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

[jenseib]

YUM!!!! That dinner looks great and I am still amazed at the views you have there. It's such a beautiful place!

 

[podsnel]

Hello there! I know I have been neglecting you all over here, focusing on the NYE Fantasy cruise TR lately- but I will do my best to get some updates going because you have been asking, and I should be finishing before our next summer vacation begins, lol-

We woke up to another sun soaked, hot and beautiful day in the Yosemite Valley-



Tyler got in the shower (because you always shower BEFORE your hike, right??? So does tyler) and got out pretty quick- that crazy handle came off right in his hand! OOPS!!! I know it's an old hotel, but a working shower is something I rate right up there with- umm, I guess having a bed! Anyway, we called maintenance, and they said they would be by to fix it that day. So we hustled our dirty selves outside and onto the shuttle, over to Curry Village, the popular campground in the Valley, to have some breakfast in their cafeteria before tackling today's hike- the Mist trail. The Mist Trail begins right next to this campsite, so it seemed like the perfect choice.



This campsite was so pretty, it made me wish I liked camping! They had a lot of things going on here, too- very family oriented. This books up FAST- solid, a year and a day in advance at times, so if this is what you want- please plan ahead.





We were all looking forward to this hike- all except our youngest and tallest, that is. Which seemed incredibly odd, given his preference for standing on the edge of some mighty high climbs while terrifying his Mom.

Something was just not right with Timmy.

He was sick. Sore throat, body aches, just not "feeling" very Timmy-ish.

We tried to entice him with some french toast, sausage and scrambled eggs-



ANd he ate-



And then said he was going back to bed.



SO so sad, but what are you going to do? We asked him if he wanted me to go with him, and he said he knew where to get the shuttle, he would be fine, and...off he went. I was so bummed- I knew Timmy was going to love this hike, it was physically challenging and offered plenty of opportunities to scare the CRAP out of me, but, what can you do? He must have felt pretty awful if he chose bed over this.

We walked over to the trail head which is at a place called Happy Isles-







Ummm...no thanks, but my crazy friend Steven did on the same day he also hiked up to Glacier Point and SAT OUT ON THE POINT to contemplate his impending nuptials (he should have spent more time contemplating and less time hiking that day- she was/is a lunatic and they had a horrible divorce). Oh! And Cynthia did, too! If you would like to see what is really involved in that particular hike, have a look at this-

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/hdvideo.htm





As usual, me and my photography problem were not keeping up-





Look at Tyler up there- he was like come ON old woman! Enough!





Looking back-





Cont'd next post-

 

[podsnel]

We had only hiked up (and I do mean UP) about a mile or so when we got to the stairs.



The stairs I thought were so beautiful- that I was sadly now afraid to go all the way up- all because of coming down.



I usually don't do that- chicken out- and I am SO mad at myself for chickening out this day! UGH! I need to go back!



Pods and tyler continued up, and I went back down- BOO me.



Yikes! Out of pics! Time to upload- see ya later-

 

[podsnel]

At least no one was raggin at me for taking pics on my way down, lol-













Not much longer after me, Pods and tyler showed up- they said they made it up to the top of the first fall- and turned around. NOOO!!!! They should have kept going- there is an Emerald pool up there that is supposed to be really beautiful- SO should have gone with them!

Anyway, we grabbed some sandwiches and hot dogs from the stand at Happy Isles-



and headed back to bring Timmy some lunch, and see how our youngest was feeling.



I had signed up for the tour of the Ahwahnee, and Pods and the boys were going to just hang out...but not shower yet, because there was still no handle on the shower. Hmmmm....

 

[podsnel]

Other than turning 45 in a week , maybe...... 29 days!!!! My FE gifts are almost ready and I'm starting to pack. I'm going to Vegas with Joshua for soccer March 14-16. M is traveling a ton. It'll be here before I know it. Any helpful hints, tips? I know you love your cruises!

Yes I love my cruises, and now YOU love yours, too! Addicting, isn't it... Feeling pampered and happy without being run ragged leading the charge on vacation? Lol-

 

[kid-at-heart]

This campsite was so pretty, it made me wish I liked camping! They had a lot of things going on here, too- very family oriented.

I love campgrounds. I like to hike around campgrounds. I do not like to camp. I do not like sleeping on the ground, using outdoor toilets, cooking over a campfire and trying to clean dishes/me during camping. I like to camp in a cabin with running water, doors that lock and an attached toilet that flushes. I like to camp at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, in a one bedroom villa please.


Something was just not right with Timmy.

He was sick. Sore throat, body aches, just not "feeling" very Timmy-ish.

Poor Timmy, I hope he felt better quickly.

The stairs I thought were so beautiful- that I was sadly now afraid to go all the way up- all because of coming down.

Sometimes, when coming down stairs, I experience vertigo so I am afraid I also would have chickened out of climbing the stairs. Going up is one thing, coming down another.

Glad you are back on this TR. You are making me wish we were headed out west this summer instead of heading south.

 

[podsnel]

Dinner looked amazing! It's making me hungry!

Foreshadowing!

Jill in CO

I am replying on this ridiculous app and can't multi-quote! Is there another way?

That dinner did look good! Lol- oh yea, that's right, it actually WAS!

 

[podsnel]

The dining room is beautiful! But HOLY COW, those prices. I hope the food was REALLLLLLYYY good! Keep it coming . . .



Jodie

It was totally worth it- not often you get to have a fabulous meal in such a historic place.

 

[podsnel]

Great update and that dinner looks fantastic! I'm starving now! I guess I'll have to take DW out to dinner tonight now...wait...that was the plan, wasn't it? Have you two been conspiring?!?!

Jinkies! You caught us! I hope it was good, lol-

 

[podsnel]

Splurging is wonderful once in awhile. Great looking meal, especially the meat, swordfish ain't too hateful either.

In Williamsburg we stayed in the Houses & Taverns. You stay in one of the old houses on a back street or the Main Street. It's wonderful, but not as posh as the Williamsburg Lodge. One has to consider the fact these are the actual 200 or more years old buildings, so may not have all the amenities. The atmosphere is just incredible, especially if one loves history.

It sounds very interesting! I just booked a family at Kings Mill for their summer vacation- it looks really nice!

 

[podsnel]

Oh your dinner looks wonderful,
I love the family shot of you all together
I can't for the life of me remember what we ate there but I do remember it being a fabulous meal and the atmosphere in that dining room can't be topped!
Beautiful photos by the way and I love that you are including some great links to further info - above and beyond the DIS Trip Reporting duty but very welcome !!

Thanks for the compliment! Funny, looking at that pic, Timmy and Tyler both already look sooooo much older! I am so glad we chose to have dinner here- it was an extremely memorable evening.

Glad you like the links!

 

[podsnel]

Ellen the food looked amazing !Yorkshire pudding Yummy !!! I havn't made iti n a while !!!Don't you just LOVE turn down service !!!

Yes, I do love turndown service! It feels like you are being tucked in at night- and makes the bed look even MORE inviting after a long day.

 

[jedijill]

Ellen,

Your pictures are stunning! Hope Timmy felt better.

Jill in CO

 

[podsnel]

Years ago we went to Yellowstone and stayed in the Old Faithful Inn. We made sure to go while Sarah still qualified for "child" rates at the buffets, because even the buffets were EXPENSIVE. We figured with what we were saving with her "child rate" we could splurge and eat at the nicer places. Sarah has always eaten adult foods so when eating out we needed to either pay for an adult meal or find decent buffets where she could choose the duck, squid, etc. (No mac and cheese/grill cheese/kid food for her taste buds.) Now we justify eating at or visiting special, expensive places by saying, we are creating memories. And memories are worth paying the price. Sometimes.

kate

Ok- so I totally missed your post and your ticker is long gone, but I know you had fun in WDW at AKV, right?

So funny about Sarah and her foodie tastes- have I told you I am an only child, too? Cant't remember.....anyway, I was just like Sarah, ate all kinds of adult foods when I was a kid. Absolutely despised spaghettios and chef boyardee, would not touch it or PB&J. Completely humiliated my parents when, at the age of 7, I ordered the Maine lobster for dinner when my Great Aunt & Uncle were treating ( they laughed it off- they fortunately could afford it and thought it was awesome I could crack my own lobster at 7- but I had been doing that since I was 5). So...yea- good for Sarah! I know where she's coming from!

 

[podsnel]

Dinner looked amazing. I love lamb chops! Yummy cocktail but what's with the hardware?

That's a gorgeous dining room too.

The hardware is for if you feel like mountain climbing after one or two of those drinks have convinced you to mountaineer up- lol- maybe I should have brought it with me to the steps-

 

[podsnel]

That looks like a wonderful meal, and while the prices were expensive, I'm sorry to say that we see prices like that sort of a lot. Not really often, but nice places demand nice prices. I would have been all over that Prime Rib, Swordfish (sans olive tapenade), the apps looked GREAT! Sign me up. We need to make our reservation for next May!

Are you going? Wait- next May or this May?

 

[podsnel]

Your pictures of Yosemite and the hotel are just breathtaking! What a gorgeous place!! I really need to make it out to the national parks in the next few years.

(11 Days - CANNOT WAIT!! )

I had so much fun with you Katie- I hope we can room together again sometime-

 

[podsnel]

That dining room is gorgeous.
The drink looked even better. LOL
WOW! Those prices. Did you come to NYC for dinner? LOL
Nice gift. Looks like it was wonderful meal.
Hmm, I sense trouble coming up.
Great update and pics.

Hey there neighbor!

Yea, prices were high- you gotta figure with all that food being hauled in from who knows where, plus the fact of being the only really nice place for a hundred miles, they can kinda do what they want!

 

[podsnel]

Ellen, those are great photos! That lodge and that food look amazing. I can't wait to hear about the shower. You've got lots of teasing and foreshadowing in your update!

Where are you going in a couple weeks?

Yes well, the shower story is not over yet-

I went to WDW AEP (agent Education Program for Travel agents) but I am sure you already knew that!

 

[franandaj]

I'm glad to see you're back on this TR! Very beautiful pictures from the hike. But for the amount you're payong a night that shower handle should have been fixed!

Are you going? Wait- next May or this May?

Well now a May trip is out of the question. We booked a B2B out of San Diego the 15-20 next May, and we have WDW and the Dream in mid April so maybe early June before the schools get out.

We leave in 10 days for our SW road trip. This will be an adventure!