California Dreamin'-A 14 Day Odyssey to San Fran,Yosemite & DL! 8/2013 COMPLETE!1/9!!

[podsnel]

So once you FINALLY get up here, it is soooo worth it! Really, I wish we had come up here at the start, because you can see so much and it puts all of Yosemite into perspective.



THIS, to me, was my favorite view of the trip. Completely inspiring- and terrifying, all at the same time!





Hey! We were there!



This looks pretty scary, but there was a ledge with a rock wall below him-





I guess I was obsessed with Half Dome. But who wouldn't be?



We swapped with a stranger-





The boys dared me to climb up-



So, THIS is actually Glacier Point- it is beyond a stone wall and there was a sign I think telling you NOT to go out there.



THAT is where my friend Stephen sat to contemplate life.

Crazy nut!

And waaaaaaaay down in the Valley, you could see the Ahwahnee-



That was zoomed in- here is how it really looked from up there-



Pretty amazing, huh?











Hey- we were there, too!







I know this is very photo intensive, but pretty sure you can't blame me! Even more pics, coming up in a minute....

 

[podsnel]

We decided to head back to the car, as there was still more to do today- including driving 5 hours down to Santa Clarita so we would be within an hour or so of DL the following morning. So...

Good bye, 4737 ft of glorious granite beauty-





GP Visitor's Center-



There was more up here until a fire in 1969-



Somewhere in our travels (maybe when I toured the Ahwahnee?) I recall them saying that a reason for this not being rebuilt was that it was nearly impossible to get to most of the year (the road being closed because of snow). Actually, they used to do something up here in the summer called the Yosemite Firefall. From Wiki- "For many years, the guests of the Glacier Point Hotel would witness and participate in the Yosemite Firefall. What was once a summer event would gradually become daily routine. At 9:00 every night, hotel employees would push burning embers 3,000 feet down from Glacier Point to mark the end of a performance at nearby Camp Curry. As the coals fell in a set pattern, the resulting shower would closely resemble a burning waterfall. This tradition would continue on and off from 1872 until the last firefall on Thursday, January 25, 1968." On the Ahwahnee tour there were a couple of people who had seen it back in the day, and they said absolutely it did look like a fire waterfall! Must have been really spectacular to see.

We purchased some MUCH needed snacks and drinks in that Vistor's Center before leaving- MAN it was HOT!!



Driving down.....



In this case, down is MUCH easier than up.

It was early afternoon, and we had decided to do the tram through the Mariposa Grove, rather than hike it, largely due to Timmy not feeling well. EXCELLENT CHOICE. Even if he had not been feeling poorly, most of the notable trees in the grove are well into the forest in the upper grove- a popular plan is to take the tram up and hike back. We did see a bunch of people get off when we stopped up at the top, as a matter of fact. And that would definitely have been an option if we had had 4 happy campers on this trip.

Which we most definitely did NOT have when we arrived in Wawona.

Figuring the small parking lot at the grove would be full, we decided to park near the Wawona Convenience store and take the free shuttle to the park. We actually ended up finding a spot on the road after driving around for a while, it was very croowded at this parking area, too, and hoofed it over to the store, passing this-



We arrived JUST in time, and made it to standing room only on the shuttle- the last 4 allowed on the bus.

Up next- the joys of a Grizzly Giant (tongue planted firmly in cheek and HUGE roll of eyes on that one) and a whole buncha really big trees.

 

[pillow]

Thanks for sharing. I love being entertained by your TR's. Your pictures are fantastic! I particularly love the one of all 4 of you that the stranger took. You laughing in those videos cracks me up!!

Jodie

 

[podsnel]

Thanks for sharing. I love being entertained by your TR's. Your pictures are fantastic! I particularly love the one of all 4 of you that the stranger took. You laughing in those videos cracks me up!!

Jodie

You're welcome Jodie- thanks so much for posting back! Glad you like all the pics- and my laugh. Although YOU have heard it in person!

I just noticed you live in Richmond. I will be down in Richmond at the end of July- Timmy has a baseball tournament there. Maybe we can get together for dinner one night (depending on how the tournament schedule goes!) or something.

 

[franandaj]

Your pictures are beautiful and there were a couple of the Valley where you could totally see where the glacier had sculpted the Valley. That was really cool to see!

I'm glad that Timmy was feeling better. That road was pretty crazy, it freaks me out driving up roads like that where there is a drop off on one side. Yay! You're almost to DL!

 

[pillow]

I just noticed you live in Richmond. I will be down in Richmond at the end of July- Timmy has a baseball tournament there. Maybe we can get together for dinner one night (depending on how the tournament schedule goes!) or something.

Definitely! That would be fun . . . just let me know when you'll be here. Maybe your kids can inspire mine to love vacations - ha!

Jodie

 

[irenep]

Love DL- so much easier to get around, PLUS I got to see a lot of people I know/wanted to meet- so it was excellent! I hope you will ride Space Mountain- OH! And Indiana Jones! Those were my two favorites. Really really fantastic.

BTW- I see you are Scottish- one of my BFs is as well, and brought us all over once- so lovely in your country! [/QUOTE]
Aw, thanks, we kind of like it here too!

It's a big trip for sure but as it is such a long way for us to go it seemed like a good idea to break up the journey a little both ways and maybe make the jet lag easier to cope with... plus, its a good excuse to go back to Yosemite and DL
Will be going on Space and Indiana Jones for sure.....hopefully we will be going on everything

It's funny but your trip followed our last one a little -we also stayed at The Charlotte (air-conditioning was unusual, but effective) and had a night at the Ahwanhee too. This time we have 3 nights at The Lodge at the Falls and one at Wawona as we didn't get to the trees last time.

Have just seen you Glacier Point photos - absolutely fabulous, and you have a lovely family but what a shame about Timmy's illness- hope he gets better for DL

We have never been to Hawaii before and I doubt we'll ever get the chance to go again and trying to get as much out of it as possible so I'll need to go find your Hawaii TR for a few more pointers

 

[ProudMommyof2]

Just stunning! Sorry Timmy wasnt feeling well, but what a beautiful way to spend a morning!

 

[dvc4life]

Gorgeous scenery! Loving all the photos. And I would have been scared $&*%less too on that drive! And like you said the drive was worth the view! Just beautiful.

 

[JKSWonder]

The video in the car made me bust out laughing when Tyler says: "If this goes up on Facebook..." cause I put everything my kids do up on Facebook! Every cute, embarrassing, annoying, heart melting thing they do. Now, they are too young yet to have Facebook in order to know the multitude of ways I have likely embarrassed them, but I expect I will one day soon be threatened that I better not put something up on Facebook. And I will ignore them, because I gotta get my fun (and my revenge) in somehow!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Our first stop was Tunnel View. This is considered one of the quintesential view of Yosemite, as it provides a glimpse of nearly everything you could possibly want to see here. Many people much prefer to enter the park from the south because this is what they see on their way to the Valley- a very nice welcome to Yosemite (although in our case it is more of a say goodbye...)

Gorgeous! Looks like the entrance to heaven itself.

Over in the parking lot, Timmy seemed to be himself again!

Ugh. At least there weren't any signs that said keep off. And I am sure if someone had cracked their head open we could have found a hospital just around the corner, right? Ugh.

This is why you keep duct tape in the car.

So, it was time for the ride up to Glacier Point....and O.M.G. were we sooooo glad we did not drive up here on our own the night before- DEFINITELY that bus would have been the way to go. I think we were going about 5 mph.

Cool! Looks just like the road up Haleakala.

Was it worth the drive?

Oh yeahhhhhhhhh......

Simply stunning scenery!

This looks pretty scary, but there was a ledge with a rock wall below him-

Good spot for a fun "hanging off the cliff photo".

 

[DWGal210]

Ellen, the pictures are INCREDIBLE. So amazing. What a magnificent place. I need to get out there once of these years. I am thinking that maybe I'd do an ABD trip out West; I'll have to look where that trip goes, though.

 

[jenseib]

You know every time I read the updates here I just drool over the beauty!
It looks like another fabulous morning, but sounds like someone may still not be feeling 100%.

 

[CRdisMom]

My oh my! It makes me can't wait to get out to Yellowstone.

 

[Wicket's Mom]

Hello, I'm back, so far behind on all my TRs. The stupid iPad gets so bogged down & slow when I can look at the Dis so I just give up.

Anyway, I would have been scared @&$?less on the drive to Glacier Point! I would be lying down in the seat with my face buried, don't want to see those road edges with no guard rails! I've had some hairy drives in Arizona on single lane roads in the Rocky Mountains that were for two way traffic!

Your photos are fun to see, the country out west is so magnificent. Speaking of magnificent, your breakfast looked so good, prices were hefty, but not unexpected.

 

[Beth D]

Gorgeous photos! Everything is stunning! the area doesn't seem so large, until you did the zoom out of the lodge, and you could really see how tiny it looked!

Hopefully Timmy is better, and no car sick…

 

[RGirl]

Hi Ellen! I fell miserably behind - sorry. I have spent much of tonight reading your updates and enjoying the beautiful pictures. So sorry Tim wasn't feeling well -that's rough on vacation. Excited to continue with your adventure!

 

[scottny]

The breakfast looked good.
Love the glass works.
Loved the FB comment in the video. It did go on Disboards. LOL.
It does look magnificent.
The tunnel is cool.
The drive up looked so pretty.
Okay the one video was a little scary.
What a beautiful view. It was definitely worth it.
I would be afraid to lean on the railing as I fear it would break. LOl.
The fire waterfall would have been amazing to see.
Looking forward to the trees. I love big trees.

 

[englishrose47]

Wow that is some scenery !! I can just imagine you all were thirsty!!! Your pix are as always awesome Ellen !!

 

[mefordis]

Ellen, I cannot WAIT for your next installment! I am planning a trip from SF to DLR (with PCH drive down to Anaheim) and I am using a lot of your ideas! I'm thinking I need to start planning this trip soon, since it is going to be November 1.

Thank you so much for your excellent trip reports and research. I am benefitting from it a great deal!