The G&P June 2011 US/Mexico Road Trip
-
Fun pics, glad to see you're enjoying your trip here!
We're still socked in with June Gloom here so I'm happy
to see that you've found some sunshine. Miss you guys!
-
Yes, we have certainly found some sunshine. We set off early this morning to get a few hours in Yosemite National Park - way too little time really but I still feel very privileged to have seen what we did, the scenery is SPECTACULAR. The place deserves several days at least, and we'd love to go back and do some hiking there. The weather was fabulous - sunny, clear and warm without being too hot (although now we've arrived in Lone Pine, just west of the Death Valley National Park it's a lot hotter, around 100 deg F).
So now G and I will both bore you with loads of Yosemite pix (lots of them of the same view), and his will no doubt be better than mine but here's a few to start with.
Just entered the park and driving towards the main valley:
The big waterfall from across the river:
Bit closer:
El Capitan, the largest lump of granite on our planet, no way to show scale here but I believe G has some pix of climbers (AKA nutters):
Random waterfall on drive east across the park:
View of famous "Half Dome" in the distance:
Giles looking pensive in front of beautiful lake:
-
I'll get a few more pics up later, but it is beer o'clock in Lone Pine CA.
I used to be a rock climber in my teens and one of my teenage ambitions was to climb El Capitan. So going to Yosemite today and seeing the rock was something special.
I don't know what they put in the tea at school, but seeing El Capitan in person made me re-address that particular ambition.
Holy Feck
There are 2 climbers half way up there (I promise)
In the red square are 3 climbers who look like they are in the process of hauling stuff up
And to give you a sense of scale, this is the red square super zoomed
-
Looks like a blast!
I always take for granted how amazing California is…Had such a great time the other night, I feel bad for not posting to thank you sooner, but I think my hangover is just clearing up...
They may have Iron Hearts, but those Padmores certainly seem to have Iron Livers as well!It was great to meet Pete and Arrow (fellow Asian IH wearing reggae lovers) and see Lando again (and a special thanks to Lando for rolling with me on a late night burrito mission). Couldn't ask for a cooler group of folks, serious family type vibe.
Look forward to doing it again!
P.S. Thanks for not posting the pic when my pants came off in the bar (seriously, wasn't pretty)........
-
-
Had such a great time the other night, I feel bad for not posting to thank you sooner, but I think my hangover is just clearing up…
They may have Iron Hearts, but those Padmores certainly seem to have Iron Livers as well!Kat, it was wonderful to meet you, too. And I can assure we were both suffering on Wednesday morning, not a lot of chat in the car on the ride out of San Francisco! Thanks for texting the recommendation for The Priest bar near Groveland for Wednesday evening, I have to admit that we didn't make it… so maybe our livers are softer than we think...
-
Stayed at the Dow Villa Motel in Lone Pine last night, I wish we didn't have to leave town so soon - place is amazing, a genuine old American motel which used to house stars of the old Wild West movies (John Wayne, William Boyd, Roy Rogers, Stewart Granger, Errol Flynn, Robert Mitchum and Clayton Moore to mention a few). At 8:30 am it must be 90 degrees outside overlooking the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada. Off now to take a quick, closer look at Mount Whitney then heading East across Death Valley to Las Vegas - we've got a wedding to get to!
Jake's Saloon where had a couple of beers last night:
Inside Jake's Saloon:
Picture in motel room:
This morning's view from motel room:
-
More pic overload, sorry…..
Yesterday.
Looking up Yosemite valley
Super duper waterfall
The one and only El Capitan
Tumbling river
Yosemite Falls
Yey another waterfall
At about 9000 feet, there was quite a lot of snow still around
Mme B and lake
I got out of the car here to take this photo and saw a bunch of Marmots, Mme B didn't (she stayed in the car saying it was too cold to get out)
-
thanks for all the photos.
feel like i'm riding in the backseat with you all.
-
Fantastic pics G&P, I haven't been there since 1976 but it's still spectacular! My brother climbed up El Capitan
in 1975, said it was dicey at times but loved it. So glad you're getting so much out of your trip! -
very very nice G&P
