Into Yosemite

October 19, 2009 (Half Dome in picture at right)

As we left Vineyard Ericson, the rain began to fall. The climb was steep and I regretted not unhooking the Jeep to have Barb drive behind me. The narrow roads and switchbacks, climbing from elevations in the 40's to more than 6,000 feet in less than 90 minutes was a challenge for the driver and the RV. Then drops into valleys where I rode the brakes hard, finally to the RV campground destination just 5 miles outside of the park. We parked the RV, walked Loki, then set into the Jeep looking forward to the 25 mile trip into Yosemite Valley. The clouds hung low and the rain fell. The granite cliffs of El Capitan mystically revealed itself on occasion. Ribbon falls uncovered itself for only a brief moment. The fall colors vibrant in this time, glimpsed at us through the droplets and clouds. Barb and I walked the village in the rain, the visitor center and the museum. We left only to wait to revisit this valley. On arrival back at the campsite, Gary and Diane, friends from college, were waiting, their rig parked next to ours.