Yosemite, Midpines, California

August 13, 2009

Our eventful drive from west to east took us to Mariposa Co. and the town of Midpines. We stayed at an up-hill KOA that was very pretty, but no AT&T was an issue for the whole week. The coolest thing about the park was our neighbor, the Taylor’s. License plates established the common ground of Texas, but a glass of wine led to the discovery that all 3 of the 4 of us were at UT, Russell and Mike even lived in the same apt. complex at the same time! Many commonalities were uncovered, and we hope to stay in touch.

But the trip was about Yosemite. We drove into the Valley, our bikes hitched. The drive itself is a 25 mile adventure, meandering next to the Merced River complete with single lane bridge to avoid the rock slide that wiped out the old road. The hike/bike path encompasses El Capitan, rivers, meadows, Yosemite Falls, and John Muir’s favorite place, Enchanted Isles. We also rode by some of the wonderful cottages built for workers. How do you get these digs? It was difficult to look up and ahead at the path simultaneously, but we managed. We stopped at one point to consult the map and got aid, along with an invitation to come visit, from a wonderful couple from the Czech Republic. Late summer is not the best time to visit Yosemite, dry rivers mean no waterfalls, but you can clearly see where they have been. We visited with a long-time visitor who thinks that late summer is perfect because you can river-float and enjoy the tranquility. There were many bikini-clad tourists who totally agree with this assessment.

Biking gave us the perfect overview of the park. The next day was all about the details. We took in the movie, museum, lodge, hikes off the beaten path and Bridal Falls. We even found the spot we’d read about where Teddy Roosevelt camped and was photographed with John Muir in a presidential trip through the west. One very cool bonus was an opportunity to view El Capitan climbers. A fellow climber was stationed on the road with a high-powered telescope zoomed in on 2 different sets. We found out that it typically takes 2-3 days to make the assent. I tried to imagine scaling 90 degrees while carrying enough food and drink for that period of time in addition to a bed roll and potty. NO WAY! You must have a permit to climb, but no requirements are needed for that permit, meaning that anyone may attempt the climb and run the risk of requiring a rescue. I don’t get it. Both days we enjoyed a picnic and the free shuttle bus.

Midpines is in the middle of the gold mining rush of history. There is a wonderful state museum that we passed by at least twice, and I’d be willing to bet that it is terrific. We drove to Oakhurst to check out the RV parks and take care of a few errands. Our trip back included one of those unexpected turns that Garmin sometimes provides. Triangle Road cuts cross country winding through farm and cattle country, and a hidden winery. Butterfly Winery is in the valley; Russell spotted it long before we saw the sign on the mountain road. The tasting room greeters are several friendly cats and dogs and hosted by a charming lady who is informative and gives a great pour. We spent a long time visiting with her and some other customers who happened in after we did.

We headed out for Oakhurst; confident that we knew the road since we had we had traveled the previous week. It was different when towing. The downhill grade was more white-knuckle than anticipated, but otherwise uneventful.