Where the hell is Dinkey Creek?

Its been just about a week since the Gnome made its way into the Sierra Mnts about and hour and a half east of Fresno to join the Dinkey Creek Campground team. Little did we know that this momentus move would generate such an attachment to a place.

Dinkey Creek lies about 13miles north of Shaver Lake,  a popular destination for the valley and costal folk to escape to the mountains. Twisty mountainous roads lead to the area that has been historically a popular destination for vactioning and also the lumber industry. The massive pines, some of which stretch hundreds of feet high, have been growing in the forest for almost a century  or more. Nearby is McKinley Grove which is home to 150+ giant sequoias that have surpassed age definitions and are the true giants of the forest. Each day presents a pass by of these wonders as we work the satellite sites in Buck Meadow and Dinkey Fisherman.

For my part, the "challenges" of each day vary including power washing the 30 some odd bathrooms, brushing our the dumpster areas and general clean up/maintenance. Daily tasks also include compliance with campground rules, processing checkin and check outs and helping all the campers to have a wonderful time. Liz's role is namely in the entrance kiosk to help campers get in the grounds and answer any questions they may have. Puppy petting is optional but she gets to meet and greet most campers who come on by. The days are a bit longer than 8 hours but the time flys by fast and the people are extraordinary.

We may not be making millions but we get to live in the natural beauty of the area for free including water and power hookups which is a new feeling for us. So far, we are hooked on the location, grounds and people we work with. The gnome team anticipates working at DCCG for the next few months as the summer season comes to an end. This should give our bank accounts the necessary boost to keep on exploring the states post employment. We also hope our experiences and connections made will provide us with the support to move onto the next thing; what ever that may be.