Day 29: Yosemite - Mariposa Grove and Glacier Point

Yosemite at last!  The highlight of our trip has finally arrived!  We entered Yosemite from the south entrance at Mariposa Grove where we saw the most incredible Giant Sequoia trees.  Sequoias can grow up to 3,000 years.  We took a short hike to see a fallen Giant Sequoia. 

We then drove up to Glacier Point which is at 7,214 feet where you can see forever.  The most spectacular view is that of Half Dome, Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls.  Spring is the best time to visit Yosemite as the waterfalls are at their peak thanks to the melting snow.  The other half of Half Dome was sheared off by glaciers thousands of years ago.

You can also see down into the valley and the winding Merced River, the  historic Ahwahnee Hotel, Curry Village and, off into the distance, Yosemite Falls.

Nevada Falls



Vernal Falls

 

 


Glacier Point - Half Dome

Glacier Point

  

Day 28: Traveling again...

We traveled to Ahwahnee, CA today which is just outside Yosemite NP.  We passed numerous orange groves and grape vineyards while listening to Bob Denver.  Our campground is called Sierra Meadows RV Park and is at the end of a very winding mountain road where I held my breath until we were parked safely at our site.  Thank you, honey, for being such a safe driver - I don't know how you manage to stay so calm on such a scary road!

 

Orange Grove

GrapeVineyard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Par 3

There is a golf course at this park so we went out this afternoon and played a round...first round in 4 weeks for me and 6 weeks for George.  The course was very nice and quite challenging.    We saw more wildlife on the golf course than we've seen this whole trip.  Let's see....we saw deer, rabbits and weird looking squirrels.  After golf, we went back into the town of Oakhurst, had a pizza at Round Table then picked up a few groceries at Von's. 

 

George teeing off...

There is no cable here as we are at 2,425 feet elevation so we watched the DVD we purchased at Carlsbad Caverns...still can't believe how spectacular it was.  Then we watched "Almost Famous".

 

TOTAL MILES TRAVELED:  3,227

 

Road straight down

Sierra Meadows

 

Day 27: Travel Day...

 

Mojave

We drove for 7 1/2 hours today - I say "we" but I mean George.  My job is to wait on George, knit and play with kittens....pretty neat job, huh!  I started knitting a new purse with fall colors of orange, green and gray as we finished listening to "10,000 Islands".  Then George put on his James Taylor CD....perfect for driving through California.

 

We skirted the Mojave so, more brown out our window today.  Also watched a train appear from a tunnel in the mountains.  Made it to Viscilla, CA for an overnight then back on the road to Yosemite tomorrow.

TOTAL MILES TRAVELLED:  3,140

Train in the Mtn

Day 26: A little R and R...

EWE and ME

Despite needing a little R and R, I just had to visit a couple of yarn shops here in the desert plus I decided to knit another little pink purse and ran out of one of the yarns.  OK...call me a yarn junkie...there could be worse things.  First stop was to Ewe and Me.  Such a cute name, I just had to go!  The shop owner dyes her own wools - a really amazing thing and such beautiful yarn.  She really has a lot of talent. 

 

Next stop was Harriet's Yarns...not too exciting so on to The Yarn Company of Palm Desert.  She has a small building just off El Paseo with floor to ceiling shelves packed with yarn.  She didn't  have what I was looking for but I found something else I liked.  She also showed me the latest in needle sets, all cozy, packed in neat little travel bags...something for my wish list.

 

OK....back at the RVin time to fix lunch for my sweetie then off to the pool to relax....AHH.....

When George finished work, we stopped by Trader Joe's for some two (and-a-half) buck Chuck and other special goodies for the road.  Understand we have one in Gainesville now....can't wait to go when we get home.  Leaving in the morning and hope to make it to Bakersfield for an overnight stop then on to Yosemite - WHOO HOO!

Day 25: Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree NP

George's vacation is O-ver so, after he got off work, we visited Joshua Tree NP.  He has been there/camped there, therefore, an excellent tour guide.  We started at the south end of the park (which he had not done) and ended at the north end.  By far, the north end is the most different and spectacular.  We passed through the Ocotillo Patch (not in bloom) and the Cholla Cactus Garden then tons of Joshua trees and rock outcroppings.  The rock outcroppings (actually, more like boulders) ranged from the size of a 2-story building to the size of a skyscraper.

 

 

Rock Outcropping





 

Rock Outcropping

How would you like to camp here:



Or here?

This is the most unusual camping area I've ever seen.  There are about 75 campsites carved around the winding rock outcroppings - all different and unique and most are very private.  You cannot make reservations....it is first-come, first-served.  Most people tent camp but you can get a Class B or C  camper in here but no electric or sewer.  The park has toilet facilities and bottled water can be supplied.  As we drove around it, we saw people sitting outside reading books, having a glass of wine, hiking and rock climbing.  The temperature is around 60 degrees and a little windy up here.......a very peaceful place.  I would love to camp here for a few days.



Coachella Valley

At Keys Peak, you can see for miles across the Coachella Valley.  Not a great picture but the best I could do.  There were storms in the distance....I thought it never rained in Southern CA but, guess what, it rained a little bit today!

As we descended this area there were more and more Joshua Trees and rock outcroppings.  One was called "Skull Rock".

Skull Rock

 

Once back at our campground, it was "dreaded laundry day" time...there were 3 washers and 3 dryers and I had 4 loads - UGH.  Resigned to get it all done, I dedicated the evening to taking a hike to and fro the laundry facilities.  George fixed Jambalya for dinner (YUM - and thank you honey!). 

My heart was very heavy today as my thoughts were with my dearest friend back home in Atlanta...her mom passed on Sunday.  We talked for a bit Sunday night and my heart breaks for her. 

I'm also sad that I can't be there with her/for her as she has always been there for me (at my mom's funeral and many other times in my life). 

Pat, may god bless and keep you and Les and your dad safe and help you through this most difficult time.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you now and always....and I love you dearly!





Day 24: Traveling to Palm Springs, CA

Said our "goodbyes" to the Gilberts this morning (boo hoo) as they pulled out for San Diego to visit their daughter, Cindy, and family and we are headed to Palm Springs.  We had such a good time with them and, of course, those 10 days flew by like crazy.  Tom, I think you look real "Pretty in Pink"!

 

We started listening to a new book-on-tape called "10,000 Islands" by Randy Wayne White.  I also finished a little pink purse that I saw at Kiwi Knitting in Tucson.  Just had to go back there yesterday to get the yarn and pattern.  Lynn, the owner, was serving Chili Brownies that she made - very interesting.....found a recipe online (see PAGES/Recipes).  She was so nice to send one home to George (this is a little "thank you" for waiting in the car for me so long on Tuesday). 

Colorado River

Out our window today...

Day 23: And even MORE Tourist stuff...



OK...last tourist day in Tucson so we visited Old Tucson, an old western town used for movie shoots now privately owned and set up as a tourist attraction.  There were so many movies shot here that there is no way I could begin to mention all of them but let's just say that they go back to the days of James Arness, Amanda Blake, Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster, Audie Murphy and multitudes of others.

There are numerous old buildings set up as a Saloon, General Store, Newspaper Office, Bath House, Hotel, Barber Shop, Dress Shop, etc with a train that circles the property.  You can also catch a ride on a real stagecoach.

 

We saw a "Can-Can" show at the Hotel & Saloon....these

three girls can really sing and dance!  What a surprisingly

good performance.  Later in the afternoon, they sang songs

relative to various old western movies.  Again, hats off to

these young actors!

 

We also saw a "western shoot-out" in the middle of town

performed by three other young male actors. 

 

And, of course, we rode the old railroad train around the

property plus a walk through the old mine.

 

We all had a grand old time at Old Tucson!

 

 

Day 22: More Tourist stuff...

 

 

The first stop of the day was the Pima Air and Space Museum which is the third largest air and space Museum in the world, and the largest non-government funded aviation Museum. There is more than 300 aircraft and spacecraft some of which have great historical significance and are some of the most technically advanced craft ever produced.  We took so many pictures that I have created a "PAGE" dedicated for Aircraft.  We took a Tram ride around the property for an "up close and personal" view of the aircraft, after which you could go back and walk around on your own for pictures. 

 

Next was a bus tour of the "Boneyard" located on the Davis-Monthan AFB across the street.  The Boneyard is essentially a graveyard for aircraft.

Lastly, George, Tom and Pat walked through 2 of the 5 aircraft hangars back at PIMA.  One was the spacecraft hangar and the other contained WWII aircraft.

Kiwi Knitting

A day wouldn't be complete without a visit to a local yarn shop so I chose Kiwi Knitting in downtown Tucson.  A wonderful little shop owned by Lynn Davis who moved here from WI.  The shop is a converted dwelling with a big picture window in the front where ladies gather to knit together.  A very happy place to be.  Lynn printed a pattern for me from Ravelry and helped me choose just the right yarn for my next cowl.  THANKS Lynn....I really enjoyed your special place!

http://www.kiwiknitting.com

Day 21: Just being a Tourist Day

Started out the day with breakfast at THE WAFFLE HOUSE!  None of us have been to a Waffle House in years and saw one down the street when we pulled in yesterday so...why not? 

 

Next stop was the Titan II Missile Museum which was quite educational.  We actually got to go down into the Missile Silo and see a real missile.   Too bad this program never "got off the ground"...well, I didn't mean literally OFF the ground but that tons of (tax) dollars were spent on a program full of disasters.

Missile in Silo

 

On to the Saguaro National Park where the cacti were in bloom.  We drove the 8 mile loop and saguaro cacti were as far as they eye could see.  I love these cacti as they are just soooo different than anything we see on the east coast.  Drought conditions, however, has really affected the plant life.

 

Day 20: Traveling to Tucson

Today we got an early start and traveled 269 miles to Tucson, AZ and arrived mid-afternoon.

Along the way, we passed through the Continental Divide.  The Continental Divide extends from the Bering Strait to the Strait of Magellan, and separates the watersheds that drain into the Pacific Ocean from (1) those river systems that drain into the Atlantic Ocean (including those that drain into the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea), and (2) along the northernmost reaches of the Divide, those river systems that drain into the Arctic Ocean.

Once in Tucson, Pat and I made another Walmart run as I needed two prescriptions filled plus a few groceries.  We also drove around town and discovered where the shopping village was located....just in case! 

 

George and I hosted dinner tonight and I made spaghetti and meatballs with a salad.  The weather was a perfect 70 degrees with a nice breeze so we ate outside and talked until bedtime.

TOTAL MILES DRIVEN:  2,459