Yosemite

I arrived in Yosemite before everyone else. Why isn't that surprising?! Having spent the night in Sacramento, my route was going to be 120 via Oakdale into the park.  The route I'd taken many a time when I was in Turlock.  It was raining when I left but I had chains.  No worries.

Not much traffic. Great. Nothing worse than getting stuck behind a tractor trailer, camper, tour bus or Winnebego!!!

Laughed when I passed through Oakdale. In a previous life sat in that bar for hours with the local color drinking while waiting for a friend's car to get repaired.

The notes of Deliverance are faint but the memory isn't.

Still only rain but soon that will change as the elevation gets higher.

Road was clear all the way. Easy peasy.

Pretty.

Tourists were stopping and snapping pics, throwing snowballs, etc.

I enjoyed the simplicity.

As I headed down into the Valley I stopped to gander at a spot I never grow tired of visiting yearly.

Nearly there.

Did some preliminary exploring before my friends arrived.

The path from the Curry Village parking lot to the beginning of the Mist Trail. I would not be able to relocate this place in the dark the morning of the climb.Flashlight not withstanding things do look different in the dark.

Ramona and I then backtracked and walked over to see Yosemite Falls.

Then a stroll into Tolkein forests.  Ramona thinks she sees Frodo.

It was probably John Muir's ghost.

The rain didn't dampen the lure of wild for this couple and their young children.

Bar opened at 4pm. Friends were due around 5pm.

Got to people watch, catch up on baseball playoff scores, keep an eye on Cal at Oregon, have a drink and a nosh.  Perfection. 

Yum.

This was taken on the morning following my attempt to reach the top of Half Dome. We were on our way to breakfast and these dear were out for their morning constitutional.  That's Birch in the background, it's where we stayed.

Sun was out. We were headed to the Ahwahnee Hotel for a cocktail on the patio. We'd stop at the Post Office and the Ansel Adams Gallery along the way.

See the snow atop it!!!

Fun in the sun.

Gearing up.

That's Adrienne returning from putting all our post cards in the mail.

Also another hound and owner, so I wasn't the only soul with her dog. 

"Honey get off the DAMN cell phone!!!"

Stunning as usual.

Cozy fireside

Pretty damn spectacular!!! So gorgeous that wedding parties were everywhere.

Outside.

Inside.

Even Ramona got red carpet treatment!

 Strolling back we watched these folks...

and I'm crazy for trying to hike the Half Dome cables. Ha!!!