Bear hunting...

An early start, we headed towards Yosemite National Park. We needed supplies so we stopped at a tinpot settlement called Grovetown. There we got our water supplies (a must, as it is so hot), and they packed us some sandwiches and we got some yummy Argentinian bananas. Arriving at Yosemite, we stopped at some awesome looks where granite cliffs arise out of lush meadows. Paul dropped Cathy and I at a trailhead, while he found a parking space - no mean feat, as it is the last week of Summer vacation, and every school kid and their folks and grandparents have come to Yosemite! He found us eventually, and we started what proved to be a challenging walk... those in the know will recall Miyajima, and recognise the significance. Suffice to say, this was one steep walk, not as far, but about 15 degrees hotter. However, it was certainly worth it. We were rewarded for our efforts by a bridge, and some quite impressive water falls. I also managed to get up close and personal with a squirrel. We decided rather than risk losing our parking spot, we would catch the free shuttle that traverses the park - a very fortuitous decision, because as soon as we boarded the bus, a baby bear appeared very near to where we stood. No time for a photo, but we considered it a great omen. Our next stop was a more gentle walk to the base of some falls, through groves of pine trees, straight as a die with interesting bark. On the way, we came across a large fallen tree, in a bed of pine needles in a glade by the river - a perfect stop for our simple but delicious lunch... Continuing the walk we crossed a bridge to the base of another set of falls...in Spring , this would be a torrent, and as it was there was a decent fall, and flow. Soon, we were told, the falls would dry up, ahead ofWinter. Foot sore and a little jet lagged, we started the trek out of the park - not easy, as everyone else had the same idea. We were told to allow 2-3 hours to get out. We are seriously hoping it won't take that long!Read more