Shaver Lake

This weekend we went to Shaver Lake to spend time with the Kootstras. It was meant to be a great family vacation to relax, and enjoy. The time we spent together in the cabin was awesome. The place was so cozy and comfortable! We played games, watched movies, and Leslie and Bruce cooked a delicious dinner for everyone. The low part of the vacation, for Anthony and I at least, was caused by a massive 50 year storm that began to pass through the Sierras the night before we left. Not wanting to miss out, we packed our little sports car up, chains in tow thinking we would make it there in no time. After all, we are only an hour or so away from China Peak....wrong. We ended up hitting some insta-snow and pulling/sliding over to the side of the road. There Anthony tried to put the chains on the car. Unfortunately our car is so low he couldn't get his hands around the tires so the chains were not an option. From there we tried to turn around to go back down the hill. Unsuccessfully. We peeled out, burned out, and slid all over the road along with several other drivers. Some really nice people tried to help us by pushing our car, and even tying a rope to the front of the car, which snapped. Eventually we got some momentum after the rope snapped and slid down the hill for about a half mile, BACKWARDS. It was awful, Michale was a trooper, he only cried when I did. :) So we eventually turned around and made it to Shaver. There, we went to a gas station (the only one) and asked for permission to park in their lot behind the station, which we got. We even got a nice little note to put in the car! Bruce then picked us up and took us to the cabin. I thought our troubles were over there. But no. This morning the snow continued and we headed back to Shaver to get our car and avoid heavy snowfall, because as we learned the day before, our car is not capable. At all. Period. And when we got there....our car was missing.....better yet, it had been towed. Long story short, they thought our car had been there for four days! What?! Can they read the note? Oh well. We paid the fee and then had them tow us five miles down the hill past the snow line. So the trip was, well exhausting. I did however get some great shots of Michael and the family!