Friday, June 9th
Got going early (for us) by 8 after the same freezing cold morning. First stop - the store at Wawona for coffee then drove north on Rt. 41 with our destination being Glacier Point.
So let me just say it was an OMG day. Everything is so huge in this park - yesterday the Sequoias, today the hugest granite "mountains" and the deepest green valleys and the highest, most beautiful waterfalls. It just took our breathe away all day.
First major stop we got our first look at what we've heard about - Half Dome, Nevada Falls, Vernal Falls, some other un-named but beautiful falls, the Clark Range of many other magnificent granite mountains. INCREDIBLE!! The Nevada Falls were far away but so much water coming over the top that we could hear the roar from across the valley to the high point we were on.
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| Nevada & Vernal Falls |
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| Half Dome on Left with Nevada & Vernal Falls and the Clark Range |
This Clark Range was named after a Gahen Clark who was the first guardian of Yosemite. He came to the area after he was given a diagnosis of "consumption" (now known to be TB) and given 6 months to live. He lived another 54 years and died at the age of 96. See what all this good, clean, pure air and life-giving pure clear water flowing everywhere can do for you! Reminds me of the cure cottages for TB in Saranac Lake, NY probably about the same time - just breathing in the same fresh Adirondack mountain air.
I'll tell you, you just wanted to stay and build yourself a little log cabin and take it all in.
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Can you find Rhoda peeking through about where I'd build
my cabin overlooking this whole range |
But, we moved on - to the end of the Glacier Point Road. Again, OMG!! right there, in your face, was Half Dome and looking through a "spy glass" you could see several people on top of it who had successfully made the arduous trek to the top - just ask Kathy Sue about that feat. Someone tell me though, where is the other half of the dome - I didn't see it at the bottom of the valley.
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| Half Dome |
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| Nevada & Vernal Falls roaring so loudly |
The whole valley stretched out before us and the water falls were even bigger and better. It was just OMG!!
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| Sue looking so at ease with this gorgeous view behind her |
We had lunch in the gift shop - my first hot dog of the year and it actually tasted good.
Drove out the same way as in except that we had to stop in the middle of the road with several other cars to gawk at a black bear (who was actually brown) just grazing in the meadow below the road.
We then continued north again knowing that with it being the beginning of a weekend, we'd have no chance of getting a campsite so were going out of the park to find something. But wait - there's still more OMG!!! sightings.
We went through a long tunnel and came out to a spot called, of all things, "Tunnel View" but it wasn't a view of the tunnel but an AMAZING view of the valley from a different perspective with again Half Dome and our first view of El Capitan and Bridal Veil Falls. It is said that this is one of the best views "in the world". I don't know, I haven't seen the whole world but let me tell you. . . well, let me show you for yourself:
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| Bridal Veil Falls |
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| Sue sitting in front of Tunnel View |
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| Tunnel View without Sue |
And as if that wasn't enough - just down the road was a pull off to walk to Bridal Veil Falls - only 1000'. We must have sat there on some rocks for close to 1/2 an hour. The falls kept changing as the wind blew the water right, then left, then up, then in your face, then straight down to look like fireworks cascading. JUST BEAUTIFUL!! GORGEOUS, GORGEOUS!!
Bridal Veil Falls
Oh, and on the way out of the falls hike we see a rock climber 1/2 way up a sheer cliff - absolute craziness.
And the day's not over yet even though our hearts, minds, eyes, and bodies want it to be. (And I bet you do too - keep going though - it gets funny).
So, with no campsite, we drive out of the park on Route 140 with OMGs all the way out and we're not even tired of seeing it all. We don't want to go too far because we're going back tomorrow - and maybe forever - and after trying to camp at 2 places - 1 was just for tents and 1 for crooked back-in spaces only and nasty owner, we chose to spend the night in a sand pit where another large camper was already parked. (Most desirable pull-offs had signs posted "No overnight parking". So we were ready for another new experience and another day - day 3 with no elec. and no water and no wi-fi and no cell service.
Oh, but wait - it gets better. Slowly but surely, all evening, cars pull in, guys get out, spread tarps, set up little pup tents, get out lots of gear including huge ropes, clamps, maps, cooking stoves, sleeping bags, etc. And remember, we're in a yukky, rocky, rough, pull-off for probably like snow plows, sand/gravel pit. Well, we have our entertainment for the night. "OMG - here comes another car". We're trying to not be too obvious watching what's going on but it's just amazing, trying to guess why they're doing this. Obviously this is a well-know (except for us who just happened to spot it) place not too far from the park entrance to spend the night for a jump start on the morning. TBC.
DATA:
mileage: 76 coffee: $1.73 lunch: $4.76
concerns: dirty fingernails due to no dish washing & I won't tell you how many days with no shower & no shampooing - maybe I do need to reattach Rhoda's shower
