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10-18-09, 08:01 AM
Thomas, from England, came to stay with us Wednesday afternoon, October 14th. He contacted us through Warm Showers:
Warm Showers - Hospitality for Touring Cyclists (http://www.warmshowers.org/)
He has been traveling around the world for the past seven months, and just came down from Canada, through Oregon, Washington, California, stopped at San Francisco, took the BART about 35 miles to Pleasanton, then rode his bike 55 miles from Pleasanton to Modesto in only four hours!
Well, my cycling buddy, Paul, and I took Thomas from Modesto up to Yosemite yesterday (Friday). Paul was just going to drop off Thomas at Groveland, which would have been about 30-40 miles from the Yosemite Park entrance, but he decided to take Thomas all way into the park.
We all three had our bicycles, and had planned on riding with Thomas as he headed for the Tioga Pass (around 10,000 feet), but we changed our plans again, and took Thomas on a walking tour around Yosemite. We stopped and looked at Bridal Veil Falls
Bridalveil Falls (Yosemite) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridalveil_Fall)
and Yosemite Falls (first Upper Yosemite Falls, then hiked in to see Lower Yosemite Falls).
Yosemite Falls (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yosemite_Falls)
Checked out the museum, visitor center, and the Ansel Adams art gallery. Met some interesting people -- a Chinese family (parents and their young boy, six years old). Had a nice long chat with them. They have been traveling around the United States for two months so far, and still have much yet to see ... They also were in Canada for awhile. They travel to the United States every year.
Around 4:00 we decided it was time to help Thomas find a campsite. Drove around for nearly two hours before finally finding a free campsite outside the park! At a gravel pit ... There were four professional rock climbers who had just returned from a practice climb up El Capitan.
El Capitan, Yosemite (Wikipedia) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Capitan)
El Capitan is much bigger than the little picture seems. I have some good pictures .... will upload later.
I had a good long chat with the rock climbers (four of them). They have climbed to the top of El Capitan and Half Dome.
Half Dome, Yosemite (Wikipedia) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half_Dome)
Several of them did the climb that takes several days (some people take five days to finish the climb!) where you have to sleep over night for several nights, hanging on the ropes trying to sleep!
Thomas found a good flat spot up on a higher level, away from the gravel pit, under some trees. I hope he didn't have any trouble with bears ... There are lots of bears around the park, and outside of the park as well. Thomas does have a huge canister of bear spray. He had a run in with bears several times, I think up in Canada ....
To be continued ....
Warm Showers - Hospitality for Touring Cyclists (http://www.warmshowers.org/)
He has been traveling around the world for the past seven months, and just came down from Canada, through Oregon, Washington, California, stopped at San Francisco, took the BART about 35 miles to Pleasanton, then rode his bike 55 miles from Pleasanton to Modesto in only four hours!
Well, my cycling buddy, Paul, and I took Thomas from Modesto up to Yosemite yesterday (Friday). Paul was just going to drop off Thomas at Groveland, which would have been about 30-40 miles from the Yosemite Park entrance, but he decided to take Thomas all way into the park.
We all three had our bicycles, and had planned on riding with Thomas as he headed for the Tioga Pass (around 10,000 feet), but we changed our plans again, and took Thomas on a walking tour around Yosemite. We stopped and looked at Bridal Veil Falls
Bridalveil Falls (Yosemite) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridalveil_Fall)
and Yosemite Falls (first Upper Yosemite Falls, then hiked in to see Lower Yosemite Falls).
Yosemite Falls (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yosemite_Falls)
Checked out the museum, visitor center, and the Ansel Adams art gallery. Met some interesting people -- a Chinese family (parents and their young boy, six years old). Had a nice long chat with them. They have been traveling around the United States for two months so far, and still have much yet to see ... They also were in Canada for awhile. They travel to the United States every year.
Around 4:00 we decided it was time to help Thomas find a campsite. Drove around for nearly two hours before finally finding a free campsite outside the park! At a gravel pit ... There were four professional rock climbers who had just returned from a practice climb up El Capitan.
El Capitan, Yosemite (Wikipedia) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Capitan)
El Capitan is much bigger than the little picture seems. I have some good pictures .... will upload later.
I had a good long chat with the rock climbers (four of them). They have climbed to the top of El Capitan and Half Dome.
Half Dome, Yosemite (Wikipedia) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half_Dome)
Several of them did the climb that takes several days (some people take five days to finish the climb!) where you have to sleep over night for several nights, hanging on the ropes trying to sleep!
Thomas found a good flat spot up on a higher level, away from the gravel pit, under some trees. I hope he didn't have any trouble with bears ... There are lots of bears around the park, and outside of the park as well. Thomas does have a huge canister of bear spray. He had a run in with bears several times, I think up in Canada ....
To be continued ....