Free Camping in Yosemite - Part 2

The parts arrived and we were moved across the steet to a lovely spot in the alley beside the garage.  Once the blocks were in place and all the tires removed, it was clear to everyone that we weren't going anywhere.  The mechanics there are top notch and the staff kind and helpful in every possible way.  We remained living comfortably in the rv while the work was done.

We had the only campsite in Yosemite with an electrical connection!!!  And it only cost us $4500.

And now, on to our 7 day stay in Yosemite National Park:

The grand view of the valley at the first overlook.  El Capitan on the left, Half Dome in the middle, and a thundering Yosemite Falls on the right.  A couple little known facts:  Only spring visitors get to see the falls flowing and Half Dome never had another half.

A couple close-ups...  The falls - always impressive.

I found myself staring at El Capital.  Climbers come from all over the world to scale it.  Why?!?!?  It's big...and dangerous!  Maybe because it's there...

The Dogwood trees were blooming all over the valley.  Beautiful!

Finn was able to go anywhere that was paved and that included a couple of trails.  We took him to Lower Yosemite Falls.  He had a great time watching squirrels and other dogs.

A beautiful walk...ending at the lower falls.

Ed signed up to take a camera walk and Finn and I were invited to walk along.  Our instructor took us out to one of the meadows and talked about telling stories with your photos.  She suggested that we think about each press of the shutter costing $1000.  Decide what story we want the photo to tell, how we want it framed, consider all aspects of the picture - and then press the shutter.

I just put this photo here because it's my blog and I like the picture.  I can do that...

These are some of the photos Ed took during the walk. 
The pond we had walked by several times and never noticed the reflections in them.  See Yosemite Falls?  Upside down.  And the trees.

I love this photo with the perfect reflections.

We took a drive to the South end of the park - a little over an hour - to visit the Mariposa Grove of redwoods. 

These giants are known as the Sentinels of the Sierras.  One has to stand beside them to appreciate their sheer size. 

Their unique thick red bark is what protects them.  Something about its spongy texture and bad taste... 

 Look how they stand out from the other trees in the grove.

The fallen giant.  It came down several centuries ago!!  It allows for an excellent view of the trees short root system which accounts for the fences preventing visitors from walking around them.

We hiked (ok, walked), rode our folding bikes, rode the tram, went to an evening performance of stories of John Muir (he's responsible for Yosemite Valley being preserved and not filled with water), took a class, toured the magnificent Ahwanhee Hotel, but I was not leaving until we rafted down the Merced.

We picked up our life vests and collected our raft and paddles, which we schlepped about 1/2 block to the river.

Ed's first words when we hit the water:  "This is so much fun!"

We went under 4 bridges, spun around a few times, hit a few mid river plants, and became quite a good paddling team.  We went about 3 miles down river in a little over an hour. 

So cool...

A few thoughts on the park:

*There are a lot of people wearing outfits they wouldn't be caught dead in anyplace else.

*Hair is very much the vogue - head, face, legs.  And most of it is wild. 

*Headscarves can be worn in a variety of ways.

*Room rates are in the sublime.  $450 and up at the hotel, $200 at the lodge, $100 for a yurt.

*Too many people show up on weekends.

*It's a great place to guess what languages are being heard.

*Make-up is definitely optional - but I need my eyebrows.

All in all, we spent a glorious week in Yosemite NP.  The weather was perfect - warm days and cool nights.  And we had the only campsite in the park with an electric hook-up...

We'll make a stop in Sacramento to continue our tradition of visiting state capitols.  Then on to the wine country.

How to Get a Free Campsite in Yosemite - Part 1

We drove into Yosemite through Tioga Pass.  Lots of snow and beautiful scenery.  We made it down the hill  - not an easy drive.  As we reached the bottom, the brake failure light came on and the pedal went to the floor.  Amidst smoke, we coasted around the corner and into a parking lot.  Our phone would only allow an emergency call.  It was answered right in the park.  About an hour later we were towed into Yosemite Village, 7 miles away.  The tab:  $327.00.

They left us in the lot behind the General Store and across from the Garage parked with the shuttle buses.  When the RV was diagnosed in the morning we were told we had "a diaster."  As Ed says, the entire braking system got fried.

Parts have been ordered from Las Vegas and Chicago while we live in the parking lot - free of charge.  The entire bill...more than $4000.00!!!  Thank God there's a full service garage in the park.

So...we're grateful that no one and no other vehicles were hurt or damaged.  Could this have happened in a more beautiful place?  We think not.  Anyone for lemonade with the Kibel's?

Our parking lot hasn't been without incident.  This car was parked near us.  Nightime bear activity caused by leaving canned food in the car.  All four windows were bent out, paw and claw marks all over the car, and a dent on top.  It was a rental car - we can just hear the explanation when turning it in.

 We should be on our way by the weekend...if the parts arrive.

More later....

We Didn't Die in Death Valley

We pulled into Furnace Creek Ranch and found our site for the next 3 nights.  The ranch is a village with golf, a pool, horses, mules, restaurants.  It's also home to most of the staff.

The first shock of the day was at the only station in Furnace Creek,

The pool at the ranch is fed by a warm spring.  It was where we spent our evenings.

Old Dinah, an 1894 steam tracter, was used to transport borax.  More about borax later...

Our first stop the day we arrived was at Zabriski Point where we watched the sunset with a group of French tourists.  Some people really know how to enjoy a sunset...

The scenery and landscape is breathtaking.

We drove the 53 miles of nothingness to Scotty's Castle - an amazing home that is now part of the National Park Service.  It really is a castle sitting like an oasis with nothing around it.  We took the tour (sequentially).   The story goes that Scotty was a con man who swindled the millionaire Johnson's from Chicago to build the home with promises of gold mines.  Somehow they all became best friends with Scotty entertaining the celebrity guests (who paid for their rooms) with his tall tales of the mining towns.  Movie stars and presidents have visited the home during the short time it was used during the late 1920's and early 1930's.  Scotty lived in the valley most of his life and is buried on the hill above the castle.

The lvingroom with stone waterfall; and the "upstairs" music room complete with theatre pipe organ.  The pipes are behnd the wall.

The HUGE swimming pool in the front of the house was never completed.  The Johnson's lost a lot of money during the depression and did not return to their summer home in Death Valley..

The Harmony Borax Works was part of the valley for 5 years from 1883-1888.  The ruins remain.  Chinese workers were recruited in San Francisco to scrape the borax  ore off the valley floor and process it into borax at the manufacturing facility above.  It was then pulled out of the valley by 20 mule teams (so that's where it comes from!!!) dragging 36 tons of borax and water for the 30 day round trip to the trains.

A borax cart and water tank sans the mules.  Tall and narrow with 7 foot wheels to manage the narrow trails.

Next stop was on Artists Drive.  The Artist Palette is a rainbow of color.

Golden Canyon was gold and a lovely short hike.  I met up with a cute man standing on a rock.

Badwater Basin - a salt flat that seemed to go on forever.  Susan was standing on salt.  Salt salt everywhere.

Our last stop in Death Valley was at Dante's View.  The panoramic view of the valley cannot be captured in one photo or in the many hues.  It was the perfect ending to our visit.

The park offered much more than we expected.  We both were most taken by the color palette.  Every turn of the head presented another vision.  This was the perfect time to visit.  Not to hot and nights cool.  Park staff told us that the busiest time is the summer when Europeans come to experience the heat.  Americans tend to visit in the winter.

Ed compared the valley to the Negev in Israel, and the salt flats to the area around the Dead Sea.  The elevation is:  Death Valley 247 feet below sea level, the Dead Sea over 1300 feet below sea level.  (the lowest point on earth)

Las Vegas Interlude

 We wanted to visit a couple of the newer hotels and selected the Venetian to be  first.  

 

We wandered along the canals lined with cafes and exquisite shopping, gondolas gliding by - some complete with singing gondaliers - until we reached St. Mark's Square. 

The singers were performing as we entered the square.  There were the human statues and all sorts of entertainment.

We were most fascinated by the sculpters.  We watched as they created amazing likenesses.  It didn't take very long and the skill was first rate.  The woman we watched must have felt like I do when people stare at me in the clay studio...Exhibit A.

We walked to the Imperial Palace (or what's left of the Imperial Palace) so Eddy could pay a visit to the car collection.                     It's a pale shadow of its former glory.  The crown of the collection, the Dusenbergs, was sold 10 years ago after the death of the owner.    It just was not the same...                       The red Phantom I Rolls Royce, circa early 1920's, was used by a maharajah from India.                        The three wheeler is an 1886 Benz considered the first internal combustion automobile.  The museum owns two reproductions.        

Next stop was Bellagio.  Another elegant and impressive hotel.  The is the indoor garden.

 

 

 Susan was fascinated with the floral painting.

The Chihuly glass ceiling is the centerpiece of the main lobby.

 

This photo is for Sharon and Bob.  We had to think of you and our wonderful walk across the "real" Brooklyn Bridge.  The hotel is not up to the standard of the Venetian or Bellagio...but it sure is fun to take it in from outside.

 

Tonight we sleep...and tomorrow we head to Death Valley.  Let's see if the promise of temperate weather holds.