Day 9

Day 9
Today was the day to move to Yosemite. We broke camp fairly early and began the drive. Sometime during the night there had been a very large crashing noise. Pam and I were the only ones to hear it. Jim and Doug were already asleep. On the way out of the park we found the cause. There had been a large tree come down across the road. Apparently it was old and dead because it was broken in many pieces with loads of rotted wood on the road. The road was still passable. So...pass we did.
On to Breakfast! During the ride to Arnold...a town... Doug noticed that his drive belt was making noise. We stopped at a gas station to fill up and he and Jim completed repairs.
While there the local fire fighters drove by on their way to one of several forest fires in the area.

After repairs....breakfast! The restaurant was just a small place but the food was good and plentiful. While there we ran into several guys who had recently done the Grand Canyon Rim-Rim hike. Naturally Doug and I talked with them for a while. The Grand Canyon trip is another awesome trip that if possible, you should do. I don't mean visit the South Rim, I mean back pack into the canyon. Awesome.
Wandering again.....

Jim wanted to go around the park and enter the park by way of highway 120. He's been told it is a beautiful drive. Well....to get to 120 we have to go down 395 across some other road then some other road then to 120. Route 120 into Yosemite is indeed a beautiful ride. It is also one of those roads that makes you queezy. 1000 ft. drops, no guard rails hair pin turns. How many of you have seen a 25% grade? Now add two hair pin turns right in the middle of that. It's pretty bad when you see your own tail lights when you are in the middle of the turn. No, there aren't any pictures of that. Even Doug was a little too busy to take pictures during that ride.

Yosemite has some spectacular views....
Here's an interesting cloud that Doug didn't even know he got while on the way to Yosemite.

Approaching Yosemite



Jim and Doug climbing their first rock in Yosemeti. They are the ones in the middle of the climb. The very small ones. Not the guys by the rock
Entering the gates at Yosemeti
We entered the park at Tioga pass. fairly cold at this elevation. That was one heck of a drive! Unbelievable views! Of course, my hand grips now have ten new finger imprints.
This was also supposed to be a day that we finished the ride by 2-3 pm. We finally got into camp at 6:15.
This is another experience for Pam because Yosemeti has the remnants of a large forest fire still burning.

Jim and Pam are staying at the Yosemeti Falls hotel. Doug and I were at the Crane Flats Campground. Unfortunately that one is closed because of the ongoing fires. So, no notification that the campground is closed, no information at the campground itself, no information number, no cell service. We flagged down a park ranger who was more than helpful. We are in another campground 8 miles further down the road but away from the fires. At this point, Jim and Pam have no idea where we are and there's no cell service. It's already dark so we will wait until tomorrow to catch up with them.