Thursday 19th Yehosimite Park, Sonaro

Thursday 19th.
Day 7 already !! surprising how time flies when you are enjoying yourself.
Last night at the Senora Valley Inn was fun, the group are starting to mix and the Ha[[y Hour in the bar was a starter for ten. A few bottles of Bud, etc, and then we headed out for a Mexican, although I think we would have been better in the Inn’s own restaurant.
Free WI FI in the room so I was able to do some blogging and with the help of Grant@Photogenix I managed to get the copy and paste problems sorted out.
Once again we had an early rise, although we are still waking up about 4 a.m. we had to have our bags out by 7 a.m. – and as there was not enough staff on duty the manager had brought in a couple of young college lads to get the baggage down to the coach, for cash and pocket money
Managed to make contact with Grant on the Skype, but as he had no mike or camera I was doing the talking while he listened and wrote to me – odd one sided conversation. Then I spoke with Sir Christopher at The Mercat Bar as RGB was once again “in absentia”, working on “Empire” business.
Complimentary breakfast today which was more than adequate, coffee, orange juice, cereals, toast, scones, toast, etc.
Headed off on time, northwards to Merced on Route 99 and then turned east again making for the portal into Yosemite National Park. It is interesting to hear that our own John Muir, from North Berwick, did so much to help establish this park which is now a protected area, and also one of the USA’s top tourist attractions.
This has to be pretty near the top of the list for spectacular sites, with sheer cliffs of about 3000 ft round the valley, waterfalls which at the moment are just trickles of what they are in the winter, however I think in reality that you have to combine it to the stories of the Goldrush Days and just try to imagine the hardships the miners and everyone went through to get here, walking across the USA and then trecking up over the passes and into the mountains - Gold was in abundance and millionaires were made, out of these Sierra Navada Mountains, and on the other side of the valley not that far away the biggest silver deposits in the world were found.
We toured the park in an open trailer/ tram, very good and it being a beautiful balmy 90 F were getting tanned en route. The cliffs are unbelievable and climbers come here and can spend three days on the faces doing the climbs, sleeping in bags and tents tied onto the ledges. There is a professional mountain rescue team in the Park, however they spend more time dealing with minor incidents as the climbers ar so good. Ideal training ground for the Alps, etc.
BUT – seems as though they are concerned about the numbers of visitors and there are moves afoot to try and cut down on the numbers of vehicles coming into the Park. I still think that although it is special, it does not have the World Heritage creditation that the likes of St Kilda has.
From the Park we headed out through the valleys, following the river and then over a dramatic Five Mile pass and down into Sonaro where we stopped for the night, before we head off to Sacramento and San Francisco on Friday.
Had a wander down to the local supermarket for essential supplies before we stopped at the local Steakhouse for some of the local ribs, steaks, burgers and smoked chicken.