Yosemite

After spending a few days in Lake Tahoe, driving all the way around and enjoying the beautiful scenery, i headed for Yosemite National Park. Very fun drive seeing all the Harley Davidsons and driving througt the Pine Forest. The smell was absolutly Divine.
I finally arrived after taking a detour via Mono Lake. The lake was very pretty, but more a stagnant pool, full of flies and seagulls. Nice as long as you kept your distance. The reflection of the surrounding mountains was pretty cool though.
I panicked when entered the NP asmost of the tent sites were full.. and also the park was much bigger than i had expected, so it took much longer to get around.
I managed to find myself a spot in a campsite in the north of the park, and also just driving in had already seen some rock climbers. The camping here was pretty scary, and similar to the camping in Tahoe, lots of active bears in the area, and therangers told me they came into the campsite everyday!
Day 1 in Yosemite i decided to hike up to Upper Yosemite Falls... on the drive into the Valley you come across the moast amazing cliff.. called EL CaPITAN. It is a sheer cliff which comes out of the flat ground.. over a 1000ft. absolutly stunning. I then eaded fot the falls. Unfortunatly the weather was way too hot, and the waterfall was nothing more than a trickle which was a shame. I tried findin the trail, found myself scrambling up the rocks, and realised i might kill myself, so came down and did the Valley Loop Trail. I walked all the way to mirror lake, looking forward to a nice dip... only to find out when i got there that it was a DRY LAKE... literally NO water at all! How Ridiculous.
I then walked back to the car after what turned out to be a full day hike and spent the evening avoiding bears and planning the next day hike to Glacier Point.
DAY2 i hiked up the 4 mile trail to Glacier point. It is actually longer than 4 miles, with an assent of over 1300ft. It was hard work but definitly worth it! the view from the top of the valley was just STUNNING> unfortunatly i managed to break my photo camera, so have no decent photo of the valley. Also, from up there there were amazing views of the half Dome. it is a mountain made of granite in the shape of a dome, but cut in half... hence the name. The views in Yosemite are in general beautiful, and so bizzare. It is a valley of Granite walls and somehow trees grow straight out of this stuff... bit crazy! After the hike i went to May Lake, which turned out to be another ile hike uphill!!! and i was hoping to fianlly bathe... but the water was so cold i didnt dear jump in. Just paddled.. plus didnt want to disturb all the fisherman down there.
DAY 3 - i hiked up the John Muir trail towards the half dome, but justwent to see 2 waterfalls(which actually had water) Nevada falls was at the top and offered beautiful views. Then walking down to Vernal falls you walk past the emerald pools... which is basically granit rock which is almost flat, and kids use it as a giant water slide to slide into the pool before the second waterfall! Then you have vernal falls which is stunning. the fall is a smallish stream of water which crashes onto the rocks below, but is small enough that evrytime the wind blows it moves the entire waterfall... its mezmerizing to watch, and there is always water there!
After this strenuous climb i drove down to the Merced river for a much needed bath!!! - i hate that campsites have no showers, and my bloody solar shower was always gone cold by the time i finish y hike and got back to the campsite.
Unfortunatly had to leave Yosemite without conquering the Half dome.. but being alone, and it being a 2 day hike, or a very long 1 day, i didnt want to risk it... so i have to leave, and hope i return with company another day to summit it.... and onwards i go to pick up Ness and head for the Burning Man.