As every tourist to a region experiences, locals will give you advice on where to go. The trick is to distinguish between the info you can trust and the info you can’t. Fortunately our friends know us well enough, and have a good idea of what we would like. Yosemite and Lake Tahoe were the main destinations for our road trip we’d do.
We’d spend 3 nights in Yosemite and then 3 nights at lake Tahoe. I hadn’t realised how big things were, since Yosemite didn’t look that big on the map. But I was wrong :) The only things I knew about Yosemite was the large Redwoods and the world class rock climbing (not that I climb, but I have friends that would kill to have been in my shoes).
So we trundled down the main valley and the thing that took me a while to wrap my head around, was that nothing was trimmed or pruned even though everything looked like an attended garden. Ok, not everything, but lots of it. Suddenly I realised why people call Africa “wild.” Even the plants grow “wilder” than here. It was definitely an education in nature.
The rock formations were equally as impressive. Yes, I was one of those guys who sat at the bottom with binoculars trying to spot climbers on Halfdome :) And No, I didn’t see any :(
At a viewing point, to give you some perspective of Halfdome – Late in the valley – A relationship that has been build over years – My mom going Gansta!
A view of Halfdome from the valley. The grass has not been mowed – Halfdome from Mirror lake – Some random rock piles. People trying their best at natural art.
Our 2nd night. We just slept in the car…in between many RV’s – The poster….and the view (El Capitan on the left, Halfdome way in the back).
Another model of the valley – Halfdome through binoculars (see the dot at the ledge? That’s a person) – Can you guess? – Old school photography
Mariposa grove is a huge collection of Redwoods. I’ve only seen trees this size in photos. One of them is taller than the length of a Boeing 747 and the statue of Liberty! Nature 1 – Humans 0 :)
Get the feel for the size? – Me at the “Grizzly Giant” – A tunnel was cut into this Redwood when cars first made it on the scene. It was some person’s great idea to do this. Idiot. – Many of the trees have fire damage, but this one’s core was burned out. It still lives!
This was the only successful picture of the “Speeding Kills Bears” board. – At the north-eastern exit of Yosemite. As you cross the crest, nature changes immediately.
On our way to Tahoe, we saw a board for the historic town of Bodie. An example of one of those typical towns you would see in the old westerns. At one point it was one of the richest areas, in gold ore. It was, however, very well preserved. The town had died a quick death with people fleeing the crippling economy and literally leaving their breakfast on the table before they left. Detour taken…
Some history on Bodie – The main street.
The “Gas station” – Inside the general dealer
After a walk around, this slogan became very appropriate :)
Shannon, a friend of Jules who I’d met in Pleasanton, was in Tahoe with her family for the weekend. Quite lucky for us as we hadn’t kept tabs on the public holidays and this was smack bang in the middle of a long weekend. Eish. Fortunately Shannon and her family were kind enough to give us a place to stay, and it ended up being a great weekend with some locals :) We even went out with them on their boat for the day, where I showed them how to hang onto a tube. I got flipped over and, I’m not sure how, managed to turn upright again without letting go (must be my super-human strength :) ).
Shannon is an early riser and suggested we see sunrise. I’m not really a morning person, but this place was beautiful so I couldn’t resist. This the the view from a jetty close to their house – You can see that I’m still waking up :)
Lake Tahoe is bordered by two states, California and Nevada. Had to do a quick hop into Nevada…because we can :)
Kids “planking” on the beach - “Fanny bridge” so named because of the trout that you can see in the water below…but you have to bend over the railing to see them :)
