Monday, November 05, 2007

Yosemite

Exactly ten years ago my father, uncle, and I went up to Yosemite Valley during the fall season to experience the wonders that is Yosemite, the exact date was October 28, 1997 (3x5 photo with date on back). I was yearning for those same sensations that I had felt 10 years ago. As a small present to my older brother and sister-in-law I planned out a trip back to the Valley during the autumn season. Marco and Dianne came up also after visiting the Monterrey Aquarium where the baby Great White Shark is in captivity. I rented a cabin at the Curry Village for my brother and wife because it gets cold there in the fall and they wouldn't handle it. Fortunately I found an open campsite thanks to a hot-chick rock climber who was leaving early for the weekend where Marco and Dianne pitched their tent, troopers I tell you! Like usual I called terra firma my home right next to the fire pit with my sleeping bag.




Yosemite during the fall is the best time to go in my opinion. The leaves are changing to gold and red, when the wind blows they gently float to the ground to cover every inch of forest floor. The lack of running water in the Merced River and the large valley waterfalls are easily forgotten because of the lack of people. We were the first cars that Friday entering the parking lot where in the summer it is packed to capacity and long traffic jam extends out of it. That same parking lot was a quarter full on Saturday, hardly anybody there in the whole valley.




Vernal Falls on the Mist Trail



Breathing in the crisp air in the mornings opens up the lungs. The quiet that hangs over the valley soothes and calms a persons soul. Occassionally listening to the singing chirps of birds in a near by valley oak. The winds come in to liven up the trees and grasses for a few seconds and the calm continues. These are the sensations I was looking for and it brought back the memories that I could barely describe right now.









Overall the weekend was great. We had beers and chili by the fire at nights, hiked and biked all over the valley, did some bouldering near Camp 4, and the usual run in with the wildlife. Two adolescent cubs were very curious what that sleeping bag had in it, to their surprise it wasnt hot dogs but a hairy dirtbag, luckily momma bear wasn't interested.




Just hanging out



Chillin the most !

1 comment:

Sharpie said...

The bears thought you were their brother, and just wanted to see if you were warm enough!