No Internet Access

Sorry to those following the blog.

Internet access is very sparce at the National Parks.  Will have to catch up with pictures when I have some good bandwidth.

I have been keeping up on the laptop - but have not been able to post since leaving Las Vegas and did not have time to keep up all days while there.

Finished our mule trip to bottom of Grand Canyon yesterday.  Did a hike on South Rim today and hit the road again.  In Seligman, AZ on Route 66 tonight before getting up at 5AM for our Class 5 - 6 whitewater rafting trip.  Ending the day on Sunday with a helicopter ride out and a walk on the Skywalk over the Grand Canyon.

A BIG thanks to Lori, Fritz, Sandy and Tim back home for cleaning up the water in our basement from the storms last night.  We got record rain last night.  They were able to get all the carpet out before any furniture or woodwork was damaged.   Entire basement carpet was wet with water standing in many places.  I recieved kudos from the neighbors via email for having the best family ever.  I agree!!

They have been there for each storm - tending to no power and watching for water after the rains.  Great summer to be out of Wilmette...

I would say I wish I could return the favor sometime, but would not wish water in a basement on anyone.

Thanks again - LOVE YOU and look forward to seeing you at the beach in a little over a week...

Into Las Vegas – Day 27 – Friday – July 15, 2011

Up early and on the road as there is no reason to sit in a Walmart parking lot and take in the sights.  The early morning drive takes us through the Mojave Desert and many small towns before joining up with I-15.  The kids are still asleep as is Wendy, though she wakes up after a while and moves up to the front couch to take in the scenes on the ride.  The small towns seem to be at each intersection with homes spread out across a wide area.  I use the term homes loosely as many are just old beat up mobile homes or tin shacks with many out buildings.  I can’t imagine what anyone would be doing living in these areas.  There doesn’t seem to be anything for miles between them and no stores (food, pharmacy, etc) would be an hour drive.

Back on the interstate and we now have a short drive to Las Vegas.  We climb up yet another mountain range before an ascent into a valley.  Just as we come over the Nevada line, we pass Primm, NV with its many casinos and amusement rides.  Jackson announces he feels like he has been here before from Fallout – Las Vegas, a video game he has played.  He is amazed that it looks like the game.   I know it from the DARPA Grand Challenge, a contest where university students built self controlled robot vehicles that had to navigate a course across the desert and mountains.  The first year none of the vehicles finished the race.  The teams went back to the drawing board and the following year there were 5 vehicles that finished.  Looking out over the terrain, I can see why they picked this area for the challenge.

Another rise over a range and as we start the descent we can see Las Vegas in the valley.  I start pointing out some of the places on the strip and check the map for a spot to fill the propane tank.  There is a Camping World just a couple miles ahead and I pull in to fill up.  I also pick up some supplies and then pull into a spot off to the side.  We start the process of packing which takes over an hour and then fix some lunch.  We also need a stop for gas and a few items at Walmart, so one more stop before heading to the hotel.

It is now 1:00 and I call the TheHotel once more to confirm logistics of pulling this rig in.  Won’t be using valet to park, but they told me months ago that there is plenty of parking in the back by the convention center.  I pull into the south lot of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center as instructed and look for the tour bus unloading.  After a false turn into the Four Season’s drop off – requiring a back-up across many lanes of traffic, I find the spot for the tour buses and look for someone to help with our bags.  This is at the back of the convention center and a LONG walk to the front desk at TheHotel (which is connected to Mandalay Bay).  I call once more and they tell me they will send a bellman out, but it will be a 15 to 20 minute wait.  That is how long it takes to make the walk.

He arrives and is very pleased to help us.  Wendy and the kids walk with him to the front desk while I pull the RV to the other side of the lot next to 5 other RV’s.   I walk in and stop at security to give them the RV’s info.  They will send someone out to put a parking sticker on the windshield and keep an eye on it for us.  I know this hotel well after spending many weeks here at various conventions.  That was one of the reasons I picked it.  We check in and head to our suite and call down for the bags.  The room is beautiful with plenty of space for our crew and all our gear.

After unpacking and settling in, Wendy and I head down to the Concierge to check on things to do with the kids.  We tell her we are seeing Chris Angel – Believe this evening and she tells us it has mixed reviews.  We heard that from the bellman also.  I’m a little disappointed as the tickets for the show were not cheap.  I wanted to do a magic show and the kids all know him from his shows on TV.  His illusions on TV are incredible, but we hear they don’t play well on the stage.

We get back up to the room and I realize we are now tight on time.  We need to grab dinner and I wanted to eat at the Burger Bar, one of my favorite spots to grab a quick bite.  We all rush to get out the door and arrive at the restaurant with only about 50 minutes to show time.  The girl at the front assures us we can make it out in time.  Everyone finds something they like on the menu; my favorite is a Kobe beef burger with a Chimay to wash it down.  We finish and get the check with 5 minutes to show time.  A rush to the ticket office and another rush to get to our seats.  Walking down we see there are people sitting in our seats, but upon closer inspection they are dressed as clowns.  Turns out they are part of the show and we wait for them to move and take our seats in the 3^rd row.  I bought tickets for all our shows months ago, and there were great seats available.

The show was just as everyone told us, good entertainment, but not what I had hoped for with a Cirque Du Soleil production.  Chris Angel is not the best on stage.  Not as polished as he appears on TV, but I guess they can do a lot with production and editing to pull it off on the small screen.  We do enjoy the show, but I had hoped for more.  You were able to see though some of the effects.  Props placed in the same place for disappearances (must be where the trap door is), wires that are visible, large spaces under steps for the artists to slide down, etc.

We leave the theater and head out to the casino floor at the Luxor.  Wendy and the kids find an Oxygen Bar where they are offering water massages.  They all decide to give it a try and I find a bar to pick up some waters and a beer.  When I come back the girl working the stand is strapping some contraption on Jackson that activates the muscles and creates contractions.  She puts one on me and turns it up.  It feels like you are getting a Charlie-horse in your shoulders.  Not the most pleasant experience, but Jackson says he loves it.  After the massages, she gives us a hard sell on the device.  She will drop the cost from $160 to $80 since we spent $80 on massages.  Jackson still decides that is too much and we head off to walk back to the room.

A couple stops along the way to take in some of the shops between the Luxor and Mandalay Bay.  There is a really neat photo gallery by an artist Peter Lik.  Charlotte, Jackson and I spend some time in here while Wendy and Georgia look at some other shops.  This works are from many of the National Parks we have just visited and we try to figure out exactly where the shots were taken.

Further up we look in on the Minus5 Ice Lounge.  The kids have seen this bar featured on a show.  All the furniture and artwork and even the glasses they serve the drinks in are made of ice.  They feature vodka and you don a fur coat before entering.  We can’t see much inside, but we do see people putting on fur coats to head inside.

Onward back to the room and we retire around 10:30.  I reflect that this is probably the earliest I have ever been to bed in Las Vegas, but it is nice to crawl into a nice bed in an air conditioned room.

Big Trees, change in plans and Deathly Hallows – Day 26 – Thursday – July 14, 2011

I wake up early and pull out the fly fishing gear.  Jackson has been battling a cold (too much time wading in ice cold water a couple days ago?), and opts to sit this one out.  I am worried about the water level, and after seeing the streams in Yosemite, decide not to don my water shoes or waders.  I will just work from the shore and see what I can find.

A nice quiet walk up the road to the trail head.  It is about 7 AM and very quiet in the campground.  I see a bunch of campers standing next to a campsite with cameras and expect to see a bear in the distance.  Instead, it is a doe with her two fawns.  The one fawn is playing around some bushes and mother is prodding her to move on.

I keep trekking toward the bridge that crosses the stream at the trailhead and when there see a great pool.  I am fishing the Marble Fork of the Kaweah River right in the campground.  The water is not running as fast as I expected.  There are plenty of spots that I could have worked my way in, but it is about a half mile back to the campsite, so I stick with my plan to work from the side.  I tie up a fly that looks similar to some of the flies I see around the water and give it a try.  No takes, but I can see some fish in the pool.  I decide to try another, but they very well may be spooked by now.  I then move upstream to see if I can find some fresh water.  At the next spot, I am working through some bushes and after a half dozen casts I snag my fly on an overhanging tree.  I then decide to try one of the flies Jimmy traded me that he said would be a sure shot here in Sequoia.  I also look for a clearer spot and sneak slowly in from below.  I am remembering what he told me, arm firm, cast from the elbow and not the wrist.  Look over my head to make sure I am not extending my cast past one o’clock.  Some short drops into the break in the current and a couple very nice drifts down and bang – I see the fly disappear.  A pull up and a great hit.  I am able to pull him in and land him on a rock for a quick picture.

I move on upstream to a couple new spots.  No takes here.  I keep working the fly, drying it out and finding new spots to test.  I am now about a half mile upstream I hit an area where there is a bunch of tree cover and bushes, but it looks very promising.  I again snag another fly, but I really want to work this area.  I tie on another of Jimmy’s special caddis flies and drop the line in.  On the third or fourth cast I get a take but I am not quick enough to set the hook.  Another couple tries and bang, another rainbow. 

Again, these are not large fish, but according to what I have read and what the people here have said, they are much tougher to hook and land than some of the larger fish you will find in other waters.  I am very happy with my day and decide to hike back to camp.

Once back, Charlotte is up and is asking if there is any way that we can make the premier of the Harry Potter movie.  I have not told Wendy yet, but when I first got up, I mapped out our drive on to Las Vegas.  When I originally mapped out the trip, the next leg took us out the south side of the park and showed a 6 hour drive to Vegas.  I now know that the route is impassible in an RV and we will have to back track to Fresno.  This will add on 3 – 4 hours on the trip, unless we hit traffic or construction like we did on the way in.  In that case it could be 6 – 7 hours more.  I am worried about making it all the way to Vegas in time to check in and make our show on Friday night.

I tell Wendy that I am thinking about leaving the campsite late this afternoon and getting some hours in on our drive.  We decide to do a couple hikes here and then pull out.  I tell Charlotte that depending on how far we make it this evening, I will work on finding a premier that she can see.  While the troops get ready, I pack up to be able to take off right when we get back.

We head over to the Visitor Center to catch a bus to the trails.  There is a very nice general store here with a deli, so we pick up some sandwiches for a picnic lunch.  We plan on doing the Congress Trail and will try to make it to Moro Rock.  We had also hoped to see Crystal Cave, but there is no transportation to the cave and we can’t drive the RV any further south due to length restrictions.  We hop on the bus for the short ride to the General Sherman Parking lot and the Congress Trail.  Famous sequoias along this trail include the House and Senate Groups, and the President, Chief Sequoyah, General Lee and McKinley Trees.  It also passes the General Sherman Tree, the largest sequoia in the world.  A very nice 3 mile easy trail with just a few hundred feet elevation climb.

Many photo ops along the way as we take in the majestic nature of these trees, some with ages estimated between 1800 and 2700 years old.  The General Sherman Tree was measured at 274 feet tall with a 102 foot circumference.  We finish the loop stopping along the way to climb in and around the trees.  Many have a portion lost to fire and have huge openings that allow the kids to climb in and around. Each tree seems more majestic than the last – all so large.  It’s a bit humbling.

Next on to the Giant Forest Museum where we decide to have lunch.  They don’t allow food inside, so we sit outside where it is still very cold.  It is a hazy day, moist and in the low 60’s.  After lunch we are all a little chilly.  We head inside to warm up a little and learn more about these giants.  We then decide to call it a day and skip the next hike so we can get on the road.

On the ride back, we notice a bunch of cars stopped in the road and figure it is a deer, but looking closer we spot a black bear working his way around one of the sequoias.  The bus driver honks to keep the traffic moving and can’t stop but does slow down so that we can get a glimpse.  Charlotte tries to get a shot with the camera, but the bear is not cooperating for the perfect shot.

We get back to the campsite, finish closing up and hit the road around 4:30.  The drive back goes much smoother than the drive in and we are in Fresno a little after 6.  Too early to stop, so I put Georgia on the task of finding a theater that will be playing the Harry Potter movie at midnight that is in good range to knock off some miles on our way to Las Vegas.  She is not even going to the movie, but Wendy, Charlotte and Jackson are in the back watching #6 so they will be fresh for #7.  Georgia is a trooper and keeps knocking off one town and theater at a time; only to find out they are sold out.

She finally finds one in Lancaster, near Edwards Air Force Base and we book 3 tickets.  I will stay back in the RV with Georgia and get some rest.  It is about 35 miles out of the way, but will get us off the interstate and on some back roads.  I always enjoy seeing the scenery along these routes, but with the RV, it is always a balance between finding roads that are easy to travel and that I can make some time on and the ease of traveling the Interstate System.  This detour pays some dividends as I get to see a brilliant full moon rise over the mountain range in the distance while watching an even more brilliant sunset in my rear view mirror.

We pull in around 10 and I head in with Charlotte to pick up the tickets.  Turns out they are starting the seating just as we go in, so I high-tail it back to the RV while Charlotte goes in and grabs some seats.  It will be a long wait for them in the theater.  After they head in, I call the Walmart a block away to find out they don’t allow overnight parking due to city regulations.  The manager says the Black Angus across the street does, but I am not sure.  If it is a city regulation, I don’t feel comfortable.  So I drive over, decide against staying there and then drive back to the theater.  I get back online and find a Walmart in Palmdale where we can stay.  I shut down the lights and try to get some rest, but the parking lot is very loud with people coming and going.  Then I get a knock on the door.  It is the theater security letting me know they don’t allow overnight parking.  I inform him that I have kids inside and we will be pulling out as soon as the movie is over at 3:30AM.  When the movie is done, I climb back in the driver’s seat and head to the Walmart.  Turns out the address was not correct in my app, so it takes another lookup and another 5 minute drive.  I finally pull in around 4:10 and climb in bed for some much needed shut eye.

Jackson with an MP5 at The Gun Store in Vegas

Sent from my iPhone

Georgia’s Excellent Birthday – Day 25 – Wednesday – July 13, 2011

This is the fifth or sixth day without internet access.  So it has been very difficult to keep up with the posting to the blog.  Today we are leaving Yosemite and heading to Sequoia National Park. 

No alarms and I don’t even wake up until 7 o’clock.  Cold outside and in the RV, but not as cold as the yurts the past couple nights.  I wake up long before everyone else, as usual.  I decide to catch up on my blog and pack up outside so we are ready to go.  At 8:30 I wake up Wendy and let her know that she wanted to have the car returned by 9.  I figure we have a couple hours for her to get ready, so we are already behind schedule, but no worries.  We have no set agenda today.  We are doing a 5 hour drive to Sequoia with a stop to drop off the rental car, dump and refill and get the oil changed in the RV. 

I stop over to check with the campground host to see where the closest RV dump site is.  She tells me that it is in Oakhurst, but if we want to save $10 we can drive out to the lake and there is a free one there.  A 10 mile drive and we burn about 50 cents a mile when we drive, so I opt for the one in town.  I talk to her a while about RV’ing and discuss some good hikes for the kids in Sequoia.  I also get to meet the Dept of Natural Resources ranger who is pulling though to do another restock of the trout in the stream.  He is dumping 200 pounds of trout.  Fishing will be good tomorrow. 

When I get back to the RV, they still have an hour or so to get ready, so I relax a while outside.  We finally take off around 10:30 and head into town.  While Wendy makes a stop at the grocery store to pick up brownie mix for Georgia’s birthday brownie and drop off the rental car, I head to Sierra RV Park to do the dump and fill.  When I get there, the gentleman behind the counter notices my license plate and ask if I am from Illinois.  I reply yes, and he asks if I have ever heard of Wilmette.  Turns out he grew up in Wilmette in the 40’s and early 50’s, but left right after graduating from New Trier.  He takes my money and then walks with me over to the fill site and we talk about New Trier and Wilmette.  He grew up on Birchwood, joined up with the military and has never been back since.

Once I finish here, I head over to meet Wendy who has just dropped off the car.  I pull in to pick her up and check the internet for a place to get the oil changed.   I call a couple, but can’t get an answer.  We decide to pull out and while doing a turnaround I notice a bunch of RV’s in my rear view mirror with the hoods up.  It is a Quick Lube, so I pull out, turn into the first lot and go and Around Me to find the number.  Turns out they do repairs and maintenance on RV’s and can get me in.  It will take anywhere from an hour to three, but they will do their best to get it done quickly.  I pull in, pay and pull up to the bay.  The guy doing the change tells us we can stay in and leave the generator on, but only if he can join the kids watching the Harry Potter movie.  He does quick work at getting us in and out and 35 minutes later we are pulling out.  I hand him a couple strawberry-lemonade smoothie coupons from McD’s that I had in my wallet and thank him for pushing us though.

We stop before pulling out to check on some things to do in Vegas, fix lunch then get on the road by 2.  The drive into Fresno is fast, and I enjoy looking at the fruit trees and vineyards as we head east.  An hour later and we are starting to climb back into the mountains.  The roads are starting to wind again and the going is much slower.  At 4, we hit the ranger station for Kings Canyon National Park.  This is a longer route, but the only route that we can make in any RV over 22 feet.  We continue to wind up the roads and eventually are at 7,000 feet.  When we look over the horizon, it looks like there is a storm rolling in.  Turns out they are doing a prescribed burn and the entire valley is filled with smoke. 

We talk to the rangers at a pullout and learn about why they are doing the burn, and how they control it.  As we wind back down the road into the valley, the smoke detector starts going off.  This is going to be very annoying.  I pull over and pull the battery, but find out it is hard wired so continues to go off from time to time. 

I swing into a store to pick up a new fishing license and then back to the curves and switchbacks.  Wendy tells me that all of them are not feeling well from the constant acceleration and slowing and all the turns.  We still have an hour or more and it looks like we won’t get in until after 6.  Then we hit some construction.  Some traffic lights that control the one way traffic, so 10 to 15 minute waits.  I finally see a sign that our Lodgepole Campground is a mile away, so I know the end is near.  We pull in, check in at the ranger station and get directions to our campsite.  He tells me that the fishing has not been good due to the high water. 

I back into our spot, do a little unpacking and walk back to the information booth.  

The ranger there tells me that there are some fish being caught close to camp, but the water is running fast so be careful.  It is very manageable, but avoid the fast current around the rocks.  He also tells me they are hitting on mosquitoes and cadis, so I should have some flies that work in my tackle.

I head over to the store and pick up some beer, a Hair of the Bear Ale from Mammoth Brewery, the same brewery that made the IPA I was drinking at Yosemite.  Back to camp and the kids have a great fire going.  Wendy is working on dinner and once again fighting the clock for generator time.  She is not excited that we have to do the same route out and will be repeating many of the switch backs.  She is still not sure this was the best pick, for today, but I don’t know how else we could have routed this out and still made time for the beach in North Carolina. 

I set up the grill for some burgers and we prep for Georgia’s 12^th birthday.  She has not had much of a day, travelling all day – though we did fill up the RV with balloons and streamers when she woke up.

We sit out by the fire, and then come in for dinner.  Gifts back out fireside and then inside for a brownie cake with candles. 

She is getting tired and heads to bed while Wendy, Charlotte and Jackson watch the end of the Harry Potter movie they started earlier.  I catch up on my blog and then time for bed.  I want to head out early in the morning for some fly fishing and then some great hikes.

Photos and Rainbows – Day 24 – Tuesday – July 12, 2011

I wake up early and do some reading in bed before I have to get Charlotte up for an Ansel Adams photo walk we are signed up for.  It is COLD as it got down to 49 degrees and the canvas walls don’t give you any protection from the cold.  The wool blankets keep us warm, but that doesn’t help when you have to climb out of bed.

Just before 7 I head over to the lounge where they have internet access.  It was down all day yesterday, and I have to do some research to find a spot in Fresno to get an oil change for the RV.  Someone tells me that it is supposed to be up at 7, so I head back to the yurt to grab my laptop.  It comes up at 7:15 and I look to find a couple spots that might work out.  I also spend some time on the phone with Wendy’s sister Sandy who has been my tech support back in Wilmette.  We lost power there due to a very big storm and it was out for 12 hours.  My email servers went down, and although some of the system came back up, I need a couple of the servers rebooted.  She powers up the ones that did not boot and I am back up and running.

Having such great help and support back home has made this trip doable.  Our neighbors email us at each storm to give us updates, and knowing that Lori and Sandy are there to keep things watered and an eye on the house has given me a lot of peace of mind.

By the time I finish these tasks, it is time to wake up Charlotte for the walk.  She pops right out of bed and we drive over to Yosemite Village to find the group we are joining.  I struggle once again trying to find the village.  We pull into a couple roads that seem to be the right way, but each leads to the wrong place.  I finally spot a sign for the Village, but it is a service only road.  We find a parking spot across the street and I look for someone to give us directions.  It is now 10 minutes until the walk, and someone points out a map next to the restrooms and bus stop at the parking lot we have pulled into.  The map shows the entire Village.  Turns out that there is no parking at the Village.  You have to park in this lot and make the 10 minute walk.  We take off at a brisk pace and get to the Village with just a couple minutes to spare. 

Wendy told me when she signed us up for this walk that we were to meet at the Ansel Adams Gallery.  We find the Gallery, but no one is there.  It doesn’t open until 9; there are a couple people inside, but no one waiting outside.  I head over to the Visitor Center, but it too opens at 9.  Back to the Wilderness Center where there are 20 to 30 people waiting for back country permits, but the line is too long.  I walk back over to the Gallery and spot another person walking up who asks if this is where we are to meet.  Finally some more people start to show, and at 8:33, the guide comes out from inside.  We wait a few more minutes and the rest of the group shows up and we head out on the walk. 

Our guide (Mike) informs us that he will take us to some of the spots that Ansel Adams shot some of his pictures here at Yosemite.  We will discuss lighting, contrast, composure, exposure and even some techniques that he used when developing his prints that can be used in Photoshop today.  We will also learn some of the history about his career.

Our first stop is next to a very large oak tree with a view of Half Dome in the background.  He opens up a large book of Ansel Adam’s shots, and we begin to discuss how he framed this shot.  He talks about the challenges of shooting some of these shots today (there were no RV’s driving through the park at the time this shot was taken – in fact the roads were not even there).  He discusses the rule of thirds for photography that is so well known, and then shows us 3 or 4 of Ansel’s pictures that completely break the rule.  We talk about back lighting, front lighting and using the ground and object to give you the proper perspective of depth of field.

We then move on to a spot in a meadow where we have some views of Yosemite Falls and some of the other formations in the Valley.  He talks more about lighting and shows us pictures taken at all different times of day so that we can see the effect that lighting has on these shots.  We learn more about framing your subjects and some more history.  We then move on to a spot in the pines where he discusses vertical and horizontal lines and how these lines can be used to draw the viewers eye to the highlights in the photo.  Charlotte tells me that although much of this is repeat from her class she took at school, it is really neat to hear it while seeing Ansel’s shots and seeing the magnificent views that made them up.  Many of the photos that the guide is showing us are from other National Parks, but show how getting to the right place at the right time of day and time of year with just the right weather conditions can make for a perfect shot.  He then talks about how there are a couple details in each of Ansel’s shots that he was not at all happy with.  A fisherman on a dock.  A fallen log that you can see once he points it out.  Still not the perfect shot, but you admire the thought and setup that went into each of these photos.  You have to remember that he had a box camera that was huge and not zoom lenses.  He had to move forward or back to the perfect spot to get the shot.  Sometimes that meant hiking for days or weeks with his mule.  Most of these shots were taken for the Park Service to be used in brochures to help sell the National Park System.  Before WW2, not many people were visiting the parks, and the Government thought they needed to be advertised in to explain to the people how beautiful everything is.

Our last stop is on Sentinel Bridge (one of the favorite spots to shoot Half Dome at sunset).  This is a beautiful granite stone bridge and the guide asks if anyone knows where the rocks that make up this bridge came from.  Someone jokingly says Vermont, and the guide replies “Not too far off”.  The stones actually came from Georgia, as they are not able to use any of the rock in the park as it is all protected as part of the National Park system.  They closest match to the rock in Yosemite is from Georgia, so they haul in rocks for construction so that it will match the rock in the park.

He then talks to us about how although this view of Half Dome is a favorite of photographers; we need to also think outside the box.  One of the photographers who has worked in the park for the past 20 years and has made a very nice living selling his shots of the park has NEVER photographed Half Dome or Yosemite Falls.  All his work has been done on other shots of rock formations, nature and landscapes.  He also discusses some much better places to shoot and alternate views of things that although not as iconic as some of Yosemite’s treasures, and create images that are just as powerful.

Back lighting



Low depth of field

Color Contrast

Vertical Lines

Yosemite Falls - Upper and Lower

We all thank him for the information and head back to the village.  Charlotte and I get a bit turned around and end up missing the trail back, but we are only a little ways off course and finally make it back to the Gallery.  We look at some of Ansel’s original pictures on the walls and then head back to the car.

Once back, Wendy has everyone packed up and we are ready to check out.  It is 11 and check out is at 11, so Charlotte and I quickly head over to the showers for a last shower.  The RV is out of water, so it may be a day or so before we get another chance.  The showers are being cleaned, so we have to wait a bit, but one in enjoy the nice hot shower.  I shave for the first time in over a week.  It feels good to be cleaned up.

We then grab some lunch and then hop the bus to Happy Isles, the trial head for the John Muir and Mist Trail.  This is the same trail head that we used for our mule rides the other day, but this time we will be walking the trail.  All the kids want to do the full hike up to Nevada Falls, a two thousand foot gain in elevation with a 6.4 mile hike.  Wendy and I tell them that the shorter route up to the top of Vernal falls (half way) would be a better start and we can all see how we feel at that point.  I try to set my GPS so we can track our route along the way, but it is having problems getting a fix.  I finally turn it off.  We don’t need it to follow the trail, but it is fun keeping track of our pace and climb.  There are a LOT of people out on this trail and the going is slow due to people stopping in front of us.  We take in the sights of the water crashing over the boulders along the way. 

Double Rainbow

Again, the water is much higher than when we were here 18 years ago.  Some slow ascents, then we make a turn over a bridge and the climb really begins.  A couple more turns, and we have a wonderful view of Vernal Falls.  And we also find out that they don’t call this the Mist Trail for nothing.  Everyone has warned us that we will get wet, but this is incredible.  The water us thundering down and the spray is swirling in the air.  We did the Lady of the Mist boat trip at Niagara Falls years ago, but that was nothing compared to this.  It is like a downpour, but mist instead of rain and it is swirling in all directions.  We take a few quick pictures off and on, but keep the camera in the backpack as much as possible.  It gets soaked each time we pull it out.  We are all soaked to the bone by the time we are halfway up the climb.  Very steep steps and we stop every 50 to 100 feet to catch our breath.  We spot many double rainbows and keep climbing to the top. 

Vernal Falls

Soaked

Once near the top, there is a long trail that has been carved into the side of the mountain.  A railing along the side keeps hikers from falling over the edge and the path is just wide enough for a couple people to pass (if they slide by sideways).  Finally at the top, and there is a large granite landing.  Many people are laid out here, soaking up the sun and drying out.  We take off the backpacks; I pull the camera out of the bag and use a towel we have to dry it off.  I lay my shirt out to dry and we head over to the railing to get a much closer view of the falls from the top.  We are just a few feet from the drop and you can see that they have moved the railings back about 10 to 15 feet due to the high water.

We sit and rest for a bit, talk to a leader of a group of kids from California who is taking a bunch of special needs kids to various wilderness locations and then discuss what we want to do next.  The kids are still up for the trek up to Nevada falls, but Wendy and I aren’t sure we are up for the climb.  I show the kids on the map where we are and tell them that this is the ¼ point for making it UP to Half Dome.  In hindsight, with some more prep and training, the kids probably could handle that hike, but they have not been faring well on some of the other hikes we have been doing.  I’m hoping that this one is turning them around.  They all are very excited about what we have seen and talk about doing longer hikes on our next stops.

View from the top of Vernal Falls

We decide to just head back down the Mist Trail again.  Our alternatives were to go the rest of the way up to the top of Nevada Falls, or just go a little further and catch the John Muir Trail back down.  We did that trail on the mules, and the kids would rather get wet again.  I convince them to hike a little further up this trail so that we can catch a glimpse of Nevada Falls.  We make it past Emerald Pools where people typically can take a dip to cool off, but there are many signs warning people to stay out.  The water in the pools is swirling and there are large logs swirling around with it.  We walk a little farther up and there is a long flat area of granite with water rushing over it. 

We soaked our feet in these pools on our last hike up Half Dome - raging water now

We start to walk up the side, and then notice some people sun bathing.  One of the girls has decided to work on her tan where the sun normally doesn’t shine, and Jackson, Charlotte and I decide not to walk right past.  Wendy is not so modest and says she is not going to let that stop her, so grabs the camera and Georgia and plods right past.  As we look from the woods, Georgia is doing handstands for a photo op right next to the group.  They don’t seem to be bothered, and looking back at it, we probably should have all just walked by. 

The kids all tell us they had great views of Nevada Falls on our mule ride, and if we can’t climb to the top they would like to just hike back down.  We head back down the trail and into the mist one more time.  We stop a few times to again take in the views and we don’t get quite as wet this time as we are moving much faster down the steps. 

As we get about a third of the way down, I am reminded (by my knees and feet) how tough it is going downhill.  Although you are not climbing, your legs don’t have the same strength as the climb up, and we all need to be a little careful not to slip on the wet rocks.  A little further down, Georgia decides to show me that it is easier to just walk backwards and starts to walk and skip down backwards.  Jackson is now climbing every rock he can find to show us he is still full of energy. 

Once at the bottom, we hop the shuttle back to Curry Village.  Wendy grabs my phone to do a little research on things for the kids to do in Vegas while the kids grab an ice cream and I head back to the bar.  One more local IPA (a small one please, I have a long drive back to the campground), and then I go to round up the kids.  They are only about half way through the line and I tell them to meet us over at the lodge and head over to sit with Wendy.  We spend some time talking about the game plan for the next couple days and when the kids get back we all head over to the car.

We make a couple stops on the way out.  We pull though Camp 4 where the climbers all stay and I hop out at El Capitan to take a couple pictures.  It is just about sunset and the lighting is very different than when we photographed this a couple days ago.  There is a guy with a scope looking at the climbers on the side and he offers a view.  I can pick out one set of climbers in their tent, and he tells me that is the same group that was there a couple days ago when we spotted them from Tunnel View.  We also find another pair who are pulling up some gear and setting up their tent for the night.

On to Tunnel View and I pull over for our last glimpses of Yosemite.  The sun will be setting in 20 to 30 minutes, which would offer spectacular views of the Valley, but we are all tired and hungry and we have an hour of curving, winding road to get us back. 

Half Dome and Bridalveil Falls - as sun begins to set

El Capitan - Almost Sunset

The drive takes its toll on everyone but me.  I’m not sure if it is just that I am behind the wheel, but there are a LOT of curves and speeding up and slowing down.  We finally reach the edge of the park, flash our park pass and look for the entrance sign for our obligatory picture. 

Back to the RV and the kids all start a fire.  As I am pulling in the luggage and talking to our neighbors, I hear them comparing the hike today to some of our other adventures.  They really are enjoying the trip and there is so much left to experience. 

Moon rising over trees by our campsite

We fire up the generator (somehow the batteries have gone completely dead) and everything unpacked.  Wendy fixes dinner while I put everything away.  I open a couple bottles of wine and we all sit and talk about the hike.  The kids then watch a movie on their laptops while Wendy and I relax for a bit.  Off to bed and I don’t think it took a minute to fall asleep.  Great day in Yosemite!

Catching Up

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That Stubborn Mule – Day 23 – Monday – July 11, 2011

The alarm goes off, but I am already awake and well under the covers.  It got very cold last night and with only the protection of the canvas walls, the wool blankets were a necessity.

Wendy heads off the bathroom for a quick wash-up while I wake up the kids to get them up and going.  No complaining this morning as we are all looking forward to the ride.

We grab the donuts we bought at the store the night before, head to the car and make the 5 minute walk to the stable and get there on time.  Turns out it is not a horse ride – but a mule ride.  Mules are the only animals that can traverse the route we will be riding.  They are as big as horses and have a field of vision that allows them to see all four feet at the same time.  They also spook much harder and can carry a much larger load for longer distances making them perfect for outings such as this.

We all size up for helmets and watch the mandatory 15 minute video.  The other family that will be on our trip has never been on horses before, so we will see how this plays out.  They inform us that if we can’t abide by the rules and lag behind we will not be able to enjoy the views from the top and will have to just turn around to head back.  5 minutes on the trail and I am thinking we may have issues.  One of the boys seems scared, another can’t keep his mule from stopping and eating and another takes a wrong turn requiring Julie Ann (one of the guides) to head off in his direction to corral him in.  They all begin to get the hang of it after a while, although some are still having issues pulling up the reins when they want to eat slowing us down.

The views along the trail are incredible.  The trail starts at Happy Isle and heads up parallel with the Mist Trail that Wendy and I took while hiking to Half Dome 18 years ago.  We get views of Yosemite Falls on the other side of the valley and great views of the Merced River as it crashes through this valley.  The water is higher than it has been for years.  Next are views of Vernal Falls and the backside (south) of Half Dome.  I ask if we will be able spot the east side with the approach and chains up the side.  Josh (our other guide) tells me that we will be able to spot the east side and if we have time can walk a very short distance to see the chains.  Once at the top, we have great views of Nevada Falls and are able to dismount and take some pictures.  We don’t have time to walk over to where we have a view of the final ascent up Half Dome, but we can see the Quarter Dome where we climbed just before making the ascent.

Clark Point and Nevada Falls

Some quick pictures and then back on the mules for ride back down. 

Nevada Falls

We are a little behind schedule, but they hope we can make it up on the way down.  The mules like to hug the edge of the switchbacks.  I am on Mikey, Wendy has Marilyn, Charlotte is on Gypsy, Jackson’s is Slick and Georgia is on Red (named for her red eyes).  We are at the back on the way down and can talk to Josh as we move slowly down.  He tells us that the white mule up front was the one that took Oprah on her ride a while ago.  We ask if she did the half day or the two hour ride.  He tells us that she had a “much modified” ride as the mule really could not handle much more.  These the larger mules can hold 225 pounds – but some of the smaller ones – not so much – so read into that as you will.

After 4 hours on the mule, bumping up and down and around the switch backs, I am glad this was not more than a half day.  I am testing out yet another set of muscles I did not know I had.  Now I ache from the surfing, hiking and mule riding.

When we get back down, we head back to Curry Village for some lunch.  We decide to let the kids cool out a bit while Wendy and I head over to the laundry to do yet another 4 loads of wash.

When we return, Charlotte is sound asleep and wants to rest some more.  We grab Jackson and Georgia and drive over to Yosemite Falls; the fourth tallest water falls in the world.  We find parking right at the trail head (although this really is more of a .3 mile walkway) and head toward the lower falls.  There are a couple spots where you can see the top and bottom falls and we stop for some pictures. 

Once at the base of the lower falls, the water is throwing off a lot of mist.  The water in the park is running higher than it has in over 20 years, and there have been a lot of incidents due to people getting caught up in the running water.  Just a couple weeks ago, a couple was swept away while trying to cross a bridge that had water running over it on a marked trail.  Once you see the water falling here, you respect the power that this water brings with it.  In fact, when you think that this entire valley was carved out by these rivers (though granite), it really makes you think how much force is here.

We listen to the thundering roar, climb up on a fallen tree and have someone take some pictures.

We then head back to the camp and wake Charlotte to head over for dinner.  We opt for the Grill rather than the buffet tonight, place our order, pick up a beer and margarita at the bar and stand waiting for a table to open.  Our order comes out right after we find a table.  Charlotte and Wendy love the Yose-vege-mite veggie burger.  Jackson eats some wings (mild that are really pretty hot).  Georgia devours a cheeseburger and large order of fries.  She had never really eaten burgers before this trip, but seems to have acquired a taste for them now.  The kids all decide to skip ice cream for dessert and we all opt to head back to the cabins for an early bed.