Retirement Road Trip 2011: Day 36, Friday 9/30

270 miles, still camped at KOA in Coarsegold, CA. I left the camper at 6:15 to get an early start and beat some of the traffic.

WOW!! Where do I begin today? I saw too much to explain everything. My original goal was to drive a route called the Tioga Pass Road. It goes east - west across the park and across the Sierria Mountains. I wanted to see Mono Lake, which is a part of the Western Great Basin. Great Salt Lake also lies in the Great Basin.

The interesting thing about Mono Lake is that there are four or five streams that enter into it, but there are no streams or drainages leaving it. Where does the water go? Evaporation! The annual evaporation is about 45 inches per year. As a result, the water has over time becoming more concentrated with minerals. In fact, it is so salty now, that no fish live in it. But it supports a huge population of brine shrimp, and as a result is a major stop over for migrating birds. Between 1941 and 1982, the lake level dropped 41 feet. This was due to the city of Los Angeles diverting some water from the Mono Lake feeder streams into the aqueducts feeding the water needs for LA. Federal legislation eventually stopped that practice and the lake level has slowly been rising. Evidence of the amount of drop is the exposed tufa. Tufa is the calcified remains of bubbling springs that created these columns when the calcium in the spring water bonded with carbonates in the lake water. Back before 1941 all the exposed tufa was underwater. You can see how much is exposed now.  I had taught about Mono Lake in my classes, but it was really neat to see it in person.

The route to Tioga Pass took me to the Yosemite Valley floor. I got to see the morning sun hit the face of El Capitan, and Bridalveil Fall. I plan to spend Saturday exploring the valley floor more.

The Tioga Pass Road is anything but boring!! I was constantly surrounded by breath taking mountain vistas, barren rock faces, beautiful mountain ponds and lakes.

In addition to all the above, there are forest fires. A lightning strike induced fire that started on September 13th, called the Tamarack Fire, is burning a large area near the Tioga Pass Road. On the way to Mono Lake I saw smoke, but no evidence of the fire. However, on the return trip, traffic was being held up because the fire had spread to the road edges. The road acted as a natural firebreak, but the concern was the amount of heat. Eventually they allowed traffic to flow on a one lane basis, with the lane closest to the fire shut down. Fires are a natural part of the ecosystem, and it is better to have small fires each year that keep the fuel used up rather than going many years without a fire and allowing the forest floor to accumulate a lot of fuel, thus resulting in a huge fire.

I had to pass back through the valley floor on the return trip, and got to see Bridalveil Fall again. This time the afternoon winds had picked up, and the water was dissipating in the wind before it even hit the valley floor. I've added a video to show it. Really cool.  It may take a few seconds to load.  I'm still working on some technical issues here.  I uploaded the video in two forms.  The first one is using the video upload feature, but the quality is poor.  The second video is uploaded via the add a picture from iPhoto format, but does not seem to work all the time.  Who knows, maybe you can't see either one. :-(

OK, that's enough for today. More tomorrow. This place is AMAZING!!!!

Retirement Road Trip 2011: Day 35, Thursday 9/29

136 miles and still camped at the KOA in Coarsegold, California.  I took the camper off the truck, and trust me, it made traveling the tight and winding roads of Yosemite much more enjoyable.  The truck was lighter and more maneuverable.

I have two general themes to this post.  One is, 'Oh my God, what a view."  The other is, "Oh my God, what a wimp I am."

The first one first.  Nothing can prepare you for the view.  We have all seen Half Dome and El Capitan on calendars and books.  The photos are always gorgeous.  I knew what to look for.  But, WOW!!  There is something about seeing it in person that takes your breath away.  Maybe it's the smell, or the sense of height, or the chill in the air.  What ever it is, it does something to you.  The best I can do is to let the pictures describe.  These three pictures are of Half Dome from Glacier Point.

This is what the road looked like on the way to Glacier Point.  Don't Blink!!

There were forest fires in the area.  You could smell them and and see the smoke in the distance.  That's smoke, not clouds hovering over the trees.

I drove on a few more miles.  The traffic was was getting more congested.  It was now approaching 11:00 in the morning.  I had gotten a good start by leaving the campground at 7:00.  Anyway, there is a view point called Tunnel View.  The entrance road goes through a very long tunnel and then suddenly opens up to this, El Capitan in the foreground and half Dome in the background.

As I left, I took this picture of my side view mirror.  Note how Half Dome is facing the other way.

The last stop of the day was at stand of Giant Sequoia Tress at Mariposa Grove.  As I got near the grove, a gate keeper told me the parking lot was full and that I would have to go back and take the shuttle bus.  Then she saw Zoey.  Dogs can't ride the shuttle bus.  After Zoey licked her hand a few times, the lady commented that there was probably room for one more vehicle and let us through.  I can always count on Zoey being the chick magnet or social greaser when ever I need it.  :-))

OK, now the "wimpy me" part, and I'll be brief because this post has gone on far too long.  Part A:  The temperature in Yosemite mountains was a pleasant 75.  Back at the campground in the foothills, it was 95.  I was cursing that I did not have air conditioning.  Just about then I remembered that the miners panning for gold and the Oregon Trail pioneers didn't have air conditioning either.

Part B:  I'm walking Zoey around the campground and there are two Class C RV's parked near me.  Two couples with four or five little kids.  One of the moms asks me where is a good place to buy groceries.  Come to find out, these are two couples from Germany in rented RVs.  They are in the US for a month or so visiting National Parks.  Here they are in a strange country traveling with little kids.  Then I remember how Kathy and I took out three boy, ages 5, 7 and 8 for six weeks across the US in a car with no air conditioning, no cruise control, no DVD player and only a tent.

Ah, to be young and free (or foolish) again...........

Retirement Road Trip 2011: Day 34, Wednesday, 9/28

199 miles and camped at South Yosemite KOA in Coarsegold, California.  It is extremely dry here.  In fact, campfires are forbidden.

Short day today.  I left Karen and Bob about 9:30 in the morning, which was late enough to miss the worst of the rush hour.  However, there were still a lot of freaking vehicles out there.  :-)

I basically traveled from Oakland east to Manteca, then south on Highway 99 to just past Merced, then east to Coarsegold.  The forty mile section from Merced to Coarsegold was on a winding, two lane country road that was very enjoyable.  The first 150 miles of today's trip were on crazy four lane (sometimes eight lane) interstates.  My rather unscientific assessment of central California is that there are too many cars, too many people and too much litter.  Yet by the time I was ten miles off the interstate, it was a completely different world of fewer people and slower traffic.  So maybe it's a good thing that all the people are concentrated in the cities.  It leaves the countryside more peaceful.  However, I'm afraid that is changing.  There are building lot for sale signs everywhere.  Maybe, like John Muir's home, if I were to come back here one one hundred years from now, the rural countryside would be unrecognizable.  I hope not!

The two lane road led me east into the Sierra Mountain foothills.

I chose Coarsegold to camp because it seems like a good midpoint between Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks.  I didn't want to move every day.  Besides, if I'm in one place for a few days, I can take the camper off the truck and it will be much easier to travel on the park roads with a lighter weight truck.  I'm hoping to spend three or four days in each park, so I may be anchored here for a week.  That's OK.  I have good cell service, the campground is not at all crowed, and there are lots of places for Zoey to run.

Thursday, I tackle Yosemite........

Retirement Road Trip 2011: Day 33, Tuesday, 9/27

o miles and the last full day at Karen's.

Karen, Bob and I went to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco today.  The science museum was recently renovated and is absolutely stunning.  The building has several really cool features.  One is a three story enclosed bubble that houses a rain forest environment.  As you ascend the three floors, you pass through the different layers of rain forest micro environments.

Another really cool feature is the green or living roof.  The roof of the building is made up of living plants. This reduces rainwater runoff and keeps the temperature of the roof cooler, thus reducing the heat island effect.  The first photo below is a photo of a wall poster explaining the roof.  The other two pictures are actual photos of the roof taken from an observation deck that the public is allowed to view the roof.

The aquarium is designed to show all the various types of sea life, from shallow coral reefs to the deepest ocean where there is permanent darkness.  The penguin pool was a popular attraction.

There were other exhibits about climate change and resource use.  The academy also houses a planetarium,  which unfortunately was closed on this particular day.

Wednesday I pack up and head off to explore Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks for a week or so.

Retirement Road Trip 2011: Day 32, Monday 9/26

0 miles on my truck and still park at Karen's house.

Today was a take it easy day.  Karen had to work, so Bob and I had the day to ourselves. We found a regional park to go for a walk in.  Zoey needed  some good exercise, and Bob, who is recovering from heart surgery, is supposed to walk also.  Briones Regional Park is located to the east of Oakland and is comprised of old ranch land.  There are horse trails and hiking trails.  The weather was sunny and warm, and the sky was really blue.  The landscape is comprised of oak trees and rolling hills of now brown grass.

Later we toured the John Muir National Historic Site in nearby Martinez. For all his love of solitude and wilderness hiking, Muir chose to live and write in a more urban environment where his wife was from.  The ornate house was built by his wealthy in-laws. Muir and his wife and two daughters moved in upon the death of his in-laws.  John Muir spent the last 24 years of his life there writing and advocating for the environment.

The irony is that the home, which used to be overlooking a pastoral setting of farmland and orchards one hundred years ago, is now surrounded by freeways, gas stations, and stores.

Muir planted a tiny sequoia seedling when he lived on the property.  At least the tree is still there and is prospering.

Tuesday we are going to the The Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park.

Retirement Road Trip 2011: Day 31, Sunday 9/25

0 miles and still parked at Karen Sipher's house.

We started the day at the Oakland Museum.  There is a special exhibit there about John Muir.  Muir was the founder of the Sierra Club and is often called the "Father of the National Park System."  He wrote and traveled extensively, and was instrumental in the formation of Yosemite, Sequoia, and Grand Canyon National Parks.

Then we went to the Oakland Eat Real Food Festival.  In an area of town called Jack London Square, hundreds of food vendors served thousands of people.  The diversity of food and people was overwhelming.  Most of the food samplings were local and organic.

After our fill of food sampling,  we went wine tasting at JC Cellars.  Jeff Cohn is a well known wine maker who has a winery in Oakland.  He buys all his grapes.  They were just starting their first batch of wine for the 2011 year.  The 2011 wines will not be ready for sale until 2013.  Bob and Karen know Jeff personally, and he graciously showed me around.  Jeff has a great personality and a wonderful sense of humor.  He is in the red jacket below.

We finished the day at Karen's with salmon grilled on a cedar plank, baked potatoes, grilled peppers, and wine.  Karen has to work Monday, so Bob and I are planning some excursions.  That's all the news for now....