Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks

Yesterday we arrived at Yosemite not knowing exactly what was in store for us. I knew I was going to be doing some amount of hiking, but rock climbing? Not really. 

Driving in to Yosemite

Bridevail Falls

Our first stop in the park was Bridalvail Falls; a waterfall so high that the water at the top forms a mist and eventually makes its way to the bottom. We started up the path toward it but soon after decided it would be more fun to take the less populated “scenic” route. What started off as level rock hopping soon turned into steeper rock climbing. Before long we were way off the beaten path. The payoff, however, was great. After about a half hour we arrived at probably the highest point we could get without equipment. We found a collecting pool that had a number of other human visitors (They had climbed up from where the path ended; we don’t need no stinkin’ path).

After hanging out for a while we headed back down a different, but still precarious path. We then drove toward El Capitan. We did a little bit of walking and got some interesting views of both El Capitan and Half Dome. 

El Capitan and Half Dome

Unfortunately due to our diet of beef jerky and water for lunch, we were pretty beat and decided to head to camp. On the way out we stopped at Sweetwater Steakhouse for a late lunch. Great food. It looked like a lodge from the outside. And the inside. Seriously, there was wood and portraits of bears everywhere. After eating dried beef all day, the fresh stuff was a nice change. With dinner done, it was on to Visalia!

More Yosemite

We arrived at KOA of Visalia (We really should have gotten a KOA card before this trip) and got to work setting up our site and building a fire. Unfortunately, Hephaestus was not with me and I couldn’t get anything larger than embers. Which means we didn’t eat. Oh well, I guess that’s camping. We went to sleep hungry and woke up this morning hungrier. 

After a stop at a gas station for breakfast (both for us and for the car) we shoved off to Sequoia National Park.

Sequoia

It was driving the mountains into the park that we finally delighted in the fact that automatic transmissions have a second gear and an overdrive off feature. The internet is a wonderful thing.  When we got into the park our first stop was Moro Rock. Actually our FIRST stop was a half hour wait in construction traffic as they were only opening the road to traffic on the hour. 

Nevertheless, we made it to the monstrosity that is Moro Rock and headed up the stairs (yes, stairs) that some brave old-timey folks had installed some time ago. The elevation at the top is 6,725 feet. We were quite winded during and after the ascent, but the view was incredible. It was like I was surrounded by a postcard. We snapped a bunch of pictures and headed for the tree tunnel. 

Now this was something I’ve wanted to do ever since I was a child and I can finally say that my car has driven through a tree. 

We then drove to see General Sherman, the largest tree in the world. Not tallest, not widest. Just largest. And boy, is it huge. I won’t bore you with the stats. You can read them here. Alas, we were extremely tired and hungry, so it was time to leave. Before the left the park we stopped at a lodge. In a wonderful stroke of luck the restaurant was serving dinner for another hour and a half. That meant we were having Pepsi for lunch. 

As we headed back to Visalia we looked for places to buy firewood for dinner. We were so hungry, the mere glimpse of a Taco Bell caused Jaimie to run a red light. But I said “No! We must make hotdogs and save money!” A quick stop at the grocery store and it was back to camp.

Having Some Fun

Firebuilding: Round II – The Awakening. This time I was determined to build a camp fire. Our hotdogs depended on it. After some experimentation, I had a roaring upside down fire in no time. Again; the internet is a wonderful thing. We impaled the kosher tubes of beef and feasted upon their blackened corpses like royalty. Sure, they didn’t taste very good. Yes, a Dorito taco would have been amazing at that moment in time. I didn’t care. I was a man and I made fire and then I produced hot meats with it. We definitely leveled up in the RPG that is life today. Look out country. Thank you internet.