Our next stop was Yosemite National Park. As I mentioned in the previous post, I successfully got out of camping for two nights in the park. Ryan was able to find availability at the Valley Lodge. I was beyond thrilled to avoid camping.
People had told me Yosemite was beautiful, and I believed them. But words do no justice for how beautiful it really is. I give Yosemite lots of credit, it made me appreciate nature more, and realize that maybe it's not so bad hiking and exploring. It is also where I learned, bugs swarm around negativity.
Ryan had already chosen our first hike location. We found the parking lot, parked BEAR, got everything ready, and I started following the crowds of people to the hiking path. Ryan says, "we're not doing that hike." I should have known! We went in the opposite direction, walking along the road until we found this abandoned "old carriage path" and began our hike. Seriously!?! I very kindly asked Ryan repeated times if this was actually a hiking path. As the hike continued, and the negative thoughts began, the bugs began to swarm. As I swatted at bugs, I asked Ryan if he had a problem with bugs swarming around his head. He said he did not, and maybe it was my negativity that was attracting them. Nice one.
We finally reached the "top" and our picnic view. I'll give Ryan credit, it was a pretty amazing spot for a picnic. It was nice to not be around the crowds, and to enjoy some quite time. The hike was worth it.
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| This picture makes my heart happy. Sitting on Dad's lap enjoying a snack with a view. |
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Artist Point.
Good job, Ryan, you found a pretty fantastic hike with a wonderful view. |
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| Family photo opportunity. Thanks to Ryan's excellent use of the camera timer. |
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| After much searching, he found the perfect rock! |
The following day was our grueling hike. We started early and approximately eight hours later we finished. We chose Four Mile Hike up to Glacier Point. Four miles up, four miles down, eight miles, correct? Incorrect. Four mile hike is actually 4.6 miles, apparently 4.6 mile hike isn't as catchy. Add in our hike from our lodge to the trailhead and back, we were at 12.5 miles.
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| Ryan has a hike tracker on his watch. The red line was our hike. Notice all the zig zags, those were all the switch backs we took back and forth, all the way up the mountain. |
I tend to take lots of pictures during difficult hikes, it is my way off documenting I am actually in nature, hiking. It is also my way of working in breaks. :) When you are hiking for 12.5 miles, you start to learn a few tricks. Here is the catch though, our hike to Glacier Point wasn't even necessary!! We could have jumped on a bus, or driven BEAR to Glacier Point. I knew this before we began the hike, and brushed it off. After hiking for nearly 5 hours, when you reach the top and see people hopping off a bus or jumping out of a car all calm, collected and not drenched in sweat, you get a bit bitter. And you guessed it, bugs were swarming around my negativity. :) I found a nice little shaded area to sit with Henry, and noticed a lovely little family sitting in the best possible area, they had shade and the PERFECT view of Half Dome. The cute couple and small toddler were far too refreshed looking to have hiked all the way to the top, they must have taken the bus. No, ma'am. If I hiked all the way to the top, I was going to have the best view for our lunch. I used my best mental powers to "scare" them away, and it actually worked! They decided it was time to pack up and jump back on the bus. I quickly gathered up Henry and all our belongings and claimed my well earned prize.
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| After claiming our location, it was time for a diaper change. I hope Henry realizes how cool he is to have his diaper changed on a boulder with Half Dome in the background. |
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| We made it back down the mountain, Henry was free from the hiking backpack. For being in the backpack so long, he did an amazing job. And major credit to Ryan for carrying Henry on his back. The child is no longer a lightweight. |
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| Life is good again. Everyone is showered, refreshed and ready for dinner! |
Our last morning in Yosemite, we decided on a short hike before driving to Monterey. I looked through the papers and guide book and chose Mirror Lake. A short, paved path to a lake. Perfect? No, friends. Mirror Lake was no longer a lake, it was a puddle. Oh well, it was nice to stretch our legs before the drive. It has already been decided we will return to Yosemite, not anytime soon, but in the future. From the mountains, to the sea, next destination, Monterey!
If you want to see all our pictures from Yosemite click on the link to our:
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