Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park offers beautiful views of the valley below. We visited there today after work to take in the view and for a short hike. The hike was great, but we were bummed because the sign at the beginning said the falls were 1.5 miles away, but at the 1.5 mile mark there was another sign that said they were another .9 miles. By that point the sun was going down so we had to head back. We finished in nearly total darkness, with a beautiful view of the stars.
Today we went into Yosemite for the first time. After getting settled in we decided to do the Vernal Falls hike.
Today we went out exploring, looking for a hike. I thought we had a place picked out, but when we got there it was closed due to fire restoration. We drove on and found a 50ft hike to an overlook. In California they call them vistas. I think we were supposed to be able to see a mountain peak, but it was covered in clouds, maybe.
On Wednesday we moved from Dillon Beach to Oakhurst, CA, in the vicinity of Yosemite National Park. We had to pack up out of the house in Dillon Beach, move, and then get the RV back to normal. It was a little more than normal because Susan did a lot of laundry at the house.
Today we visited Pebble Beach, where our campground friends mentioned that we could go to look for cool rocks, agates, specifically. It took us a minute to find the spot, but once we did the mining commenced. We did find some cool pebbles and sea glass.
Today we did the hike that I have been looking for since we have been here. About 30 minutes from our campground is Stout Grove, an old-growth Redwood grove that has been spared by the logging industry. It was just a 1/2 mile hike, but it took us nearly 2 hours because of the beauty and fun of the old and fallen trees.
Today we celebrated Andrew’s 14th birthday. This morning he opened our present, a new camera. He has been excited about taking pictures on our trip and we found a nice point & shoot camera for him to use.
In the afternoon we went to Trees a Mystery, a big-tree park about 30 minutes south of where we are staying. Andrew was really torn between that and bowling. I think he made the right choice.
For dinner we had Skyline. That was followed by a carmel-explosion cake that he and Susan concocted. It was really good.
Andrew at 14 continues to be a pleasant, positive presence in our lives. He is enthusiastic about life and embraces new opportunities openly. His hobbies and interests remain largely the same: music, sports, games, reading. On the trip he has been maintaining his own blog, which is interesting and I think has him thinking about things a little differently.
Favorite song: heavydirtysoul by Twenty-One Pilots
Favorite color: Orange
Favorite food: Skyline
Favorite band:Twenty-One Pilots
Favorite book: Harry Potter 7
Favorite sport: Soccer
Favorite movie: Jurassic Park
This afternoon we explored the beaches around Crescent City. First we hit Crescent Beach, just south of town. The waves are compressed here and it is a popular surfing spot. We hung out on the beach for a while watching the surfers. Then we headed to Point St. George, an old archaeological site where there is interesting beach access and some hiking trails.
One thing that I think is really cool about Seaside is that it is the area where Lewis & Clark finished their journey. Today we paid a visit to Lewis & Clark National Historical Park, which is really a collection of several national and state parks in the area. There is a great visitors center at Ft. Clatsop, which is a replica of the fort that the Corps of Discovery build for their winter stay.
Lewis & Clark embody many of the same principles that are part of our lives as well, especially on this trip. They loved nature and being outside. They liked to explore new places and learn about the plants and animals. They also met many new people and connected with many different cultures.
Today we went back into town to get our car sticker and to play at the beach. Andrew and I had the chance to reenact some honeymoon photos. One of the best things about being in Seaside is that I have such fond memories of being here on our honeymoon, even though we were only here for a short time.
At the beach, the older kids watched Rose while Susan and I went for a run. Then we all worked on a sand castle until we went hunting for sand dollars.
