June 5, 2010 – Day 1
8:00a ~ Want to leave by 11am, but realistically know it will be more like 1pm. Pack suitcases, be sure not to forget any Diabetes supplies (see here.)
1:00p ~ Load the car and were on our way.
4:15p ~ Sudden traffic on the I-5, smoke billows over our heads and fire engines race up the median. Car fire.
6:00p ~ Arrive at Harris Ranch, check in, eat cookies. Make reservation for dinner.
8:00p ~ Dinner. Prime Rib, Yum nothing like beef! Vegetarians, you have no idea what you’re missing.
9:15p ~ Swimming, there is a slightly pungent cow odor in the air overwhelming the scent of chlorine. After a long day in the car, the pool feels awesome. Meet a lovely couple from Madera, they are at Harris Ranch for a wedding reception.
10:30p ~ Low blood sugar, could be from swimming? Snarf down a chocolate dipped coconut macaroon and some chamomile tea; wait aren’t all macaroons coconut?
June 6, 2010 – Day 2
9:00a ~ Head to breakfast. Check out time is 11a, so there is no need to hurry. Belgian waffle, Yum with strawberries.
11:00a ~ Check out and hit the road. We will need to stop in Fresno to get groceries to stock the cooler.
1:30p ~ Super Walmart! We make it as far as the hygiene aisles when the cell phone is suddenly glued to Mr. Harer’s ear. I assume it is his mom, so I browse up and down the aisles. Hmmm this conversation is taking too long, what is going on?
1:45p ~ I overhear him saying flooding and asking about our 2nd reservation. Uh-Oh this isn’t good. We’ve been watching the weather reports and knew the Merced was flooding but never expected it to affect us.
2:15p ~ After some drama with dead cell phone batteries and reconnecting with a live operator we are assured that we will have a place to stay tonight, just not in the Housekeeping Camp, it is flooded. As for tomorrow reservations, wait and pray.
2:16p ~ In the middle of the Super Walmart soda aisle, “dear Lord, please look over us and don’t allow our vacation to be ruined, make the weather cooler, so the river will not continue to flood.”
3:00p ~ I am starving, Oh goody there is a Sonic Burger in the Super Walmart parking lot. I love Sonic and we don’t have one anywhere near home.
5:14p ~ Approaching the Wawona Tunnel. First glimpse of Yosemite. It always takes my breath away. I hop and squirm in my seat, so excited (and I have to pee.)
5:45p ~ See a deer with furry antlers, that means it is a boy. Bridal Veil Falls is so alluring in the late afternoon sunshine, we stop to take some pictures.
6:10p ~ STOP! Mr. Harer looks over at me like I’ve lost my mind, swerves to the curbs and glares out the window. “Shhhh a bear,” I whisper. There in the meadow, just a few feet from the road is a Black Bear. Now Mr. Harer and I have seen a few bear in Yosemite before, but never manage to have the camera handy. This time was no exception. “Darn!” I exclaim as the bear saunters off into the woods.
6:45p ~ There is a long line to check in at Curry Village. I keep reminding myself to be thankful we have a place to stay tonight. The counter staff is very nice, although many people in line do not share the same pleasantries.
7:32p ~ Finally get to our tent. We have never stayed in Curry Village, so this is kind of exciting and kind of disappointing. It is cool that there are sheets for the bed, and fresh towels and the room is maintained by a maid. The bear lockers, however are not so cool. Our cooler doesn’t fit. I hoof it back to registration to find out what can be done.
8:15p ~ Stow our cooler in an non-locking community bear locker and unpack the car. Since we won’t be using our sleeping bag, or cooking accompaniments. We don’t have much to unpack, NOT!
9:30p ~ I am starving, the only thing open is the Curry Village Bar and Pizzeria. So pizza it is, and it is the best tasting Pizza ever! Nighttime in Yosemite is animal time and I get a rare glimpse of a Raccoon. I will call him Robert, because he kinda looks like this guy I used to work with at Macy’s. Anyway, he is stealing an empty ranch dressing packet, that someone missed tossing in the bear proof (and raccoon proof) trash can.
11:00p ~ Bedtime
Join us tomorrow for Day 3 and 4.
No comments:
Post a Comment