On to Yosemite

October 2, 2012--- Tuesday

After a good night's sleep in a nice Motel 6 in Willows, California, we drove from Willows to a KOA about 23 miles from the entrance of Yosemite.

We drive through Sacramento to Stockton on highway 99.  This was a very busy, busy stretch of highway that Don did not like very much. 

We got to the campground about 2:30 ish.  After checking in and setting up camp, we drove the canyon road to the park for a look see.

I said it was 23 miles to the park entrance... but it took us 50-60 minutes to make it inside the park. 
The is a narrow, well traveled road along the Merced River.  It is a very beautiful drive, but somewhat narley.

One place we had to stop at a stop light to go on a one lane road because the road we were to take was under a rock slide.

The closer we got to the park, the bigger the bolders in the river got.

We entered the park at arch rock entrance where we went under outcropping of rocks.

 

 

Next, driving about 10 or so more miles into the park, we see El Capitan..... hard not to notice!!!

 

 

I will write more about this mountain later.

 

We drove on into the village to check out bike rental for tomorrow.  We noticed that there were a lot of people here.  Can't even think how it is in the summer.  Also, there are a lot of foreign travelers speaking several different languages!  We felt like we may have been in another country!

 

We drove back to camp to rest and get ready for the next day's adventure.

 

October 3, 2012---Wednesday...

We got up pretty early because we decided we would ride the commuter bus into the park this day.

Turns out that many people ride the bus to work inside the park daily.

The bus came about 8:15ish.  It took us a while to get into the park because it stoped several times along the way.  Don enjoyed the ride because he could enjoy the views. 

 

We got off at Yosemite Lodge and rented bicycles for the day.  These are "old fashion bikes"  with foot brakes and no gears, but very fun to ride.  This was a good way to explore the valley.  We rode the entire loop of the valley, about 12 miles.

 

You could get off your bike and hike a few trails and no one would bother your bike.  We hike a couple of trails.  One going to lower Yosemite falls, which was not running and to Mirror lake, which did not have any water in it.  It had been a really dry year here.

There were, however very good close up views of "half dome".

 

 

 

Don is pointing where lower Yosemite falls would be if it were running.

 

 

This is a view of half dome from the mirror lake location.

 

We rode on  into Curry Village where there is a "tent city" but we decided that was not for us.

 

 

Don and I with our Bikes....

 

 

Another view of half dome.  It was a little hazy this day bacause there was an active forest fire in another part of the park.  Still impressive!

 

This is a buck deer we saw while riding around the village.  He totally ignored us.

 

 

 Here is a coyote that we saw while on our bikes.  He was crossing the road when we caught site of him.

 

Then just as were about ready to turn in our bikes and catch the bus back to the campground, we happen upon a black bear right in the valley. 

 

 

The bear decides to climb a tree.

 

 

Here he is starting to climb the tree.

 

 

He ended up climbing to nearly the top of the tree.

 

After watching him for a while, we decide it is time to turn in the bikes and catch the bus back to camp.  We really had fun riding around Yosemite Valley.

 

Tomorrow we will drive into the park and explore points outside the valley.

 

 





Leaving highway 101

October 1, 2012--Monday continued.........

Just before getting to Eureka, we headed east on Highway 199....... We are cutting across California and will rejoin I 5.

This was a very beautiful drive, but with steep and curvy mountain roads.  We went from near sea level to over 3000 ft passes.

We also went from a morning temperature of around 50 degrees to a high of 104 near Willows, California, where we spent the night.  Quite a difference.

 

More views on H 199

 

 Pretty slow going on part of this highway with delays because of consturction work.  Not a fan of having to stop on the down hill side of a mountain.  We finally made it to I 5 where the going was a little faster.

We passed several olive groves.  If it had not been so late, we might have stopped for olive tasting.

 

 

California has a lot of people (some rather wierd) and they grow just about everything here.  All along the highway there crops of all kinds.

 



Redwoods, Day 2

October 1, 2012---Monday

After spending the night, we drive on south through the part of the Redwoods that are along the highway. 
After driving not too far, we stopped to view the "Big Tree"

 

Don and Amy in front of "Big Tree"

 

This sign speaks for itself.

 

 

"Big Tree"

 

 

After viewing the big tree, we continue on down the highway.  We get to an area where there are many cars pulled over so we stoped to see what everyone is looking at.  There is a group of Bull Elk walking in a lagoon.  Very interesting.

 

 

 

Just down from where this group of bulls were, we found a bull elk with his group of cow elk.

We continue viewing the elk then continue on down the highway 101 before taking off on Highway 199 just before we got to Eureka....

 

Redwoods National Park

September 30, 2012----

The first things we notice once we enter California is that the gas prices are very high!!! 
We stop in the middle of the afternoon at the Redwoods KOA which is nice with a grove of redwood trees on the property.  We were early enough, that after we got camp set up, we went exploring!
We used directions given to us by the office for a drive through the redwood forest.  It was a little hard to find so was glad we had good directions.  We drove on a very narrow road through a gate that started the Redwood National/State park. 
Words and pictures can not do justice with what we saw .  At first the trees did not seem so big, then all of a sudden there they were, huge, very tall and with wide trunks.  This road wound through the trees, some places the 4-runner barely fit.
The first place we stopped was a tree all hollowed out to the top.  We actually went inside the tree itself, looking up we could see the hole out the top!

 

 

We are inside the tree looking up!

Don Standing outside the hollow tree.

 

One view of the forest!

 

 

One of the huge trees....

 

 

We got out of the car for a little walk.  How quiet it was!  These trees are old and some of them are over 300 ft tall.  Even with the sun shinning, it was fairly dark in the forest.

 

 

We stop here and walk through this grove of trees.

 

 

I am standing beside on of the trees.

 

 

We enjoyed our time in this part of the redwoods even though we were a little "road weary".

 

 

 

 

 

 



Our time in Oregon

September 27, 2012---Thursday--

We will leave Washington today after spending a lot of time here.

We headed towards Portland, OR but got off interstate before that city.  We crossed the Columbia River in an industrial area.

 

 

Bridge over the Columbia River.

 

We headed west until we hit Highway 101 again heading south along the coast of Oregon.

This highway, although a very pretty drive, is filled with traffic and many bikers, as in bicycles!

We drove through dairy farm land.  We also noticed that they wrap the hay bales.

One of the views of the ocean from the highway.

 

This is a view of the wrapped hay bales.

 

We finally make it to Newport, Oregon where we will spend a few days for rest, grocery shopping, and doing laundry.  This is a busy seaside town.  After setting up camp at South Beach state park, we take a walk on the beach which is a short walk from the camp ground.

 

 

 

We spent part of the evening watching a wind surfer take on the ocean.

 

The next morning we took a three mile walk, part in the campground, part on the trails to the beach, and part on the beach.

 

 

This is the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse.  This is the lighthouse and living quarters that was in use only three years.  A new lighthouse was built in a better location.  It was pretty interesting how they restored it from an almost distroyed building to a nice historic site.

 

After visiting this lighthouse, we ate at a nice resturant called Newport Cafe.  They had a great senior menu where we ate a good serving of popcorn shrimp for only $5.00 each.  We went back again the next day.  Best deal in town!

After lunch we headed to the Yaquina Head Lighthouse, but the fog rolled in and we couldn't see anything so we decided to come back the next day.

 

Luck was with us the next day.  It was clear at the light house and views were great.

 

 

This lighthouse replaced the one we saw before.  It is still in use, but automatic.  We went inside and walked the stairs to the top.  The wind was really blowing out there!

Don and I walked on the black lava rock beach down from the lighthouse.

 

This beach does not have sand, this is small lava rocks that rattle together to make a noise as the waves go out.

 

 

We spent part of the time here viewing the harbor seals swimming and laying in the sun.

 

After spending 3 nights in Newport, OR, it is time to head down the highway towards California.  We continue along highway 101 with ocean views most of the way.

 

We stopped at one point and watched these wind surfers take on the waves.  They used a different type of sail than the ones in Newport.

I had to hold on to my hat to keep it from bolowing off!  Views were beautiful.

 

 

Don in front of the many rocks we saw along the way.

 

We crossed into California this afternoon and decided to camp at the Redwoods KOA outside of Crescent City, CA. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mt. Rainier National Park

September 26, 2012---Wednesday.....

We ended  staying in a state park about 50 miles away from the Mt. Rainier National Park.  The day we visited the park, we got up and drove into the park, spending the day there before driving back to the campground.

The day started out foggy but after we got out of the river valley, it cleared up nicely! We thought at this point that we might actually see the peak of Mt. Rainier.  Like many mountains, it makes its own weather and many people do not get to see the peak.

Entering the park. 

 

As we drive into the park, we start going up and up.  We ended up driving up the mountain.  Steep, curvy roads lead us to Paradise visitor's center.  There were turnouts along the way with views of the peak.  It is a good day for the mountain, with clear views all the way to the top.

 

Don and I pose in front of the peak on the way up the side of the mountain.

By the time we get to the visitor's center, we will be quite close to the peak.

 

Once at the visitor's center, we take off and walk some of the paved trails on up the mountain.  In summer, this parking lot is overflowing with cars!  There were still a lot of people here, but not near as many as in the summer peak.

 

 

One of the alpine meadows we saw.

 

 

 

 

 

Some black tail deer that were right on the trail!..

 

Don in front of the Peak!

 

 

Who is this mountain climber!  We had such a beautiful day for our visit to Mt. Rainier!