Sorry, but it's More Yosemite- No, not sorry...

So I wanted to take a moment and post some pictures from our Yosemite trip. We really love the high meadows, honestly I am not even sure if I have posted some of these before but I don't care, I love them. Below is a picture of me by the Tuolumne River. It's just so peaceful, quiet and free. 

 Above is a picture of the backside of Half Dome with Cloud's Rest to it's left. From the first time I saw Half Dome in person I wanted to hike it. Conquer it. After this past trip I decided Half Dome was only part of what i wanted to hike, Cloud's Rest is now on that list. Around the time I turn 40, Lord willing, I want to venture out from Tuolumne Meadows, to Cloud's Rest, stay the night to watch the sunrise and then hike Half Dome before descending back into the valley. if I could then stay the night at the Ahwahnee that's be great, but in reality Housekeeping Camp would do.

Speaking of Housekeeping Camp, above is the picture of the "tents" at Housekeeping. Three cement walls and a cement floor with a canvas wall and door. A small picnic table completes the "room".

This trip we hiked Taft Point and then Sentinel Dome.

Back in 2007 or 2008 Steve and I made our way to the  top of Mt Washington in New Hampshire and took our first Geological Survey picture, ever since we've been hooked.

This one is for Sentinel Dome:

OK so my pictures are in a mismatched order, before Sentinel Dome this was Taft Point, gotta say I was nervous with the 1,000 to 4,000 foot drops. 

This is me by the Ansel Adams tree that has now died, I love this picture because I have a little friend standing on the tree with me

Speaking of Sentinel Dome, it was quite the hike. Easy but not. If you look hard enough I have created a heart around the dome in this picture below. Don't let it fool you though, it look somewhat minor from the ground...

 But here it is from the approach.

Back in the Valley we strolled through the Yosemite Cemetery, yes I would like to be buried there.

 And of course what would a visit to the Valley be without a stop at and a stroll around the Ahwahnee Hotel, and they sell decent chocolate there in the sweet shop!

Well that's that. My favorite place.

Quiet.

Mountains.

Hiking.

Steve.

Granite.

River.

Trees, trees and more trees.

I just love it.

This east coast girl fell hard in love with the west coast earth of Yosemite National Park.

So who's in on my 40th hiking trip?

You can hike with me or stay and meet me in the Valley.

You have 2 years to decide.

Love to you all,

peace out and remember that person you wanna punch square in the face-

don't

instead

extend them love and grace.

California- Northbound

After leaving Dani and southern California behind we headed back north to do some hiking in Yosemite. Last year we took the 5 to Fresno and into the park from the west, this year we opted on the eastern route on the 395. (please notice my California way of referring to interstates and highways by just their #)

It was pretty much a long straight road that looked like this:

I did most of the driving this day...

...so Steve could get some work done, and while I'm not 100% sure, I think he did a little Tiny Zoo playing.

Out first stop was at the base of the southern end of the Sierra Nevadas. 

Oh it makes my heart sing! I just love the mountains.

We stopped by a grocery store to replenish our cooler in a cute little town of Bishop, CA. Love it! We decided we could move there, plus the town has a Ben Franklin!!

Our destination that night was a little town called Lee Vining, before reaching our motel we stopped at Mono Lake, home of the tufas. You may have see the inside album cover of Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here, or the White Snake video- both with the tufas as their backdrop.

I have to say they were pretty cool.

In Lee Vining we stayed at a cute little place called the El Mono Motel. We chose a room with a queen size bed and the bathroom down the hall; what a great coffee house for our morning coffee and chat with new friends. 

The view from the small side lawn wasn't too shabby either.

We stayed one night and then leisurely made out way the next morning into Yosemite National Park through the Tioga Pass. Beautiful and at 9,945 feet is was a great way to begin to acclimate our bodies to higher elevation before we did some hiking.

Since I have spent most of my summer inside and Steve most of his outside, our thoughts on a relaxing vacation vary; with this in mind I promised our first full day in Yosemite would be still. Tuolume Meadows are beautiful.
We grabbed our blanket and laid it out under the trees, near the river for a good part of the morning and afternoon. Steve worked on some writing he needed to do and I read, napped, planned a few hikes and explored the river bank.

The granite landscape is sharp among a place that softens my soul. I wish I could explain it but when I am in the mountains of Yosemite I feel at home, as if nothing else matters but that very second.
My eyes see the beauty,
my lungs feel it.
My heart never wants to leave it.
Perhaps its the fact that I have no worries, no responsibilities, no noise, no demands, just me, Steve and a road that leads to wherever we choose.

I stand in awe of the amazingness of my God. The artful design in the mountain tops as they rise and fall in musical beauty against a perfect sky. 

We arrived at Housekeeping Camp that afternoon, made up our bed and loaded our food into our bear box; we jumped onto the Valley Shuttle and visited the Yosemite Cemetery and grabbed some pizza at the pizza loft.

That night we snuggled down under our electric blanket to the quiet of the valley and the peace we enjoy in just being there.

Stay tuned for pictures of our hikes and our time in San Francisco and Sonoma Valley, until then life beckons...
Shalom to you all,

Today I am...

If you are reading this then I am long gone from my flat seaside home in Florida.
I am most likely driving on CA-120 west toward Tuolumne Meadows, pronounced too-all-oh-me.

If all goes as planned we just stayed the night near Mono Lake and woke up from our queen size room with a bath down the hall, grabbed a cup of coffee and drove around dreaming of retiring there while running our own motel or something.

I'm on day 2 of an outfit I will wear until Sunday and the sunny days and chilly nights on Southern California are a thing of the past as we prepare to snuggle down tonight between two sleeping bags with our electric blanket keeping us warm in the 30-something degree night air that lies ahead.

This is "our time".
Time for Steve and I.
Alone.
Quiet with no "quick runs to beachside" to fix this or that,
no school pick ups or drop offs.
No meetings, no TV, no noise.
No 12 hour days, no 6 day work weeks;
no, just us.

Perhaps by now I am laying out our sleeping bag to serve as our picnic blanket and our "home" for the next several hours as we lay out napping and talking, enjoying the 8,000 foot elevation and the scenery to die for.

I won't make Steve hike today, no that will come tomorrow.
Today is our day to enjoy the high country.
To enjoy each other.

So I wanted to check in and let you all know life is good, really good for me right now.

If you have a Bucket List, this should be on it.
Must be on it.
Yosemite National Park is beautiful, and if you come with your favorite guest of choice, a super relaxed schedule it will be a pace that will remain in your heart forever.

Soon...

... we will escape to our happy place.
Just Steve and I.
My heart dances with excitement.

See that small dome on the center-right, just to the right of Half-Dome? 
She is just barely poking her head up; I plan to hike her.
Fresh air.
Quiet.
Wide open spaces.
Thank You Lord, Maker of heaven and earth.