Today I woke up early and headed out to spend the day at Yosemite National Park! With some helpful hints from my house parents and CI, I was ready to experience it all in one day... I knew it was going to be a good day when on my way out of Fresno, I saw beautiful hot air balloons!
For those of you who haven't been before, the road to Yosemite is FILLED with turn after turn... For about 1 1/2 hours, the road looks like this... gorgeous, but I was ready to get out of the car when I arrived!
Then... you go through a long tunnel and when you finally get to the opening, you can stop and see this! "...stop and consider God's wonders." Job 37:14
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory."
Isaiah 6:3
El Capitan
I started off the day in the "Valley" area of the park. Just walking to the visitor's center when I arrived... I got pretty close to wildlife!
I wanted to start off the day with a hike while it was still cool (it seemed like everyone else was) so I set off with my map and my other "essentials"... 1. water bottle 2. hand sanitizer 3. mace
Some pretty views along the way...
About the time I took this picture... my heart rate was a little elevated, not due to a cardiovascular workout, but I realized that I was alone... in the wilderness... and didn't really know where I was!
I spent the next 1 1/2 hours following trails around hoping I would make it back to civilization eventually... and I did! I stopped at this creek along the way to enjoy a peach I brought with me and read some of my book.
On my way to lunch... passed this meadow. I was going to walk around in it a bit but quickly changed my mind when about 3 feet away from me, I heard the grass rustle and saw a mouse!
While eating lunch... I decided I would stay in the more "civilized" areas. I walked to the Ahwahnee Hotel which is historic and beautiful. Here is a picture of the lobby and huge fireplace. I chose to stay here a while and read until it cooled off a little outside.
Then... I headed back to my car and drove gradually up 3,000 feet to Glacier Point which is famous for its views. These pictures don't really do the experience justice, but I tried to capture it as best as I could.
If you look in the center of the picture below, there is a waterfall.
This is called "Half Dome". The little "lip" off to the left is called "Devil's Diving Board"... Eeek! People actually climb up the right side of this "rock". (Mr. Bullard and his son included!)
This is a picture of the valley (where I was this morning) from 3,000 feet up! Two totally different views!
What you see when you look over the edge... Scary!
My last stop of the day was to see the GIANT Sequoia trees! (You can kinda scale them to the cars in the background)
So... conclusion for the day. I'm not really a nature girl... but I sure did try!
For those of you who haven't been before, the road to Yosemite is FILLED with turn after turn... For about 1 1/2 hours, the road looks like this... gorgeous, but I was ready to get out of the car when I arrived!
Then... you go through a long tunnel and when you finally get to the opening, you can stop and see this! "...stop and consider God's wonders." Job 37:14
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory."
Isaiah 6:3
El Capitan
I started off the day in the "Valley" area of the park. Just walking to the visitor's center when I arrived... I got pretty close to wildlife!
I wanted to start off the day with a hike while it was still cool (it seemed like everyone else was) so I set off with my map and my other "essentials"... 1. water bottle 2. hand sanitizer 3. mace
Some pretty views along the way...
About the time I took this picture... my heart rate was a little elevated, not due to a cardiovascular workout, but I realized that I was alone... in the wilderness... and didn't really know where I was!
I spent the next 1 1/2 hours following trails around hoping I would make it back to civilization eventually... and I did! I stopped at this creek along the way to enjoy a peach I brought with me and read some of my book.
On my way to lunch... passed this meadow. I was going to walk around in it a bit but quickly changed my mind when about 3 feet away from me, I heard the grass rustle and saw a mouse!
While eating lunch... I decided I would stay in the more "civilized" areas. I walked to the Ahwahnee Hotel which is historic and beautiful. Here is a picture of the lobby and huge fireplace. I chose to stay here a while and read until it cooled off a little outside.
Then... I headed back to my car and drove gradually up 3,000 feet to Glacier Point which is famous for its views. These pictures don't really do the experience justice, but I tried to capture it as best as I could.
If you look in the center of the picture below, there is a waterfall.
This is called "Half Dome". The little "lip" off to the left is called "Devil's Diving Board"... Eeek! People actually climb up the right side of this "rock". (Mr. Bullard and his son included!)
This is a picture of the valley (where I was this morning) from 3,000 feet up! Two totally different views!
What you see when you look over the edge... Scary!
My last stop of the day was to see the GIANT Sequoia trees! (You can kinda scale them to the cars in the background)
So... conclusion for the day. I'm not really a nature girl... but I sure did try!
"One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple."
Psalm 27:4
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple."
Psalm 27:4
