The Beauty of California

How do you capture an entire week filled with some of the most beautiful landscape and wonderful people?  This worked for Diane and me.  First, we traveled through the foothills of the Sierra mountain range, finding places like Calaveras County (think Mark Twain).  We camped one night at a reservoir campground run by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management).  This place was amazing; campsites for over 160 RV’s (there were a total of five there the night we stayed).  The stars we gazed at in lieu of a fire (caused by the severe drought) were not hidden by ambient light from any nearby cities.  We were unaware that within a mile or so was the cabin Mark Twain lived in while experiencing jumping frogs and the gold rush of 1849.  The next day we made it to Yosemite National Park; an unequalled “Oh, my….” kind of place (that’s what you say each time you look up).  One evening’s campfire at the “Whealhouse” was attended by a National Park volunteer named Al (who has worked all over the country), a couple from Wales, Cherry and Rufus (last visit to the US was in the late 60’s – and, yes, they remembered it) and a young lady named Sarah, enjoying some travel before settling down (recently graduated from Harvard).  The next day we met a young couple from Switzerland, traveling with their 18 month old daughter, and a Navy couple from San Diego, Greg and Erin.  That evening’s fire was every bit as enjoyable as the first.

Diane and I agree that Yosemite is, without doubt, our favorite National Park.  John Muir called it “God’s Tabernacle” and was right on.  Huge trees, majestic granite, gushing waterfalls (though the tap was turned off this year) and great wildlife – even apart from the campfires.  Our drive through the Tuolumne Meadows and Tioga Pass (elevation 9945) yesterday began another day of amazement as we drove down the Owens Valley and stumbled upon Manzanar , one of the relocation camps in WW2 used to hold 10,000 Japanese (most of whom were US citizens at the time).  A humbling place and a must see to get a perspective on what can happen when a government acts before thinking.  We ended the day at Lone Pine Campground at the foot of Mt Whitney, tallest mountain in the 48 states.  Our living room never has looked better than early this morning with the sun coming up over the hills separating us from Death Valley.  It’s amazing to be within a couple hour’s drive from the highest and lowest points in the US. 

I know I didn’t intend this to become a “travel brochure”, but our trip has shown us incredible beauty in our country (which we’d hoped would happen)… we’re 4,000 miles into the drive and we’re halfway at this point!!!  The next few days are beside a lovely lake in southern California (Lake Skinner) where it’s currently 98 above!!!  San Diego beckons next week before we turn the “Whealhouse” toward the east, sort of…