After chilling in Tahoe, we headed further south to Yosemite National Park. We actually stayed in a nearby town called Mariposa, which had quaint shops dating back to the cowboy days.
So each day we would drive into YOS, park up and go for a walk. The valley floor is so popular (due mainly to the views of the local icons like "El Capitan" (a BF granite cliff), "half-dome"(a BF bald granite rock/dome that lost half of itself way back when, and you can only climb with the aid of chains/ropes/ladders). There are lovely grassy meadows with some deer, also in the valley. Mostly full of tourists taking selfies, but some deer...we saw one.
Speaking of deer, we headed up a track one of the days, and no more than 50m from the road, within sound of tourism chaos, smells of diesel fumes from tour buses, we came across a Black-tail doe, grazing away next to the track. Not fazed in the slightest.
Anyway, a short, sharp 1.3 mile climb up to a vantage point not usually visited, rewarded us with stunning views of the valley floor, but in peace and quiet! Another couple graciously took our piccy, and we returned the favour (or is that favor, since we are in the US?)
Back down in the valley, we still battled with traffic jams, throngs of people and a busy souvenir shop, but muddled through somehow. I even managed to keep my cool and not shout at anyone who slowed us down....
Anyway, enough babbling, here are some photos of country that can only be described as BIG....
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| BooBoo about to enter the park |
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| Me and John Muir looking at the grandeur |
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| View up one valley on one walk we did |
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| Yay! Made it up! |
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| Time for a pic-a-nic, BooBoo? |
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| El Cap on the left; half-dome centre rear. |
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| Bambi by the track. 3m away and not worried at all. |
I am catching up on the blog and cant resist commenting on this entry. We adored Yosemite and also stayed at Mariposa as staying in the park is blimmin expensive. Lovely spot anyway. I took Paul and Sian on a big hike to Mirror Lakes (in middle of summer). They werent too happy when they got there to see the "mirror" was mostly dried up. hehehe
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