Blogs from Mariposa, California, United States, North America

We were up and one the road at 6.30 to head the hour to Yosemite NP. Ryan was quiet happy as the tour guide played a whole Johnny Cash CD which suited the landscape perfectly. Being in the NP was amazing as it is at the bottom of a valley which proved the felling you were almost trapped by the mountains. There were 3 or 4 large waterfalls and we eerie lucky some where still running this time of year. They are normally frozen over but it has been unseasonably warm here this year. Our tour guide informed us you could complete a junior ranger activity and receive a badge, so naturally Ryan had to do the worksheet which Theresa was greatly supportive with. After successfully complete the activity Ryan was awarded with his badge which ... read more

Nothing too much happened today except a bit of driving. While waiting for the Weston Gallery to open in the morning I got a latte and went for a quiet walk on Carmel Beach. It was lovely. The Weston Gallery was everything I expected and I looked with interest at many of Weston's and Adams original prints. The books of their images are good, but there is nothing like looking at the real gelatin-silver prints from their darkrooms. The drive across California to get to Mariposa was hot and uneventful. Tomorrow I get to see Yosemite for the first time.... read more

May 10 & 11 - A fantastic visit to Yosemite NP! The stay in the Mariposa County Fairgrounds was very interesting. We were parked on a significant slope that required about 5" of blocks under the left side to level. When we tried to hookup to leave, the landing jacks had sunk into the grass so much that we could not raise the front of the trailer enough to back under. We had to set the trailer down on the rail of the truck and lower the jacks to gain the necessary inch or so to get hooked. There was a Powwow ongoing at the fairgrounds that weekend and we enjoyed watching the Indians dance after visiting Yosemite.... read more

Rode through Napa Valley - no internet at the motel in Mariposa Blog to follow https://picasaweb.google.com/103671248113620284938/Day22?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCIfl587n9r_15QE&feat=directlink... read more

Geo: 37.485, -119.965After a week in Southern California, it was time to head to the hills and the pines and the rivers again. Spending the day on the zipline course, camping in the mountains, going to sleep bathed in the scent of campfire, the smell of sage and Ponderosa so thick in the air it was almost palatable, was just what I needed.A long, toasty drive up highway 99 eventually led me into the foothills and the small town of Mariposa, which immediately reminded me of Estes Park - the self proclaimed "Gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park", where I lived during the summer of 2006 and helped launch a new hostel. A wonderful couple that I had the pleasure of befriending this past winter were finding their home in Mariposa for a while. A very ... read more