Day Seven - Mariposa

There aren't many pictures of this day because I forgot my camera! It's Saturday. the park was already crowded yesterday and we were still exhausted from our walking adventure, so we decided to go into Mariposa and see the sights.

We stopped at the California State Mining and Mineral Museum at the Mariposa Fairgrounds. There was a motorcycle rally going on at the fairgrounds, so we got to see some cool Harley's! The boys aren't really interested in that kind of bike, so luckily it didn't suck them in!

The museum was small but very nice. They had loads of cool rocks to look at and a mine tunnel display built through the middle of the building that looked like Knott's Berry Farm. It took us about an hour or so to see it all.

We drove back into town and parked at one end, thinking we would take a walk and see some of the shops. We found a cool miner shop! The guy there was super nice and we talked for a bit. Dan bought a sluice and a shovel. He told us where we could do some prospecting near by, so we decided we would stay an extra day and do that tomorrow.

After that we were ready for lunch, so we stopped for some pizza and took look at the map. We bought some souvenirs at a local shop and then headed to out next stop.

The Mariposa History Museum! We love little museums and this one looked pretty nice. We were not disappointed. The docent there was a super nice guy that was pretty excited to show us around. He talked the boys a long time about California History and homeschooling. I realized how little I know about California history besides Missions! He recommended a couple books to us and we went to check out the museum.

We were done looking at museums and shopping, so we headed back to camp. We played some Pinochle, ate fudge from the RV Park store, and went swimming. It was nice relaxing day.

Tom trying to finish his book.

Jake brushing his teeth. Yes, I take pictures like this. It helps me remember the moments!

Day Six - Bridalveil Falls

On to Yosemite! Our campground is farther from the park, in miles, than our last spot and park, but it's not half as winding and takes about the same amount of time, about an hour. I'm amazed that the boys will ride in the back of the bug for so long. They only complaint they have is that they sometimes hit their head on the roll-bar if we take a corner too fast.

The first place we stopped in Yosemite was Bridalveil Falls. I was ready with my camera this time, and I wasn't disappointed. Check out what happened when we pulled up...

An  Asian tour group was just finishing their walk to the falls when we arrived. They all wanted a picture of the bug!

Some were having their picture taken with it!

Doesn't this look like the perfect entrance to an enchanted forest?

The rock looks like a giant cyclops's head eating a tree.

Check out all that water! And those boys are pretty cute too.

It's just so gorgeous.

I loved standing their and listening to the water. I'm so used to parks that have water, like Disneyland. I didn't realize natural rivers and falls sound so different. They have random splashes that you just don't get in man made ones. These are the things you learn when you step out of the city and into the forest. I won't say wilds though. Nothing very wild about this park! :)

Another fun thing is listening to the people around us. Most of them are so happy and excited to be there. It's a joyous sound and puts everyone around in a good mood. People taking pictures for each other, pointing the way, sharing stories, etc. It's just nice.

Day Six - Yosemite Valley & Mirror Lake

Loads of pictures in this one!

Our next stop was the Yosemite Village. We needed maps, lunch, and they have a visitor center. The parking lot is at the end of the village and the walk to the visitor center is about half a mile. It's treacherous due to people on bicycles! Yikes! It isn't like there is a bike lane and a people lane, so if you're walking, talking, and looking at things, you know, enjoying your time leisurely, they will zoom around you and others coming the opposite direction. Eek! We got to the visitor center alive though.

We didn't get a map at the entrance to the park because the line was long to pay the entry fee and we had a pass, so the ranger waved us around...but didn't give us a map. He probably assumed we didn't need one. I figured we'd just pick one up at the next visitor center but they didn't have any out anywhere. The line to talk to a ranger went all the way outside the building! No worries though. There was a nice lady walking around with a name tag, when she was done talking to two other people, I asked her for a map and she went and found one!

Here's Jake reading about animals and the "forest zones". Him and I always gravitate to the nature stuff and then fill in Tom and Dad. Jake really helped me understand a few things about glacier movement and the theory about how this canyon was formed. He's pretty stinkin' smart.

Tom and Dad are pulled to the history of the place. They read every sign and then catch up to Jake and I in the gift shop!

We watched a twenty minute movie about how terrible humans are for the environment and how the federal government needs to protect this sacred place from the onslaught of humanity and their wicked ways and decided to move on before we through ourselves of the next peak. (end rant)

We needed to see some nature! We drove to the next parking lot at Curry Village and saw the tent city they call "camping". The parking lot was already very full but luckily the bug can be parked just about anywhere! We pulled out our lunch box and made a picnic right there on a rock!

We parked under this huge rock! Wow! Little did we know that this is Glacier Point...from the bottom. There are people up there!

Woody joined us for lunch, but he didn't do his famous laugh. He was busy looking for bugs.

After our fabulous lunch of peanut butter and jelly and coke, we headed for the nearest trail. Jake found a sign!

Onward!

Approaching the bear trap on the trail.

At first we fell for it, believing that there was a bear in there. But there wasn't. I think he would have been pissed off about being in there and making some noise. Then we saw a few more of them and they look like no one has touched them in years, spider webs and such. They are a warning!

 So we kept walking along and found Happy Isles and a shuttle stop. We had the choice to go down to the falls on the John Muir Mist Trail, or up to Mirror Lake. Dan and Tom wanted the lake, so we went that way.

Crossing the bridge.

Tom amazed by the amount of water flowing.

So pretty. This was the point where we could have gone left or right. Hindsight tells us that the way to the left, the paved road, was the way everyone else went. We chose the trail and fewer people.

One mile! No problem!

Both the boys were helping these caterpillars across the trail to a safer place. Dan is wondering why I'm taking a picture of Tom's finger.

The trail was completely covered in horse manure. It stunk. Seriously. It's the trail the rent a horse ride place uses as well and I'm not exaggerating when I say there was no where to step that you weren't walking in horse crap. You can't bring a dog here and where you can you have to clean up after it, why don't the horses need to be cleaned up after. It was bad.

But we did find the lake!

We couldn't figure out why they call it "Mirror Lake". Maybe it was lower than usual?

Jake dipping his hat to cool off.

I think he's crazy, but then I did it too!

It's pretty. We weren't sure this was it though. There were no signs. So we decided to follow the trail and see what happened. There were people on the other side though, so there must be a way around.

Which way should we go?

We saw a snake swimming across the water here!

Not a trail...for people anyway.

Maybe the bridge got washed out? We were alone at this point and had been walking a couple hours. I asked some people on the other side of the river if there was a bridge and they said yes, they had just come from there, just a bit farther.

Evidence of beavers!

Is this really a trail? Looks like jungle.

Jake's not zipping his fly. He's batting away mosquitoes. They love him. By the time we got home, he had about 20 bites on each arm!

Maybe we can get across here.

Maybe not. These logs just went to marsh and then more river.

Tom's having fun.

Back across the log.

And another.

Let's take this trail!

We wound our way through the forest for awhile and realized that this was not a human trail, it was an animal trail.  You could see where deer hooves had jumped over fallen logs and bent grass where they had lain for the night. It was very pretty and secluded though.

We found our way out of the bushes to the real trail and found another person there too! We asked if he knew about a bridge and he'd heard the same rumor, that it was just ahead, but he seen and talked to many people that had given up and turned back. So we kept on walking!

We found it!

 We stood and rested at the bridge awhile and our friend caught up to us. He was just Sequoia and Joshua Tree. He was in Joshua Tree with his son who is working for the Unschool Camp! Crazy small world! Nice guy. He was alone, but his people were waiting for him. He was out a lot longer than he thought he would be, just like us.

We headed down the other side. I love hikes that are uphill first and then down, by the way. The last half, when I'm so tired, is much more enjoyable!

I haven't figured out what kind of tree this is, but it has very pretty flowers!

Taking a break at the rock slide. These rocks fell here about 500 years ago. Not sure how they judged that, but it was cool to see the the trees that were crushed under it still there and the ones that have obviously grew there since the slide.

I could just sit and look at these rocks all day.

THAT's why they call it Mirror Lake! It was very low and pretty swampy, but you could see the reflection well anyway. We were on the wrong side to see it at first!

I think there was a poltergeist at the ruins of the old boat house.

Lost or abandoned pants? We didn't wait around for the person to come back, but we did consider moving them just to scare him!

We kept walking past the lake, the bathrooms, the handicap parking, down the paved road to the second bridge we saw coming up. We found the other shuttle drop off and our friend had made it there, so he wasn't in any real trouble. We kept walking though, no sense in taking the shuttle now when we had come so far! Then we found this place just about to close...wait!

Nothing like some $18 ice cream and soda to end the five hour hike!

Same sign, different attitude! Poor Tom. I think his legs are going to fall off.

The traffic as we left the park. Holy cow there were a lot of people!

So we drove back to camp, had some canned beef stew and boat load of Hawaiian rolls, went swimming (Jake insisted that he needed to be cold and wet for a bit), played some Pinochle, and hit the hay. It was much cooler this afternoon, so we didn't need the AC as much as yesterday.

And then some much deserved Pinochle!