Yellowstone to Yosemite, Day 6

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Photos from this day in Yosemite

As hinted in the beginning of yesterday's blog, there was no way Snafu Airlines would get us to Yosemite on time for photos. Fortunately the rental car guy said he'd wait for us if we were late. We arrived after they were closed and he was still there. He didn't have to be. It was Saturday night. I tipped him enough to let his girlfriend know we were grateful. He knew we'd rather sleep in Yosemite than Fresno.

Making matters worse, a day or two before we left Yellowstone I noticed something brewing in my lower right jaw, and by the time we were at max altitude on our way to Yosemite it was in full-blown abscess. When asked by the attendant if we needed anything from the cart, I mumbled, "A parachute." So I was especially happy the car guy waited. Although, if I would have thought about it, I would have figured there was a better chance of finding a dentist in Fresno than Yosemite, especially on the weekend. I didn't think because I knew if I could only get out there with a camera in my hand, there would be no pain. It's just like playing bass. Either what happens is you leave while a better you who doesn't care about the pain takes over, or there is some "addition" to you that blocks pain receptors or something. Still, if I would have thought about it, the gamble was too great. If there was no dentist in Yosemite, I'd likely have to come back at least as far as Oakhurst, a 45 minute ride each way. Also, what would I do with all the time I wouldn't have a camera in my hand? Maybe I could get a bass.

We arrived at Yosemite Falls Lodge close to midnight, and got a room close to the falls. Last time we were here it was May and we got the room closest to the falls. We heard the falls all night. This year it was September and we'd be lucky to hear the falls if we slept under it. Barb & I had a restless night so I let her sleep when I left for the light and the relief. The morning air was a bit chilly and it didn't hurt my smile any, but every time I got back in the car my tooth screamed and I was it's voice. So, Reader/Viewer, picture this pathetic photog whining like a baby as he drove around the valley in between those shots in the gallery --at least the first two mornings. I tried to act like a big boy when Barb came along. She had enough to worry about with the possibility of our basement back home flooding. Now that I think of it I'm all for eliminating TVs in National Parks. That's how Barb kept up on the WeatherChannel news, as they featured our little town in Pennsylvania. But then that's how she found out about the dentist in Yosemite, too.

Barb learned that Yosemite had it's own dentist within walking distance of our room, but he's only there Monday thru Friday. He's probably in Fresno for the weekend. Knowing I wasn't good with pain killers, Barb went out and stocked up on beer, rum and a local analgesic --you know one of those things in a tube that you rub on your tooth and gum and seconds later wonder why. Thinking of a different meaning of local analgesic, I begged her to call the front desk to find out how long it would take for me to get one of those new medical marijuana cards available in California. She thought I had a better chance asking for a parachute from Snafu Airlines.

Wow, look how far I got with this and still haven't even talked about the photos. What a complainer. Anyway, for this first day you can picture the Screaming Tooth In A Blue Malibu guy up to photo 32. After a few disappointing but pain free exposures along Northside Drive I got in the car and screamed over to the Southside Drive. I got out and headed toward the Merced. The foreground was terribly dark, while across the water the morning sun was making spotlights out of the granite formations. Numbers 12 and 13 were taken on the way back to the car. There were others that I liked but didn't realize until the digital darkroom that there were raindrops on the lens. They were cleaned without recognition when I returned to the car to scream. Photo 22 is a blend using four exposures. I first made an HDR with 3 exposures, but didn't like the foreground bush with the effect so I blended in an earlier take.

After Barb procured some scream eliminators for me (described above), we went out for a quick valley tour --in a rather quiet Malibu. That would be photos 33 thru 48. Photo 49 was taken from our balcony. Below there were several elk getting their antlers caught in leaves while they ate. I tried, but never really got a good shot of them.

In the evening we went to Bridalveil Fall and Tunnel View, then to eat and back to the room to catch up on the flood, drown our pain, and get a good night's sleep. I slept with a camera in hand but it didn't help.

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