Day 15

Day 15 Today didn’t turn out quite as planned. We all slept in again and had a leisurly breakfast outside at the picnic table. The weather was wonderful and we enjoyed just hanging out. We made our way to the rim of the Grand Canyon around noon to visit the Visitors Center. We noticed a large table set up by Canon. Both our camera and my Dad’s camera are SLR Canons so we decided to visit to see what was up. It turns out that it was a promotional deal by Canon where they offer a free photography class, even loaning cameras and lenses to practice. We spent about an hour and a half with our group leader learning about capabilities of our camera that we didn’t know existed. It was actually vey informative and fun and we learned a ton of information. They actually even email you all of the pictures you took and allow you to print some of the shots you took. They even had a small camera for Grant to use and he actually took some pretty good shots with it. After that we went for a 2 mile hike along the rim of the Canyon. They have a shuttle bus system that will bring you back from the different spots you can hike to. There was of course the typical idiots who were crossing barricades to go out on the very edge of the canyon for that daring picture. The kids were tired at this point and we drove to one of the lodges for them to have ice cream. It wasn’t very good and the kids were acting up so we went back to the campsite early. Amy and I were able to get away for a nice walk while the kids played hide and seek with my parents. A relaxing evening that we needed because we have decided to conduct what we call a long range bombing mission home. That means driving back nonstop. It will save a day before I have to go back to work, but driving that far nonstop with a trailer can be fatiguing.

Day 14

Day 14 We got into Las Vegas by Henrie late. A series of ill timed bathroom stops and diaper changes made for a long day. We stayed up and chatted for a while and then crashed out. Again, it was nice to sleep in an actual bed and take a real hot shower for a change. Interestingly, the same cold front that brought the rain to Yosemite caused an unseasonably cool spell in Vegas. It was actually in the 80’s when we arrived and felt quite nice. We all slept in more than usual and then got up to go do some shopping. We restocked on most essentials and went to visit Henries wife Andrea at work. For some reason I did not realize the length of the drive from Vegas to the Grand Canyon. As the crow flies, it isn’t that far, but the route takes you on and end around sort of way. We passed through miles and miles of desert and approached the Grand Canyon area. One change is that you no longer drive over the Hoover damn. They have built a bridge to bypass it. I guess they are worried about Al Queda or some such. We arrived in the Grand Canyon area in the dark and managed to work the trailer into the small pad in the dark. It looks to be a very nice campsite and the weather is wonderful. Tomorrow should be a leisurely day at the Grand Canyon.

Day 12

Day 12 The weather was with us today. We got up early and made a pancake breakfast and fished a bit more. We caught another half dozen trout and then headed into the park. It is quite a bit more crowded today, but it is nice not having to deal with people driving crazy in the rain. We caught a shuttle bus to the trail head and began our hike which lasted in total about 5 miles. It was a trail with some easy grades that winds through the Northeast portion of Yosemite Valley and gave some very nice views of the surrounds granite cliffs and scenery. The kids did well on the hike and Harris actually walked about 2 miles himself. The views and the sounds of running water were very relaxing. It was a bit cool but felt good, once you got going. On the way back, like an idiot, I actually made a wrong turn and started down the wrong trail. Grant luckily recognized an interesting rock along the correct path and alerted us before we had gone too far. We finished the hike tired, but in a good way. We went to the one of the campground cafes and the kids and others had ice cream and I had a cup of coffee. My Dad got lost when we headed back to the bus stop and there was actually cell phone service in this spot. I had my phone off for the past few days. When I turned the phone on to call my Dad, the flood of texts and emails that reminded me of the world I temporarily left behind made me instantly regret turning it on. We finally found him and enjoyed a relaxing drive back to the Mariposa grove, which is a stand of ancient giant Sequoia trees. As you drive amongst them, the sheer enormity of the trees make you feel as if you are a character from a children’s fantasy book in a forest setting. The kids were exhausted at this point and we made a quick dinner and got everyone to bed. Tomorrow begins the long journey home.

Day 11

Day 11 Rain. That was the theme for today. We actually got up early and Grant, Alex, Amy and I broke out the fishing poles to go fishing in the creek that runs by the campsite. It is teaming with trout and we figured we should try our hand at it. We initially started out using artificial spoons and eventually caught a couple of trout. A little while later, Grant made friends with a boy fishing further down and found out powerbait was working well for him so we tried that. It was like they were addicted to crack. We caught like seven of the trout and my Mom cleaned them and we seasoned them to have for supper. We got to the park a bit late after the morning of fishing and decided to start out on a 5 mile trail. We knew there was a 30% chance of rain that day but decided to try it anyhow. It actually started out nice, but when we got about ¾ of a mile down the trail the rains came. At first we tried to press on, but things just got worse. A downpour began with thunder and lightning and everyone became soaked. We decided to head back down to the main area of the valley which included the visitor center. We watched some visitor informational films, and had some coffee and hot cocoa at the restaurant. The rain only got worse so we continued on the winding, wet road out of the park and back to the campsite. When we got back, the rain let up a bit, so Grant, Alex and I went fishing again and managed to catch another half dozen trout. We cleaned these fish and put them in the freezer for later. The rain has come with some cold temperatures and as we retreat for the night, the temperature has already dipped into the high 30’s. It’s going to be a cold night.

Day10

“Everyone needs beauty as well as bread, places to play and pray in, where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul alike.” John Muir. The Yosemite Valley is everything Jon Muir promised. After a morning at the campsite in which we were awoken by the sounds of running water and birds chirping, we made our way into the park. The Yosemite Valley is only 30 miles via park roads from the campsite, but due to the twisting winding nature of the roads, it takes about an hour to get there. Once you descend into the valley, it is like nothing you have ever seen. Sheer granite walls extend around you and you feel enveloped in nature’s beauty. A quick glance around revealed multiple waterfalls pouring forth from the picturesque backdrop, like honey pouring from God’s own jar. We took the site in for a while and began our hike. We had stopped at the visitor center nearest our campsite and the Ranger recommended some good day hikes in the valley. We began with a popular hike up to a waterfall. The trail is wide and crowded but actually becomes fairly strenuous as you ascend a series of 600 stone steps that can be wet and slippery to get to the top of the waterfall. Much of the trail to get there was uphill, and the kids became fairly tired. We stopped a little early for lunch of sandwiches and Grant met a little kid and they ran and played hide and go seek among the granite boulders. The stone step portion of the hike was fairly treacherous to do with the kids. We held there hands tightly and pressed on. We actually did not go to the top as the steps got narrower and the kids were having some difficulty. We began the long downhill journey back, and my Dad, who has some bad knees, and I with that sprained ankle had some difficulty. We stopped at an ice cream shop and enjoyed some ice cream for our troubles. We then spent some time just relaxing. Yosemite Valley is very crowded and that does detract from its solitude somewhat, but is possible to find a spot to take in the smell of redwoods, combined with the fresh air and the sounds of nature. There is something about the way you feel enveloped in all of that that makes one feel at peace. We stopped in a meadow at the foot of El Capitan Mountain and watched rock climbers scale the immense sheer cliff. I am not sure how those folks do that sort of thing for fun, but it’s amazing to watch nonetheless. We then enjoyed a picturesque, scenic drive home in near perfect weather. We got back and Amy and my Mom whipped up some delicious supper and got some

Day 9

Day 9 I noticed that a bracket on the trailer frame that is designed to prevent damage to the plumbing in scrape situations had broken apart in the near rollover. Henrie who is quite the mechanic luckily had a welder and was nice enough to fix it for me. We had a nice lazy morning and ate breakfast and went shopping for supplies for the next few days as we make our way on to Yosemite. We were running a bit behind schedule and towing was a bear. I15 was closed for construction, so we had to detour around much of downtown Vegas on side streets. We emerged from Vegas to cross the Mojave desert in 102 heat on long grades with a 20-30 mph headwind. As you can imagine, the Sequoia was drinking gasoline like a drunken sailors rum. The drive crossed more high desert into California, but changed abruptly to miles and miles of farmland as we entered the San Joaquin Valley. At one point we were under 5mpg. We stopped for gas and dinner but booked it as far as the driving goes today. Mummy also bought a large box of cherries from some road side vendors. Unfortunately, by the time we arrived at our campsite in Yosemite, it was dark and it is very difficult to back the trailer into a tiny spot in the dark, with scattered posts and concrete hazards. We finally got it done, but as we were unhooking (the road is a narrow one lane deal so the car blocks it as you back in) some foreigner pulled up in his car and started screaming that he needed to get by. He looked like some type of Euro and was shrimpy. I glared at him and told him “its camping dude, calm down” He flipped out and ran into the woods to whatever campsite he was trying to get to and left his car in the street. He then came back a second time and continued his rant. Damn foreigners. We were all tired and frustrated and my fuse on this guy was almost up. He managed to squeeze his car by and drove on his way. There are no hookups at this campsite and we will need to be diligent about conserving water and battery.

Day 8

Day 8 We got a bit later start than normal. We planned on doing some hiking in the morning in Zion, but the weather had other plans. It was extremely hot and by the time we started walking it was in the mid nineties. The kids began to whither and complain about the heat and being tired. We decided to let them swim in the little stream that circulates around the campground area while Amy and I hiked up the Watchman trail. This is a trail that winds around some sheer cliffs and leads to an observation point that overlooks the valley. It was very hot and got even hotter as we ascended the rocks up the trail. Poor Amy began to waver a bit in the heat and we decided to turn around. I figure a heat exhaustion episode would not bode well for the next few days. We headed back to meet up with my parents and they had already taken the kids to complete their Junior Ranger badges. The kids were very excited and pleased to show us their badges. We ate lunch in the RV and headed down out of the valley. We stopped for gas and to dump the trailer waste tank. The road of the valley led us out into the high desert to make our way to Vegas. My cousin Henrie and his wife Andrea live there as he is stationed at the local Air Force base. We stopped off at his house and visited for while. It was good to see Henrie again. Henrie grew up with us after the age of twelve and was like another brother to me. We chatted and caught up while the kids ( they have an 11 year old) wrestled downstairs. We went out to eat and went home sleepy with full bellies. It is interesting to see another side of Vegas other than the strip which is what most people know.