately, he has the same fond memories of his time at Rock Creek as the rest of us. So who is he? Tom Walsh! I asked if he'd mind sharing a bit about his life since then...

"I now have young men and women working for me (around the same age as I was at your Lodge) and I think how young I was! As I'm sure is true for most everyone, time has mellowed and changed me to some extent."

"I was working at the Lodge between HS and my first year of college, and then the summer between my 1st and 2nd years at college. I originally attended Humboldt Sate Univ, but knew in my heart that I wanted to be involved with aviation and Aerospace in some fashion. I transferred to San Jose State Univ where I finished a BS in Aeronautical Operations, and went to work for a commercial land developer as his pilot. That was short lived due to mortgage rates going through the roof at that time and wanting to stay somehow connected to aviation, went to work for Lockheed Corp. I worked for Lockheed for 20 years! I was involved with the launching and operation of most of our nation's classified satellites. After leaving Lockheed, I went to work in Silicon Valley for a few start ups and did some consulting for Lawrence Livermore Laboratories."

"Since college I had learned to love coffee and roasting coffee at home has been a hobby for most of those years. I finally left the Hi-Tech industries and opened a Coffee Roastery in Cambria. I have been doing this now for 9 years, and I absolutely love it."

Thanks, Tom, for sharing your story. So fun to reconnect with you!

You Don't See This Every Day

When's the last time you saw someone in a suit at Rock Creek? This is my great-grandfather, Kilburn Roby II, standing next to the meadow (or what used to be a meadow) before you cross the bridge onto the Lodge grounds. Probably 1947 or so.

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.

"Up at Rock Creek" 6x8 oil

From Joe Mancuso's blog...

Available Through Coons Gallery In Bishop California. 300. framed http://coonsgallery.com/Coons_Gallery/Welcome.html

I painted this piece while I was up at Rock Creek a couple of weeks ago. This is the scene right before arriving at Rock Creek Lake. Before arriving, I had already planned on painting from this location so I was already thinking about values, colors and shapes etc. You could say I was already painting it before I arrived. I had thought about the granite on the mountains and the blue sky and how they related to each other. I was also thinking about the apsens and if the greens used would be warm or cool or both? When I first arrived and setup my easel I noticed the shadows across the road and how they would be the first shapes to change, so I quicky made shape and color notes for those as well as the shadows on Mount Abbott. From that point on I roughed in the biggest shapes and then worked more on the details later. When I began painting, the sky was clear and when I finished it looked like it might rain. Experiences like this keep me excited and motivated to paint on location often.

Benton Hot Springs

Here's an interesting bit of history on Benton Hot Springs. Might be a fun side trip next time you're in the area.

Old Benton Hot Springs by Windyscotty

More Photos!

After seeing the photos I've been posting, my cousin Jessica Roby Martinucci (Tom Roby's daughter) was inspired to scan and share some of her own on Facebook.  Since not everyone can see them there, I'm sharing them here too.  I also added them to the Slideshow (see link above)... we're slowly filling in the timeline.

Tom Roby, August 1965

Linda (Mitchell) Roby with Tom Roby and horse's behind at Rock Creek Pack Station, circa 1965 

Brothers Kib and Tom Roby behind the counter in the store, July 1966 

Tom Roby in green jacket, Bud Edmonson in blue, Charlie McNeil in glasses, Kib Roby standing, July 1966. Does anyone recognize the others?

Rear: Eric Boutwell, unknown guest, Kib Roby (standing).  L-R seated: Pamela (Hunsicker) Stadler; Hazelle, Kimberly, and Jack Rosander; Tom & Linda Roby. July 1966

June 1971

Jessica with her mother Linda, and Kib in the background, June 1971

Creek above the Lodge, 1972

Donna & Dean Miller, Leslie holding onto swing, and Jessica showing her love for cousin Kibby! July 1972

Leslie teaching cousin Jessica to fish with Linda Roby watching, July 1975

Kib, Kibby, Jessica, and Pepper, July 1975 

Cousins!  Jessica, Kibby & Leslie, July 1975

Campfire fun! Unknown boy in red, Kibby, Pepper, Leslie, and Torrey, Jessica, & Tom Roby, 1977 

Smores!  Kibby, Torrey, Leslie, and Jessica Roby (and Pepper and Sandy), 1977 

Buried Treasure

As mentioned in my previous post, my parents and I had dinner with the Von Rohr family in Mammoth last week. Ken had said he would try to find some old photos for me to scan and share, and he delivered. Here are the treasures (you can click on them to see them larger). Be sure to check out the short shorts on the boys! We all got a good chuckle about 1980s "fashion."

Leslie & Kibby Roby enjoying a campfire, 1978

I think the dog on the left is probably Duke, Ron Williams' dog. None of us knows the kid on the right, although he looks vaguely familiar. Does anyone recognize him? The funniest thing about this photo for me is what I didn't see until I pulled it up on-screen; our dog Pepper is under Kibby's chair, about to taste whatever was on my plate!

typical crowd hanging out at the store, 1981

Christopher Reavis (seated), Kib Roby, Billy Villarin, Leslie Roby, Kibby Roby, and Shirley Roby.

Eric & Mark Von Rohr and Kibby at an unknown location, 1981

Mark Von Rohr, Kibby, Jeff Williams, Ken (Ollie) Kramer, Eric Von Rohr, 1982

the old gas tank, 1986

Ken, thanks so much for sharing. I promise to get them back into your hands safely!