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Published: August 9th 2007
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The windy city was more like the rainy city when our train finally chugged into Chicago. the second city of America felt kinda like halfway. our gateway to Cali. In our minds the spotless promise of eternal sunshine was just a train ride away. This was where we would step on to the California zephyr. Probably the best train ride in the states, no, no in the world. The changes in scenery were crazy; from desert to salt plains to mountains to lush greenery. We weren't bored once.
We managed to made some friends: Jake from Thailand, and Leigh Beth and Ryan; a couple of hikers on there way up a mountain in aspen. Their uncle had hired out a 10 million dollar hotel. We dropped as many hints as we could but I guess they didn't get it. They were a great help by telling us to forget going to Granby as we had planned. It was literally a platform, a shed two men and a dog. And there were rumours the dog had been put to rest.
So, our nights rest was instead spent at Glenwood Springs. That was a great choice. The springs
Slide to the falls
At the top of vernel falls there was a natural slide this miniature fall above it had a continuous rainbow. I love the colour of the rock. were 140 degrees and the rocky's were towering above us. The hostel was great too, a proper hippy's paradise, with 5000 records to pick and choose from, all classics. We sat up for ages and felt like proper backpackers, listening to this guy playing the guitar and telling us to check out the secret natural springs; the 160 degrees pool for the "gentlemen of the street". We left that one though. And were back on the train winding through the mountains in no time, edging closer to Cali.
When we finally got to California we were smashed. With our necks all twisted from sleeping on the train for the thousands of miles we had done in the last few days. All we needed was a nice nights sleep. You'd think so wouldn't you.
We arrived into this eerie little town called Merced, smack bang in the infamous central valley of California. After wandering about the station wondering where the one taxi driver of this town had gone. (that isn't exaggerating). At this point we bump into Smith, sat on a bench with a book and a beer. He worked at Yosemite (the national park
fire over half dome
The trees were burnt in a fire in the early ninety's we were on our way to) and said he could get us a lift back into the park. The only thing is we would have to wait in this creepy station until his friends finished work. It was all fine though. We got a bit of a worry when he told us we were sat behind Martin Luther king Boulevard. A man who stood for peace and justice but who's street is known (well according to Chris Rock.) to always have "some violence going down." but apart from the odd drunk stumbling into the station things went fine.
The strangest thing was the clock. It was two in the morning in march 2002 When we got there. And that didn't exactly help how delirious we felt. Still it was way better than paying $200 for a few hours in a hotel. We had to be back at the station at seven anyway and it was late already. Anyway Smiths lack of fear of the bears or the gunshots he could hear from out his window as he slept in his girlfriends apartment in Los Angeles sort of calmed us.
But of course, soon
enough it was after two in the morning and 4:48 in the station, and we were starting to think that his friends didn't exist. His phone rang. Thank god I thought. "But you know were just gonna get some food first"... That was fine though we were famished. His friends all worked at the park and were a great bunch of guys. They were a bit concerned about us at first. When Smith told them that he had picked up two English hitch hikers they had assumed the normal 6'6" football... sorry soccer hooligans that Smith had the reputation for bringing into their lives.
But as soon as we got to Denny's the all night diner things were fine. Smith asked to eat the waitress's apron I said my western Burger tasted like Clint Eastwood, we were all the best of friends from then on. The waitress was fascinated by us, "so...um are you guys like from england or some where...thats amazing... oh my god do you think American's are nice?" There was this horrible silence just after she said that, the whole diner waited for Charlotte's answer. She laughed it off, then gave me one of
bear impersinator
I don't know who this is? anyone? those Father Ted looks.
Yosemite was unreal. We caught our first few hours sleep after watching the sun rise over the Sierra Nevada mountains on the floor of smiths house. (well tent with walls.) It did my back no favours. Especially when somebody pushed me off the camping mat!!! It confused us when Smith disappeared just before bedtime. But then we realized he was sleeping in a little hole in the ceiling above us...as you do.
This was our first time in Boy's town, where the employees live and party. We felt like we were well above all the tourists. We looked down our noses at them for the whole time we were there. It was great. And even though Boys town was buzzing, that night we were snoring by seven. When smithy came to pick us up from our tent I woke up delirious. He was just leaving, obviously given up on any chance of us partying that night,I heard him shout: "You better put your bear stuff in a bear locker or a bear will rip your car door off." I slurred something about tomorrow and the next time we turned
our heads it was morning.
After a great day of cycling, all you can eat and a lively night in boys town we figured we should actually do something outside the Yosemite Valleys. We jumped on the bus up to glacier point. My dad should remember the comedian bus driver who kept us laughing again. We were at the top in no time but after taking a generations worth of photos the time started to tick by. We were pushed for time about halfway up a huge hill.
I was worried it would get dark and we would be left as food for the mountain lions and bears, with the raccoons left to finish us off. Sorry where was I... oh yeah... the sun. It was pounding and I was storming ahead. Charlotte said she was feeling a bit dizzy but I so sympathetically ignored her. Quit your moaning I said. Then I looked back. She stood still for a second then looked around and fainted flat on her face into the ground. I didn't know whether to scream for help, cry, run, or laugh. I chose to run up to help...then
laugh. I tipped half the water over her head and she was laughing about it with me within the minute.
The rest of the walk was amazing, it was great to retrace what me and my dad did years ago. Not so great that this time all I had on my feet was some broken flip flops and all Charlotte had was some trainers that gripped the ground about as steadily as ice. Swimming at the top of waterfalls was something I was so sure would only happen once in a lifetime. What a day.
And that wasn't it, when we finally got back down having only seen a deer and not the illusive bear we had wanted to...sort of, our bus driver pulled over. "I think theres been a bear sighting if you wanna get out." We jumped out with all the other tourists gawping at this bear from the side of the road. i moved in for a photo not seeing that everyone else was getting back on the bus. The bear, sent its cub up a tree and then licked its lips at me. Charlotte was back on the bus and it
Vernel falls
Jack vernel to you started to leave, with just me stood there with this huge bear casually trying to take photos like a right idiot. I forced my way back on without getting that photo and was cursing myself for it.
But all good things must come to an end. That night yet another party in boys town, but it was our last. We wanna thank Smith and Jack John for an amazing time in Yosemite that we will never forget.
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rae
non-member comment
fun fun fun
sounds and looks like ur having a wicked time! love ur photos and paddys essays always make piss myself (but not actually char!!!!!!) looking rather lobster bob! brave shade babe? me n fran saw that fish with the lump on its head in a fish place in france! god it gets around! missss yaaa loads tap bk xxx