8.26.2006

Yosemite, or "That's one Big Rock"

When I asked K if she wanted to write the post about Yosemite, she declined, noting that all she could think of to say about it was "Man, that's one big rock". With this I am inclined to agree.

Mark and Katy overlooking Half Dome and the Yosemite Valley

The Yosemite Valley in California is one of those rare places in America so massive and beautiful that any attempt to describe it fails, and any pictures taken invariably look like some postcard-shot clicked in front of a blue screen at a $1 Photomat machine. Despite the theme-park atmosphere, hundreds of ill-disciplined children climbing around precariously on the scattered rocks, non-stop hybrid shuttlebusses, squirrels so fat on tourist handouts they have jowls, and neighboring campers that ignore everything listed about quiet hours and the dangers of frequent bear incidents (Yosemite has the highest frequecy of dangerous incidents, including tent-shreddings and car break-ins), there is something so incredible about the sheer size and beauty of the area that makes it worthwile. So rather than gush on about the massive granite faces, one ancient block pushed up from the Earth over a very long time and no doubt with considerable force, punctuated with numerous and violent waterfalls, I'll post a few pictures and suggest strongly that you make the effort to go there sometime. We'll be back, too, as seeing Half Dome gave me the urge to hike to the top of the cable-lined trail. As Promised:

Mark, Katy, Trisha, and Jamie at El Capitan

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is that snow that I see????

Just wondering how you are able to update this blog? Do you find internet cafe's or what??

The pictures are truly awesome!!!

m said...

Yes, that is in fact a tiny sliver of glaciated snow off in the distance.

We usually update whenever we have a steady internet connection - we brought our laptop along and load all the pics from there, but we do need someplace with WiFi to make the updates. Many folks we've stayed with and visited have been very kind and allowed us to use their connections as well. When we're inbetween, many coffe shops, highway rest areas, and other businesses now have WiFi access as well, which we have taken advantage of.

Thanks for the kind words, we hope you continue to enjoy.