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some Yosemite rock
with blue flowers for perspective Wed. 2 June
I will try and keep the blog short, let the pix speak for themselves etc so I can go to sleep and actually get the buffet breakfast tomorrow. This morning I preferred to try and catch up on sleep (blogging all nite again!) and did not get up til 11.15am, showered and went to pay for the room for another night. Although this is almost 40 miles from Yosemite there are reasonably priced places and stuff here to eat etc. Unlike on the way there/back - where gas is $4 a gallon ($3 here) and even a burger costs $10 as I found out coming back tonight around 10pm from my Glacier Point sunset lookout - it took about 2 hours from there to get back here as it is right up at the end of a twisty road and driving on headlights people were not racing down exactly. I settled for some fruit I had bought at the supermarket this morning for snacks etc and I had some choc and chewy bars form yesterday's freeway stop.
Just as well I had a very large pastrami and salad sandwich for $5 at 2.30pm before I set out
from the little Short Stop Sandwich place in a sorta caravan thing near the supermarket - which has a Subway sorta modified sign with "No Way - buy local" outside and a cutesy little garden to sit out and eat. Along with a Sun Tea (just a nice iced tea). So I set out at 3pm in the direction of Yosemite. Stopped a few times in lay byes beside the river swiftly flowing with melt water. Finally got to the entry station and paid the $20 per car - valid for 7 days which is good. I stopped at teh Cascade Falls and the misy there gave me a general idea of what I was in for. But not quite. The rocks did not look that slippery, and I was wearing shoes rather than sandals. But clambering over them to get closer for a better view next minute I slipped and slammed into the face of a big rock left cheek first, with the camera crashing into it as well (destruction-testing of Canon 550D) not to mention my knee. My cheek fortunately did not break and bleed (Warfarin is not nice then) but the abrasions do look like I was
whacked with a plank! Then on to the Bridal Veil Falls. If you did not work out you were going to get wet by the people coming back half saturated you soon did! Water was flowing all over the path as you approached, and then you see the rainbow from the low-flying mist which just blows in all directions with a fine spray. It is a crazy exhilirating few moments as the fine spray goes everywhere, depending on wind direction and you try to get a snap or two without the camera getting completely drenched. No wonder the people coming back from the base of the falls have silly happy smiles on their faces, and you do too as you return to the car and some warm clothes!
From there it was along the valley floor for a view of the imposing face of El Capitan, a massive rock just sitting there. Then back along the valley and alternative (and drier) views and perspectives of the Bridal Veil Falls. Then up the longish drive of some 25 miles up the hill and passing thru the 5000ft mark to arrive near Glacier Point - the road only opens in late
May again after winter and the ice by the road is up to 4 feet thick. Just as well I threw the red San Diego hoodie in the car as i needed it when I got out. The view from Glacier Point over to Half Dome and some sheer 4000ft or so down to the valley floor - might just surpass the previously noted "best view in the world". By then it was 8.30pm and late dusk so it was a headlight twisty drive home. THE END - pix will speak for themselves.
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barbara
non-member comment
please be careful
Nice pics...hope you have medical insurance