Paradise

Backblipping, caught up with 2 posts today... I hate falling behind.

It was our last day in Yosemite today and after breakfast we had a wander around the valley close to the hotel. On our way out, we saw a river and people padding so we got out for 20 minutes to do the same. Mrs C was going "oh if i had my swimming costume I would just dive in"... it was lovely there, sun, blue skies and a warm river. So I suggested she just dive in, with her dress on, and she did, and loved it. The 2nd extra shows her at it behind Ms H.

Our plan was to then zig zag north of Yosemite, with zig being heading east to Mono Lake, then zag being heading west over the Sonora Pass then onto San Francisco. So zigging, there were great views back to the peaks of Yosemite, then vast meadows, then the lake in the extra.

In between the zig and zag, we stopped for fuel and food then detoured to Buckeye Hot Springs. I had been searching for weeks for somewhere to go to hot springs, and this one was recommended but off on a 13 mile dirt track. I read various warnings about bathers bathing in the natural. The walk down to the springs was very steep but we soon came across a small stream of very hot water heading down to the river. Just before getting to the bottom, I warned Ms H of further bottoms on display... and that she needed to learn the skill of eye diversion.

The hot water pours into small pools which then run down into a series of other pools in theory decreasing in temperature. It was a bit daunting walking past about 6 people in the altogether in various what I have to call poses, but we got to a pool for ourselves next to others in swimming costumes, not so bad then. The water ranged from perfect bath temp to just filled the bath with hot water temp, it was lovely, sun setting behind us, river flowing past. For 30 minutes it was paradise... I hope Ms H was not scarred by some of the views.

So we were on a bit of a dash then, sunset was 60 mins away, and my whole reason for doing the Sonora Pass (which peaks at 9600 feet, or almost 2 Ben Nevis's) was to see a place called Strawberry again. 24 years ago (oh dear that made me feel old) we drove the other way through the pass and came across a little general store in Strawberry and from that point on, I decided I wanted to live here. Er... I am still working on that.

We didn't get to Oakland until close to midnight where we were stopping over before heading to San Francisco, but the wee Yosemite tour is over. I would love to spend about a month going to the various parks... one day...