Sequoia National Park

Jeff relaxing in the Hurrincane

Jeff and his big Bud

Walking through a fallen Sequoia tree

This was a trail we took, always making sure someone else was around

The scale of Jeff and the base of the tree

This is how Europeans dress to hike

Our friendly ranger

The creek behind our campsite

Bear boxes where you hide your food

The loveable Hurricane at our campsite

The best campsite ever

This was on Highway 58, it is all wind energy.  Strangest thing, there had to be 400 of them

My new best friend, goodbye Bud Light.  Until Christmas Ale that is

On the last leg of our trip we made our way to Kings Canyon National Park.  One more time, Jeff is the best driver.  We went up and down and around and around for an hour and a half to get to the park.  Most of the drive we were on the cliff side with very, very little berm.  At times I had to close my eyes and make myself breathe.  Finally got in the Park and we were told by the ranger that those was no shuttle running in Kings Canyon.  That would mean we would have to drive the RV all over the park and neither one of our nerves could take that.  So we soldiered on through Kings Canyon 45 minutes more on crazy road to Sequoia National Park.  So glad we did.

Our campsite was a little slice of heaven.  Water, trees, rocks it was beautiful.  The part about the ranger telling us about the bear and its cubs who was just at the campsite an hour ago and has been hanging around scared me.  Our neighbors were so nice and friendly.  We hopped on the shuttle and went to view the Sequoia trees.  They were magnificent.  Went on a little hike but I would only go if old people were in front of me or behind me, hahaha.  I tried to go a couple of times but kept chickening out.  Saw a deer though.  Riding the shuttle with Jeff is the funniest thing ever.  A bunch of Asians got on the bus and he kept calling them the Asian invasion. 

Got back to camp to cook dinner because I wouldn't cook in the dark, yes fear rules my world.  We then were invited by the neighbors to a campfire.  So peaceful.  They were really nice people and we sat outside for a couple of hours.  The stars were out in full force.  Scary part was when I had to go to the bathroom.  I would make Jeff come with me because he was of course, wearing the headlamp. 

Got up this morning and had coffee outside and went for a walk, not far of course because I am a chicken.  Said goodbye to our new friends and made our way back down the winding, twisting roads.  I swear Jeff has nerves of steel.  We were barreling down these hills and he wasn't giving it any gas.  Went from 7600 elevation to 246 and I wanted to kiss the ground when we got down there. 

Not only is Jeff the best driver ever, he is the best husband ever.  He stopped at an outlet mall so I could shop.  Not for long but I did manage to pick up a few things.  On to Yermo, CA where we are spending the night.  Tomorrow we head to Las Vegas to turn in our beloved RV - the Hurricane. 

We had a wonderful adventure and would do it again in a heartbeat.  So family and friends we are selling all of our wordly belongings and buying a RV and touring. 

If you need to find me I will be in the RV behind the firehouse on the days Jeff is working, hahaha.

We loved our adventure and hope you enjoyed reading our blog.  If you have a chance to do this, go for out.  This is a beautiful country we live in

Yosemite - Part 2

As I explained before we poorly planned our Yosemite trip.  Since we had to stay 30 miles out of the park we took a bus back in on Saturday.  1 hour ride in but in a tour bus for $12 each.  Worth every penny.  No way did Jeff want to drive back down and up all those hills.  Problem was it was the weekend so we didnt catch the bus till 12:05 and had to be back on it by 5:45.  This limited what we were able to see and do.

We get to the park and it is jammed pack.  1.  It was a weekend.  2.  The falls were all still running.  Usually they dry up by August but because of all the snow they were spectacular.  You take a free shuttle to get you all around the park but every bus was jammed pack.  The drivers were mean and nasty also.  Foreigners need to take more baths and people walking were genuinely just rude and wouldn't move over. 

For the little time we had we did go to see more waterfalls.  You can see Jeff climbing the rocks to get closer, I chose to hang with all my Asian friends. 

We hiked up to see a waterfall but it was ridiculous.  I am not kidding, look it up, Vernal Falls.   We walked 20 minutes and still were not at the top.  It was straight up with very little flattening out.  But again, all these old people were coming down so they had to hike it up.  I thought I was kinda in good shape but i guess i am not.  My heart was hammering.  Hope it flushed out more cholesterol. 

Finally our Cleveland kicked in and we went to Curry Village.  It is a little group of stores, restaurants and yes oh yes - a BAR.  Parked our butts on stools, barmaid was really friendly and funny.  Had a beer because we had to get the bus back.  So bummed when we got on the bus, we could have bought beer at the general store and drank on the way back cause it had a bathroom on the bus and we could have drank more at the BAR.  Hour drive back and day was done.

Left Sunday morning to head to Kings Canyon/Sequoia National Park. Stopped in Mariposa, CA.  What a great little town.  I shopped along Main Street and Jeff of course found a bar to watch football.
This bar had just reopened after a fire in 1963.  It took 8 year to renovate it.  It was an original saloon from the Gold Rush period.  Everyone was so nice and the food was excellent.  So happy we stopped here.

Got back in our little home on wheels and drove another 1 1/2 hours to Fresno where we are at a RV Park for the night. 

Good night for night it is Bud time

A little lodge place to hang out

Walk up to Yosemite Falls lower portion, I was not going any farther - Bear warnings

Another view of the falls and all the other people the bear would eat first

Of course, Jeff had to get closer

And closer

And closer

Making his way down

I love all this water, it is so beautiful to see

Here we are at the bar

An old jail in Mariposa CA

Here was the Gold Coin Tavern that was renivated.

View of Main Stree in Mariposa CA

Yosemite- Part 1

All I can say is if you are ever in fear of your life cause you are driving around hair pin turns, one after another, climbing to 9500 elevation, one side is mountain the other side is sheer cliff, you want Jeff Hageman driving the vehicle.  At times I couldn't even look out my window because it scared the crap out of me.  He did a fantastic job of getting us in the park.  Once in again it was hairpin turns down and down and then up and up. 

Nice park, not my fave like I thought it would be.  We had poor planning on our part.  Didnt realize it was the weekend, we didnt make a reservation for a campsite so we had to stay at a KOA out of the park that was 30 miles away.  The drive there was again these crazy turns and cliffs, it was really harrowing.  We pulled into our KOA campground which was very nice and checked in.  Then we had to go to a grocery store cause we have no food and there are no restaurants close by.  California is a very expensive place.  Got some chicken kabobs and corn and we were happy.  Got back to camp and all of our "neighbors" came out and said hello.  The first thing we did was put the RV in park, Jeff got a beer and I opened a bottle of wine.  Cooked dinner on the grill but by then we were into the beer and wine pretty heavy.  We were sitting in the dark watching the food cook, (Jeff did have the headlamp on though) andIi heard a noise and ran, i mean ran into the RV.  The pic of me out the window was me begging Jeff to give me my wine through the window and him telling me I had to come back out.  I did come back out but I wore the headlamp and kept checking the woods. 

Check out the elevation

Road into the park

An asian took our pic

This pic is magnified but they were almost to the top - Crazy!

These signs are all over the park. "A red bear is a dead bear".  Bear got killed crossing the road.

Another pic of the drive in

Brideveil Waterfalls

I was begging for my wine 

Tomorrow - back to Yosemite.