California Campin': Out-Takes

In case you forgot the Hershey's, the Graham crackers, and the marshmellows,
the concessionaire stores at Yosemite have you covered....

A crebain out of Dunland enjoys some Doritos, dropped from a tourist's shopping
bag; Yosemite's ravens are absolutely as large and aggressive as Yellowstone's;
only the latter have learned how to unzip backpacks (seriously), however

We met lots of nice people on this trip, especially Europeans visiting Yosemite;
these two boys are part of a family of six from Lille, taking a year off to explore
the New World (in a camper)

Our second night at the Upper Pines campground was graced by a van-load (and
then some) of college-aged movie-makers; at first I figured they were going to
document the first ascent of some rock or other, but, instead, they lengthily video'd
the making of a campfire, the erecting of tents, blowing up of air mattresses,
cooking of hot dogs, and even did an extended interview of the Indian (dot) family
next door...I guess I've already had my fifteen minutes

At Wawona, an interestingly-painted neighbor

When we were boon-docking south of Yosemite, I found my
trusty old .177 caliber semi-automatic Daisy and emptied
quite a few clips in the general direction of this beer can,
occasionally hitting it; and not shooting my eye out

Cruciform stakes in a vineyard on route 41; pre-transubstantiation wine? So we
were stopped here, taking the picture and laughing about it when the state trooper
pulls up and asks whether everything is all right...

Not laughing...we have driven most of the great two-lane scenic coastal 
highways and never seen an accident, despite some pretty precarious 
circumstances; but not this day; hopefully no one was seriously hurt

California Campin', 5: Big Trees, Big Waves...

After camping at Wawona, we spent the morning walking among the big trees in the Mariposa Grove, then drove south, out of the park, and camped two days on forest road 5S 17, in the Sierra National Forest: rest and relaxation, and only one longer hike down the road.

Spring growth in the Mariposa Grove: what are these things?
We forgot to ask the rangers....

The interestingly named "Faithful Couple" tree:
above, it splits into two giant trunks and then
soars; which occasions the question...who names
these trees? and why not "Schizophrenic Tree"?

The so-called "Bachelor and Three Graces"
clump, which I have re-christened "The Menage
a Quattre avec Voyeur" clump; in future visits,
I will endeavor to more appropriately rename
all the trees in the Grove

Our site off of 5S 17; we both needed to recuperate from
P-induced colds

We drove on to Fresno and spent the afternoon with the nice
folks at Sportsmobile West--a custom-camper firm we've always
admired--and then spent the night with Rich Sam...a firm we do
not admire, but which permits scum like us to park free over-
night; we always try to park near the "outdoor living" department;
according to Bernie Sanders, the immediate descendants of Sam
Walton own more than the lowest 40% of the American people

The real estate west and south of Fresno was as flat as I have
seen, although, happily, it was mostly planted in vineyards; I
think this must be where $2.49 Chuck must originate; mile
after mile after mile

We lunched here, at the James Dean "Heaven Tree," just a few
hundred yards from where he and his Porsche 550 Spyder ended
their careers; icon of icons...

Route 41 took us all the way to Morro Rock on Morro Bay

And the beautiful electric plant adjacent...

San Simeon, Hearst Castle: Rosebud; been there, done that, in
1990, we think

Kite surfing 

Thus

And thus

And thus

In the Big Sur

The hills to the east...California, especially the high country, is
a tinderbox...

California Campin', 4: Yosemite

After Pinecrest we moved on to three nights in the campgrounds of Yosemite National Park, two in the Valley, the third at Wawona. We've visited Yosemite many times over the years, starting in 1972, as a number of previous blogposts attest. Even with the crowds, it's always an amazing place.

First view of the Valley, driving up from the Priest Grade

Upper Yosemite Falls, and Lost Arrow Spire, and Yosemite Peak

North Dome

Parked for the day while hiking: with the well-insulated
Bigfoot, we look for sunny locations in order to re-charge
the batteries; one returns to a comfortable camper, with
100% SOC

Hiking up toward Vernal and Nevada Falls

Thus

Nevada Falls (or was it Vernal?)

NPS deer, in a parking lot, totally uninhibited

Afternoon view of Half Dome

On a hike to Lower Yosemite Falls

"Yo no soy marinero, soy el Capitan!"

The Nose in profile

California Campin', 3: Pinecrest

We stayed in Menlo Park until P's 4th birthday...

Thus

And thus

And then headed up to Stanislaus National Forest and its
wonderful Pinecrest campground...recommended by one of
Rebecca's neighbors...a snow flurry had passed by, but it all
melted away within a day or two

The beach at Pinecrest Lake

Campground amphitheater; sort of after the Greek model

Moonshine and treetops

Lunchtime view, walking around the lake

OK, it's not a lake, it's a reservoir

Vicki walking across the dam

The dam

Cultural note: "and forge the uncreated conscience of my race"?

All this on the Pinecrest National Recreational Trail

On a rock face, a precarious existence in this historically dry year