Gone West 13

Yosemite and the Sequoia National Parks

We turned upwards as we left the area around the South of Lake heading along the Interstate Highway 50, we left the 50 and headed along the 89 until it met the 88 we followed this up and down until it met highway 49, this took us all the way to Oakhurst and our site for the next two days (we hoped).

The route was very scenic with lots of winding, twisting roads as we crossed the Sierra Nevada, passing the entrances to the Yosemite National  Park, that would keep until tomorrow. It was quite early when we arrived in Oakhurst, so we had plenty of time to do a bit of shopping.

We then found the campsite, it was called the High Sierra RV and Mobile Park, this was situated along the Nelder Creek a tributary of the Fresno River. It was a pleasant little site within easy walking distance (if you were so inclined) of the shops and food outlets. We got our pitch but unfortunately they could not give us a one for the next day, but we did have a promise that no matter what we would have a place for the next night, but to come by the next morning.

The pitch was right  on the river bank with its own table and BBQ that we had become to know so well. We were making a Saag for our evening meal so we set about getting the show on the road. We were using Bison mince, spinach and diced vegetables. We cooked the curry and after eating it, dishes washed and sat by the BBQ and chatted with our neighbours (4 elderly girls).

We hit the sack and were up early, showered and dressed, we had breakfast and waited until the office opened, Linda went to the office to get things sorted for the night, she came back saying the nice lady had said to go to Yosemite Park, have a nice day and return in the evening she would have something for us, we had learned to put our trust in the site and park officials so we did.

We headed out and towards the south Yosemite Park entrance, travelled along a very picturesque road that took us past a steam railway preservation scheme, and then up to small area called Fish Camp, this is an anglers paradise. 

Alas we didn’t have time to spend at either of these very nice places. We arrived at the entrance, we were not alone, but as 3 lanes were open it didn’t take long to get processed, the nice ranger lady even took time to smile for her photo. 

We joined the rest of the wagon train heading into the park. We stopped to take some photos just before we went into the tunnel that had been cut through the mountains to ease the traffic congestion that had been building up as tourism took hold.

   

The other side of the tunnel is a favourite vantage point to take in all the main features looking down the valley, towards Half Dome. We stopped a while and joined the Japanese clicking away, we then travelled towards Yosemite Village, when we realised that we should have filled up earlier, there are no gas stations in the park, we decided to take a loop passing the impressive El Capitan  a massive precipice, that rises to 7000 feet, it is a favourite with serious rock climbers, it takes two days to climb the most difficult routes, so it is not for beginners.

We stopped a while to  watch some of these athletes making their way up the rock faces, I did a bit of rock climbing when I was younger, the last time had been at a climbing camp in Laos three years earlier, but I have not tried anything on this scale, and I suppose at my age never will.

We headed out of the park via the EL Portal Road and travelled along the banks of the Merced River, though not in full spate it still carried a lot of water. At the small holiday village of El Portal, we found the filling station, beware this station is automatic and takes only plastic, no bills. We about turned and headed back into the park via the Arched Rock Entrance, but as we crossed the Pohono bridge we realised just how silly we were not to have filled up in the morning, it was bumper to bumper traffic, we were in it now and there was no way out, it was a two hour drive but at crawling pace, it did mean that we could take some good shots of the surroundings, but even at Yosemite Village there were no parking spaces to be had. We decided we would just go with the flow and follow the one-way system that took us back passing El Capitan and towards the tunnel entrance. 

We headed back to the campsite in Oakhurst hoping that our luck had changed. The office was closed but the kind lady had put a note on the notice-board that we had a pitch and it was adjacent to the offices and she had put a cone there with “Linda,s” name pinned to it. What a lovely and decent thing to do.

We actually met our neighbours from the day prior and had a nice chat while I BBQ’d some nice lamb chops, asparagus and garlic bread. As the sunset, I had a nice walk along the river to the swimming pool, this was a safe swimming area that was fed from a small waterfall. As the evening was closing in (this meant the midges and gnats came out to play), I decided that getting into thee van was the better part of valour.

Next morning we were up and ready before the office opened, but we needed to wait around until 08:00 to pay for last night’s pitch.

The aim today was to head for the Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks, so it was onto the 41 and into Fresno before turning towards Kings Canyon and the Generals Sherman and Grant trees, these trees are the most massive in the World, the Californian Redwoods are taller but these have a greater girth. There were a lot of visitors and the best way to visit the trees is with the free shuttle bus. We used it and it means that you get right to the points that will give you the best view of the colossus's.

Stump Entrance

A grizzly skull

We headed out of the park and along the 168 ending up at Visalia, we had seen sign for a Kao campsite on the highway so following the signs we found the campsite quite a way out of town, but it would do us.

We decided we would head into town for an evening meal, we also needed to fill up, we filled up and across the road was a restaurant called Applebee’s, Linda knew this chain and said that they served good food. That would do us, so in we went, it was good grub, I ordered a steak rare (I actually said very rare) and once again it came medium, well I had tried, they just do not do BLEU in the States.

Linda had an Asian Prawn dish, which she said was very tasty indeed.

Very tasty but not Bleu

The next day we were heading back towards the coast and once again Highway 1, our trek was slowly but surely nearing its end, we had seen much and travelled far, it had been a great experience and if nothing else educational. But we still had a few days to go.