Yosemite- Like a dangerous Centre Parcs!!!

---

****Sorry for the delay in updating but thank you for all your requests that we pull our finger out and hurry up****


Well what can I say about Yosemite? It is huge and beautiful and restored my faith in California. I think also the fact I am feeling better now has helped, but you can’t help but love this place. Every few hundred yards you can stop and take loads of amazing shots, so a digital camera is a must! Although the park itself is around 36 miles wide it can take hours to drive through because you keep stopping to look at everything. Anyway intro done and you can probably tell I’m in a better mood so I’ll continue.

The drive leaving Flagstaff was a toughie only because it took all the energy we had to get up and out on time. I really couldn’t face another day there; the homely warmth I had enjoyed at first was beginning to make me feel sick. The weather had also turned on us (having not set foot outside for days) it was now in the minus numbers and snow was due to set in. As we waved good bye to the town we had never seen, it started to snow and we could see signs of it on the road sides. We were beginning to think we might not make it to our half way marker of Barstow (cool I was thinking - I love snow). However the flakes didn’t last long and before long we were back in dessert county. Anyway the drive was long and boring and I slept through most of it.

We arrived at our motel in Barstow (good old chain of Motel 6) and it was perfect just what I needed. A double bed, a shower within staggering distance and a TV to sit and chill watching whilst I still felt retched. After a long over due shower, we settle in for the night watched some rubbish TV and later went out to get some Chinese food (the first meal we’d both eaten in days). This did lead to another short rant on my behalf as the one place I’d looked up “Panda express” which we’d eaten at before was actually closed when we got there so I was tired hungry and now moaning about everything in the US being backward. All was better once we’d eaten though and we went straight off to bed after dinner.

Next morning was the LONG 6 hour drive to Yosemite, which luckily with the changing scenery from dust to vineyards was much more pleasurable. However I had suddenly realised, whilst having a discussion about Halloween being tmr, that it wasn’t in fact tomorrow at all it was a couple of days away….suddenly I’d realised in our rush to leave Flagstaff and get half way we had left a day ahead of ourselves!!! So god dam it!! We could have had a day at the canyon even if we did feel rubbish (never mind, “Special” strikes again!). So as we drove I hoped there would be room for an extra night at the Yosemite hostel as we were driving for a along time into the woods to find the place. By the time we were getting close to Yosemite the hills were getting higher and greener with flecks of autumn colours on all the leaves. It was beautiful and looking at the map we weren’t actually in the park at all but on the fringe of it in an area caller the Sierra Forrest. We eventually found the rustic Bug Hostel after an amazing drive through the mountains and were we in for a surprise!! No I know what you’re thinking, there was luckily lots of room, No, and the surprise was that it was wonderful!!! Just like Centre Parcs but less expensive, more wild and with nature that could actually hurt you. It was set away from the winding road that led to the park entrance and was just a number of wooden cabins set up on a hillside. Our dorm of 12 was, on entering, so warm (come the evening we could see why) with a little gas fire thermostat and the beds well wow; they were all memory foam mattresses you could sink into after a long days hike!! The café on site made the most amazing food too (well I thought so). The entire place was based on holistic treatments and organic produce so the food was all home grown etc. It wasn’t the cheapest food but after days of nothing but lumps of bread and crackers we just needed some proper meals and some veg. On site there was also a sauna and hot tub room, and other treatments like massage for a good price. Inside the café was a huge log fire that was burning constantly so we settled in front of that with our cheap Budweiser on tap and then headed off to bed about 10.30pm

Next morning we decided to venture into the park, which wasn’t as close as I thought it was. In the end the drive didn’t seem to take so long for the first few days, I guess coz we were again busy looking around and stopping to take photos but it must have taken over and hour to get there. We drove into the valley and had a look around, had some lunch and hen joined in on one of the ranger tours they do (about geology this one). It was ok, we didn’t walk far it was more of a stroll but it was nice to be spoken to in a group as though we were vaguely intelligent for once. After this tour it was getting on for late afternoon, so we took a walk to the bottom of the Yosemite waterfall. On the way there we passed a group of Mule deer just munching away by the foot path like they hadn’t a care in the world!! When we got to the base of the waterfall, I suggested making it more interesting and climb (like others were doing) all over the waters edge and head towards the actual waterfall itself. This was fun if not little treacherous, (it also highlighted that neither of us were fully recovered from the flu) although my palms were mainly sweating at this father and daughter team ahead of us. The girl was no more than 7 and the dad was clearly making it up as he went along. Without a mother in sight, that I could imagine going nuts at them for climbing this far I imagined that if he wasn’t already separated from his wife he soon would be!! Walking back to the car exhausted I just happened to be looking on ahead down the path and saw, strutting his stuff a few meters away from us, a black bear!! (Black by name not by coloUr) I couldn’t believe it a real bear just walking around like he owned the place (I guess he did really), and on our first day - how lucky was that. Nath managed to walk behind him and get some photos but mostly of his arse as he walked away, but still it was great to see.

After an hours drive back to the lodge it was getting dark so we got into our usual routine of ordering food and then settling in front of the open fire with some beers. I had found a book the previous night that I was really getting into “The cat who went to Paris”. A very funny tale about a guy who gets his first cat and then takes him everywhere with him. Reminded me of Spencer a lot and made me miss my little furry friend but also made me laugh out loud at times, and then force Nath to listen to the paragraph that had just had this effect!! We went to bed really early that night, we were just so knackered, I don’t know if it was the heat of the fire and the beer, the altitude or just that perhaps we weren’t completely over our flu. Next day was pretty much a repeat but this time we drove to Glacier point, an outlook over the whole valley floor, but this in itself took 2 hours to drive too. Was worth it in the end as the views were fabulous, just a shame the serenity was ruined once again by some noisy families (foreigners!) who insist on shouting everything. We were also tormented by a squirrel that was intent on not only trying to take any food we dropped but also help him self to what was in our bag! (Cheeky bugger) I felt really tired and hollow that day and just couldn’t even manage a small amount of walking so we headed back and I fell asleep in the car. I awoke just in time to remind Nath our turning was coming up!! And had yet another night in front of the fire plus beers etc- could get used to this.

Next day we ventured into the valley again and went on a hike to Mirror Lake which was apparently according to the signs in “mountain lion” territory. So with this in the back of my mind all the time I tried to enjoy the walk. Nath didn’t seem to have a worry in the world but then I don’t suppose he stopped to read the warning signs!!! I thought I was being super vigilant until I looked up at one point and cam face to face with another bear…….. No only kidding, but it was a bunch of people on a horse trek - how the hell did I not hear that coming!!! So with my “wilderness expert” skills dashed a little I was now more worried about what may eat us up here. I guess the answer is nothing, if you’re lucky enough to see a bear or mountain lion they are more likely to be running in the opposite direction than attempt to eat you, and in the end we didn’t see anything. Well except a large dog with its owners that suddenly appeared and frightened the both of us briefly!! Talk about do bears shit in the woods; at that point I think we both did!! Mirror lake was a beautiful spot and we did indeed get some great shots that are hard to decipherer if they are upside down or not (you’ll see what I mean). With more energy that night, and Nath not being able to bare the idea of more vegetables we bought microwave food (plus it was a lot cheaper) and cooked in the hostel kitchen. But still we were drawn by the warmth and relaxing atmosphere of the café and went down for yet another couple of beers before bed.

Being as we had arrived a day early and had seen a lot of the park already we decided that the next day would be a leisurely day and just stay on site getting stuff done. So we laid in bed as late as we could (although this was harder than we thought due to the amount of new people arriving and just blatantly talking and moving stuff around whilst we were still in bed - are we the only people travelling that seem to have consideration for other people?). That day we “chilaxed” emailing, blogging etc!! And having lunch, cheese sandwiches and a cup of tea-what bliss. That afternoon we decided to do the “bug loop trail” around the hostel area, figuring from the hand drawn map we had it was only short and probably made for kids - yeah giant kids on steroids - we were knackered after climbing for half an hour!! We then couldn’t figure out where the path went as it seemed to disappear into wilderness, but after coaxing me to believe it was ok, we managed to keep going. I’m sure it was a beautiful walk but all I was concerned with was a) the cobwebs I kept walking into even though I had a “spider stick” and b) the fact that it was now actually getting dark and considering we were struggling to find the path in the day I wasn’t sure we’d have much hope in the dark!!! About two thirds round we stopped at a small water fall and watched a bat fly around the surface catching its dinner, we would have liked to stay longer, not only just to catch our breath a bit more but because it was beautiful. However it was really getting dark now and I wasn’t sure how far we had to go but within 20 mins we were back at camp - exhausted!! So we had to have another beer at the café!!

Since arriving I had been drawn to the idea of the hot tub at the spa on site. So that evening we sat under the stars in our own hot tub (as no none else was around - yippee) and just chilaxed. It was lush and the lady who worked there brought us tea (in a sense - hot fruit water) and turn the bubbles on occasionally. I loved sitting there so much I almost forgot I was hungry!!! Needless to say I didn’t forget and had to get out after a few hours to eat something before I started on my own arm.

And so that was our last night in Yosemite and the bug hostel, which I full recommend anyone visiting Yosemite stays at. I’m now sat in the car on the way to Lake Tahoe praying I’ve read the weather reports wrong and it’s covered in snow - fingers crossed!!!

---

Photos

P1060050
Yosemite in the distance

P1060056
One of the many beautiful spots on the drive in to the park

P1060057
A big rock!!

P1060061
Careful....careful

P1060063
My own private beach - if only it wasn't freezing!!

P1060071
A new desk top maybe??

P1060076
hello shaddow Nath and shaddow Mandy

P1060084
Yosemite falls

P1060086
Half dome

P1060093
Sometimes you've just gotta do star jumps

P1060094
Phew tired now

P1060097
Oh deer!

P1060101
Yosemite falls bit closer