So we finally got the national park at 12:30am... I was able to snag a couple of camping sites in the actual park! People had cancelled! (Why? Losers!!) I have decided that despite the very nerve racking switchbacks on the mountains, this could easily be my favorite place in the world! (If I sit in the back seat, I can manage it!). The kids had an amazing time exploring, swimming, hiking and eating!! If it had wifi, they may have stayed... But as a present to Ray, I managed to bribe a manager at the Wawona hotel for their code so he could check his birthday messages. The first day we went down to the valley.... Oh just look at the pictures below! There is too much to explain!!
This is the view of Half Dome and El Capitan, the 2 big "rocks" in the valley of Yosemite! We went hiking around the valley, stopped at the most beautiful waterfalls, views, lodges and shops. You could seriously live there.
Yes.... There was some jumping off a bridge! I think Ray just wanted to impress some girls and Maeve just wanted to be as rough as Ray and Nolan!
Not to be outdone... Molly jumped off this large rock!
Saturday morning... We greated Ray with a surprise birthday breakfast! He woke up to balloons all over his tent and donuts!
Lunch included cupcakes on Glacier Point with magnificent views and lots more Rocks for Molly to climb!
Half Dome in the distance with a gorgeous triple water fall! Bridal Veil, I believe.
More swimming until a "storm" rolled in. It drizzled for like a half hour and the whole valley went into a standstill... Including hours long traffic to the lodge for dinner which is usually a 30 second trip. (These summer visitors haven't been to Chicago!)
At Yosemite lodge, Ray got his traditional birthday ribs! And so did everyone else!
We drove back up to the Wawona hotel on the rim of the valley and near where we were camping. We say on the porch and had desert.... And Ray used the wifi!
Sunday morning, and before we drove away, we took one last hike, this time to Mariposa to see the giant sequoias. It was cold and raining but after the desert, I will never, ever complain about rain!
We hiked and saw some fantastic hundreds of year old trees. Molly was astounded!
Had to take some selfies with that scary girl in the back... Where did she come from?
Oh there she is... Cute again!
Now, Sunday we are headed to San Francisco but camping in the ocean town of Pacifica. I guess we will have an ocean view but no power... I could care less though... None of us have showered in 4 days and this place has running water and bathrooms. (Thank god... Molly is quite taken with peeing outside. I may have to install an outdoor bathroom when we get home!)
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