Our trip in numbers...

We have been on the road for 5 weeks in the US:

•  travelled 4905 miles, (7894 km)

•  been in 3 US states – California, Arizona, Nevada

•  explored 4 National Parks - Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Yosemite

•  visited 6 State Parks - Big Sur, Salton Sea, San Jacinto Mountain, Hearst Castle, Red Rock, Red Rock Canyon

•  National Forests; 2 Sequoia, Sierra

•  slept in 11 beds; 3 hotels, 4 motels and 4 timeshare units (make it 17 with Bahamas)

•  ate Ben & Jerry ice-cream, 3, Cherry Garcia, Chunky Monkey, Triple Caramel Chunk

•  added 33 birds to my US bird list which is now 197 and my world list is 1480, top bird Roadrunner

•  popped into 1 museum

•  farmers markets; Oakhurst

•  decaprio 3 movie catch-up, Aviator, Gatsby and Departed

•  Oscar 3 movie catch-up, Dallas Buyers Club, Nebraska, August: Osage County

•  relished organic extra virgin olive oil, 2 farms 

•  walked 104 miles; beach, mountain trails, coastal meadow, high altitude lake, golf courses, climbing red rocks, canyon rim, valley trail, desert paths, Las Vegas Strip, mountain hikes

•  walking 6 miles ahead of schedule, (for each 50 miles driven we want to walk 1 mile)

•  longest hike 10 miles on Four Mile Trail with 3200’ climb on steep switchbacks

•  watched 7 episodes of Game of Thrones, season 4

•  lowest driving elevation, 214’ below sea-level at Furnace Creek Golf Course, Death Valley

•  highest driving elevation, 9945’ Tioga Pass, Tioga Road, Yosemite

•  got cold at the lowest temperature below 40 degrees F in Tehachapi (3 degrees C)

•  was hot at the highest temperature of 115 degrees F while walking in Death Valley (46 degrees C). Car registered 125 degrees F at one point – over 50 degrees C

•  wine tasting, 2 at Tablas Winery, Paso Robles and Souza Family Vineyard

•  1 new mode of transport, helicopter over the Grand Canyon

•  show, 1 in Las Vegas, O Cirque du Soleil

Half Dome sunset from Glacier Point

Farewell to the breathtaking Yosemite Valley

A hike in the High Sierra; Lembert Dome

Wow, I felt the forces of nature on this hike, we started in the cool afternoon sunshine of the High Sierra hiking to Dog Lake and Lembert Dome. 

At the Lake it was buggy (mozzies and black flies) and warm. I found that the thin cooler air at 9000' makes for quite tough uphills.

Dog Lake along the Lembert Dome hiking trail

As we approached Lembert Dome, the weather changed rapidly, huge black low clouds, thunder, lighting, rain, we even walked through hail at one point on the descent. The temperature dropped below 50 degrees and we were really cold by the time we got back to the car.

Rain. The first clouds and rain we have seen in California in 5 weeks.

Hike up Lembert Dome

Exhilarated by the hike, rain was on its way though!

The raw beauty of Lembert Dome, which is a roche moutonnee.
Such a treat to see the landforms that I learnt about in geography many decades ago!

• from wiki:

In glaciology, a roche moutonnée (or sheepback) is a rock formation created by the passing of a glacier. The passage of glacier ice over underlying bedrock often results in asymmetric erosional forms as a result of abrasion on the 'stoss' (up-ice) side of the rock and plucking on the 'lee' (down-ice) side. These erosional features are seen on scales of less than a metre to several hundred metres

Lembert Dome, Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park: the High Sierra lakes

'It is by far the grandest of all the special temples of Nature I was ever permitted to enter.' John Muir

Tenaya Lake seen from the dome above Olmsted Point

Tenaya Lake

Moody Tenaya Lake

Yosemite National Park: the High Sierra meadows

As we drove the pass, the streams were swollen, snow was still melting on the banks and the streams slow down as they reach the meadows which seem to embody the landscape of the High Sierra.

The meadows are still quiet spaces, crisp fresh mountain air, spring comes late to the meadows and some of the bushes still had unfurled emerald green buds. The meadows are are made even more beautiful by looming volcanoes and smooth granite domes that surround them.

Dana Meadows along the Tioga Road

Mount Dana and Mount Gibbs, volcanic cones.

Yosemite National Park: the High Sierra erratics

The Tioga Road which cuts across Yosemite from west to east is an extraordinary drive into the sub-alpine and alpine zone of the High Sierra.

Glaciers shaped the landscape and I have always been intrigued by erratics, boulders that are stranded and precariously dumped by the retreating ice. Clinging to life among the boulders at Olmsted Point and in the granite cracks are trees which make for wonderful counterpoints to the grey tones of the rock.

Foodie Interlude: Oakhurst Farmers Market

Over 80% of the United States produce is grown in California and a great institution here is the Farmers Markets. I have been on the look out for a farmers market and at last was in the right place at the right time. We popped into Oakhurst and provisioned - fresh breads, vine ripened organic fruit and vegetables.

My pantry is laden. 

We also tried chicken and cheese tamales with jalapenos. They are steamed corn breads (masa) wrapped in corn leaves and stuffed with filling. They are believed to originate from the Aztec and Maya peoples. Now they are a Mexican comfort food.

Not appealing to look at but a tasty treat while picking out produce around the market.

We finished off with blueberry and watermelon ices, great for a late hot afternoon….

Treats from Oakhurst Farmers  Market.

Hiking, Yosemite National Park

                                             Four Mile Trail

Distance:                   4.8 mi (7.7 km) one way to Glacier Point.

9.6 mi (15.5 km) round trip Yosemite Valley, Glacier Point and back.

elevation gain :         3,200 ft (975 m)

Dififficulty:                  Strenuous


Time:                          Official time , 3-4 hours one-way, 6-8 hours round trip


Nervous, hell yes!

When I first suggested this hike to Sharon I was surprised with her immediate “lets do it !” especially knowing that this was a wopper. Our years of walking in Norwood and those wonderful Cape Town Table Mountain walks paid off. Officials told us it was a 6-8 hour hike , up and down, well, we did the up in 2.5 hours and the down in 3 hours. Well done Sharon. This trail begins in the beautiful Yosemite Valley , where we parked our car, and climbs 3200ft to Glacier Point. The trail is switchback after switchback and maintained a continuous VERY steep grade . At one point along the trail we had spectacular views of all three major Yosemite Valley features, , El Capitan, Yosemite Falls, and the famous Half Dome . Even though the going had been tough to the top, two hotdogs, an ice cream, and an ice cold orange juice re-vitalized me. ( Sharon had her usual coffee and  one biscuit ) and so we chose to hike back down to the Yosemite Valley where our car was parked.

A great day, a great hike, and a wonderful achievement . 
Well done Sharon and thank you for making this hike so memorable .

Half Dome from Glacier Point

Half Dome

The remarkable face of Half Dome

View across the u-shaped Yosemite Valley from the trail - El Capitan on the right and Cathedral Spires on the left

El Capitan

Sheer faces!

 Yosemite Falls from the trail

Yosemite National Park

The natural beauty of the Yosemite Valley is a delight, a u-shaped glacial valley at the heart of the national park. 

The Merced River at times a pool and in some place a rapid; the gentle meadows; the ever present pines; the massive El Capitan cliff face 3593' from base to summit; extraordinary granite rock forms of Half Dome; snow capped peaks in the far distance; snow melt waterfalls including the tallest plunging waterfall in the US, the Yosemite Falls; people walking, hiking, climbing, bouldering, on horseback, in the water -swimming, tubing, canoeing, fishing, camping, lodging...

We loved our first exploratory day in the valley.

Merced River Valley and a new bird for the trip, American Dipper!

The monolithic El Capitan

Merced River, gentle meanders along the Valley bed

Upper Yosemite Falls 

Half Dome looms over the valley

Meadows of Yosemite Valley