Well, I survived the forest fires, fear of active bears, and camping roadside last night, though VANilla reeks of smoke and dead animal smell. Whew, I hope it goes away
soon. I returned to Yosemite for one final visit. First I swung through the valley to take advantage of the only shower facilities in the enormous park. I couldn’t believe how low the Merced River was flowing. In May, it was swelling out of its banks. Today, sandbars were poking up in the middle of the river. Many of the waterfalls appear to be seasonal as well, as I didn’t notice some of them today. For a waterfall lover, the best time to visit Yosemite would be as soon as all the roads open. I believe this is generally in May, though this year due to the heavy winter, I believe it was later.
After my shower, I headed toward the southern portion of the park where we followed Glacier Point Road 17 miles to Glacier Point parking lot. A four-mile, round trip trail that changes over 3,000 feet in elevation each direction leads to Glacier Point. Under different circumstances, I would have opted in, but with a late start, Petey in VANilla, and a wound that still needs more time to heal, I chose to enjoy the vista just fifty yards from the parking lot. The overlook provided a remarkable panorama of Half Dome, Nevada Falls, and Vernal Falls even on this smoky day.
Just as I was preparing to leave the parking lot, a Ferrari Club pulled in. At least ten different Ferrari’s hummed to the end of the parking lot. I hope they didn’t have to follow an RV up the winding road. That wouldn’t have been any fun for the drivers! On our way back down, we made a final stop at Washburn Point before making our way to Fresno for the evening.
I see why Yosemite is always full. It isn’t very far from large California cities and frankly its commanding and unique landscape is inspiring. In Fresno, VANilla is going in for some TLC before we make two unscheduled visits to Sequoia and Kings Canyon as we depart the Golden State. Technically, I have completed all the scenic road trips listed in my Reader’s Digest book with the exception of the ones in Alaska and Hawaii. My blog and adventures will be coming to an end within the week…ETB