Yosemite adventure

We have just returned from a few days in Yosemite. We were lucky to be given camping reservations by Kelly's friend, and off we went...Kelly, Bixby, Mike and I on Bixby's Spring break.
Our first "adventure" happened when our brakes "smelled funny" and refused to stop well as we pulled into the Upper Pines Campground. After a few calls we managed to get the local Yosemite Valley mechanics to come to our campsite to take a look. The verdict...a caliper pin had worked its way out and the brakes overheated. The "cure" to order parts for a break job...a couple of days to get the parts...a day in the garage and we would be good.
So that allowed us to enjoy the camping.

                                                       Bixby learned how to read a map 

 We saw the center of California...

the palm and pine tree in the center of old hwy 99

The red buds blooming along 

the Merced river were beautiful 

Bixby and Mike worked on

chopping wood and lighting a fire 

Lighting the matches...a rite of passage 

Running the logs 

The next day we were off to climb 

the mist trail...start of the John Muir trail

Exploring every crack and crevice 

Climbing every rock 

 First view of the falls that we would ascend

 We find snow...enough to throw

 Getting closer 

The fall were full and the trail very misty 

 Lucky enough to see a rainbow

 Bix thought the falls "awesome" 

He  led us all the way to the top

Time for lunch 

And some relection 

Lead us down Bixby 

Snow covered peaks in the background 

 On our return to the campground we discovered that the whole Yosemite valley

was to evacuate  the following day by 5 pm because of a big storm arriving and the possibility

of flooding. It began to rain that evening.  Some people left.

The next morning we dropped the RV off at the garage and hiked to Yosemite Falls

It was the most I have seen the falls flow in many years .

We tried to "drink it all in"!!

 The colors were amazing

and Bixby enjoyed the puddles

The valley store and restaurants began to close.

The buses halted and our parts did not arrive.

We ate a make do picnic from the store.

Will we be stranded ? No, fortunately the good

mechanics fixed our brakes, a loose caliper pin,

and we were on our way home.

The river was swelling and we got home safely

with good stories to tell. 

This is a photograph from when 

we hiked the mist trail when Kelly was about 5 

and I carried Cameron as a toddler. Maybe 1982 ?