Yosemite
Valley (L)

Yosemite Falls (R)

After a week touring civilization... "g" Clan left San Francisco for Yosemite. They merrily traveled east rotating between individual CD preferences on the van's stereo. With visions of El Capitan and Half Dome dancing in his head, "g" made great time on the highway until "k" alarmingly read a sign, "U.C. Davis? That's in Sacramento!"

Having mistakenly driven north an hour out of their way, "g" found little comfort in a Sacramento REI getting directions to Yosemite and purchasing stove fuel for backpacking.

To alleviate high altitude anxiety driving up the numerous switchbacks to Yosemite's northeast gate, "k" assumed the helm. Despite their late morning start and his awful highway digression, "g" coerced his family to enjoy a two hour tour of the park's Yosemite Valley with its many views of El Capitan, and Bridalveil and Yosemite Falls. Mistake. "g" Clan was tired, cranky and very hungry. (Lesson learned.)

Yosemite is beautiful. It's large and magnificent. As they drove south to Wawona Hotel, "g" quietly reminisced about his first major backpacking trip with the Boys to the park. There was: LaBella Karma and it's role in securing the only hotel room for 200 miles when the Boys came out of the backcountry a day early with no reservation for camping or lodging; Climbing Cloud's Rest and Mt. Dana (13K ft); packing in (and out) the remainder of "g's" 4-lb smoked and cured chicken breast from Oscar's Meats; eating High Altitude Joe's chicken fajitas at the Wamona Camp Ground... the memories were endless. It was good to be back home.

"g" Clan arrived at the Wawona around 7:00 PM. The oldest hotel at the park sported an beautiful golf course, a fenced in cement pool on its sprawling green lawn, and numerous large and small cottages in addition to a long out-building for lodging. Half the rooms had bathrooms which required guests to share community rest rooms. The dining room was an immense enclosed porch with floor to ceiling windows that opened into the night. At 8:00 PM "g" Clan was very happy. They were eating and preparing to hike the next morning.

Later that night, "g" and his daughter's hauled 75-lbs of hiking gear into their small inn-like room to prepared their packs for an early morning. Dehydrated food, head lamps with extra batteries, sleeping bags and pads, and a millennia of other items were strewn about the floor and beds. Like a drill team, they delighted in the precision of organizing and packing their gear; "k" sought refuge on the porch with a glass of wine.