Auburn, CA via Winnemucca, NV to Burns, OR

Sun about to set a good 80 miles to Burns.  Miles with no houses in sight.  After dark an occasional pole light.

Oakhurst to Auburn, CA April 18

We left Oakhurst headed north on Rt 49.  Roadside scenery included rocks, wildflowers, mountains and small towns

Flowers did a lot to brighten teh scenery

Photo trying to capture how the granite glistens in sunlight

Passing through Calaveras.  County has the big bullfrog jumping contest

Sequas and Oakhurst CA - April 18

We woke up in Oakhurst and drove up to The Mariposa Grove, near Yosemite's South Entrance, contains about 500 mature giant sequoias. i'm including a couple short videos of livelyl little streams

That's me standing beside the one called Fallen Monarch.

The forest  is maybe five percent Sequoyas. This is about as man y as you see together. 

Find Beth standing left of th tree

Small bush with needle-like thorns
Below is some other plant on fast little stream 

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On the way back through Oakhurst, we ate at this restaurant /bakery and caterer.  They had a nice shaded patio area out back.  We overheard a lady in a group of story tellers direct the topic back to herself - "Now, back to me" - like she hadn't had plenty of say already

Yosemite, April 17

Entering the Park

We visited Yosemite, one of the first wilderness Parks in the US.  The park valley was free of snow and the warm weather allowed tours in  open tramss ear;y this year, so we took one.   Following are some of our photos.

Bridal veil falls at about 2 O clock (position)   

Tunnel view (similar to Inspiration Point view).  El Capitan left and Bridal  Veil f Falls near center

closer view shows Half Dome in background

Ribbon Fall,flows off a cliff on the west side of El Capitan, and is the largest single-drop waterfall in North America. The fall is fed by melting winter snow; while therefore dry for much of the year, the fall is a spectacular 1,612 feet (491 m) in the spring.

El Capitan is a vertical rock formationlocated on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The granite monolith extends about 3,000 feet (900 m) from base to summit along its tallest face, and is one of the world's favorite challenges for rock climbers.   

The Nose was first climbed in 1958  in 47 days using "siege" tactics: climbing in an expedition style using fixed ropes along the length of the route, linking established camps along the way.  Expert climbers now climb it in 4-5 days, but the record is less than three hours.

They once said Half Dome never has been, and never will be trodden by human foot.  It was first climbed in 1875.  today with teh help of hand cables it is a difficult day's vertical hike  

Yosemite falls - tallest falls in North America

one of he critters we saw

Marpolosa to Yosemite April 17

We left Marpilosa headed for Yosemite.  Scenery along the way was beautiful and different to us.

Golden flowers are California poppies.  in 1811, they were reported as a source of food for native Americans

Typical of mountain valley roads, a stream is followed

Scenic pit stop

Next stop - Yosemite