The Journey: Yosemite Fulfilled

We've been back in Olympia just over a week now and I am desperate not to forget the many details of our trip. I can't believe I'm still writing about Yosemite when we later visited so many other places. But this was such an important part of the trip for me that I've not been able to wrap it up and put it away easily. However, it's now the last leg and soon time to go on.

We still had the last bit of the way to get to Glacier Point. I was now happy that Neil had insisted that we take this 'other' road. We were well above the snow line now, there were quite a few tourists, but still pleasant. When we arrived at the end of the road, which was, in fact, a large parking lot, there were several viewpoints -- all magnificent, of course, but still a treck to get to what they called 'Glacier Point'. It meant walking a distance -- which the guidebook said was about a mile, but which fortunately was more like a quarter mile and an easy meander at that on a well trodden trail.

As we approached the path there was the usual board explaining the area and its history. I did a bit of a double take when glancing at the photograph there -- it looked to me like the place where my father had stood and had his picture taken all those years ago! Indeed, I said as much to Neil, who thought the picture must have been taken somewhere else. At anyrate, we clambered along the pathway and finally reached our destination -- an amazing view overlooking the valley and Yosemite Village. I walked over to the right of this panorama and Neil to the left. A moment later he was at my side, saying, "You were right, this is where your father was. Come over here and look."

So miraculously and spiritually directed by my father, we ended up at the very place we most wanted to find, I sure! I owe Neil bigtime, of course. But what a special and memorable and fortunate turnout it was. Access to the rock is now prohibited, but I wouldn't ever venture out there anyway! We lingered for some time, enjoying our success and the 'moment'. Lots of smiles and lots of pictures.

There was one more stop I wished to make and that was to see the glen of Giant Sequoia trees at Mariposa Grove. Wow are they something to see! Unfortunately, we could not stay very long. It was getting late and we had a fair distance to go to get to our destination for the night, Bakersfield.

Now, we didn't see a lot in Bakersfield -- it was dark by the time we arrived. But we did find a great Travelodge Motel, with great rates and a lovely garden with fountain right outside our door. Free hot breakfast, too!

The Journey: Yosemite

And so we turned away from the traffic chaos and headed in a different direction. And all the while the scenery overwhelmed us despite the disappointment of giving up the goal of -- whatever. Perhaps 10 minutes into this new direction we saw ahead a viewpoint with quite a few tourists milling around -- even a bus load or two. We pulled in and there before our eyes was a breathtaking view of El Capitain and also Half Dome and waterfalls all laid out before us.

Many oohs and ahhhs later and we were again on our way. We had been told by the ranger at the park entrance that the road to Glacier Point had been opened the day before for the first time this year. I was still in a funk and wanted to get out of the park, but Neil decided that we should take the road to Glacier Point and so when the turn-off came, we began the long climb. It wasn't long before we reached the snow line and I was glad that my winter jacket was in the back of the car. Eventually, we came to another viewpoint -- again lots of tourists oohing and ahhing. Spectacular view of three waterfalls: Yosemite, Bridal Veil and Vernal.

And so they lived happily ever after!

The Journey: More Yosemite

It seemed unfortunate that our trip to Yosemite should work out to be on a Saturday. A gloriously sunny and pleasantly warm California Spring day, May 3rd. We spent the previous night in Merced, about 80 miles West of the park entrance and so took route 140 to our destination. An interesting drive showing a lot of the diversity of the California countryside.

The closer we got to Yosemite, the more the traffic increased. And the more we encountered either problems with the roads -- a landslide in one place and major work at another. The major works were encountered just where one road merged into another and traffice was held up alternately for 45 minutes in our case. The scenery was breathtaking and were not even at the entrance. But the flow of traffice got slower and slower after we bought our ticket.

The park attendant we bought the ticket from was very friendly and helpful. After Neil told him we were here from the UK he explained that should we be visiting other National Parks we should keep our tickets and if they should add up to $80 the Park Service would upgrade our ticket to an annual ticket that would enable us to visit any park with a car full of people! Great, we thought and carefully put our receipts together (one other from a visit to Mt. Rainier earlier this year). However, how chagrinned we were a few miles down the road when I read in the Yosemite News (or whatever it's called) that there was now a Senior Pass for US citizens 62 or over. This costs $10 (ten dollars) and is for Life!!!! (I also found out later that the pass is also for permanent residents, though the park attendant at Badlands where I finally bought my pass, said she didn't know anything about it even though I later discovered that it is clearly written on the back of the pass!

Back to our progress towards El Capitain, the Yosemite Valley and my father's past. What a glorious day it was. How bloody awful the traffic. And tour bus after tour bus and it was only early May. We'd been told that until the day before only the road to Yosemite Village had been opened. Now the road to Glacier Point was also open. As El Capitain began to come into view our progress got slower and slower and we became more and more disheartened. Neil hated to suggest it and I hated to hear it, but when we came to another road merging into our traffic, he suggested that we should give it up.

I was so disappointed -- I could see El Capitain, I had waited so long and now I'd not get there.

Well to be honest I could understand how my father could have gotten up to the top for his photo -- he was definitely no rock climber. And Neil couldn't understand either. Nevertheless we were sure all questions would be answered if we could just get to the Village. We turned right off the road aiming to leave the Park, though I vowed to return again one day.