We're back from Yosemite and we had a fantastic time. The weather wasn't ideal but it was still really nice. We had partly cloudy, sunny and a bit of rain while we were in the park. The clouds were very low so it wasn't the best for viewing some of rock formations but we still really enjoyed it. Best of all, since it was Easter weekend, the park wasn't very crowded.

We spent two days in the park and camped about 20 miles outside of the park. Here's just a fraction of the pictures we took.

It was cold enough that there was a lot of snow still on the ground at the higher elevations outside of the park and inside before you dropped down into the valley. I wore my snow jacked both days but I'm always cold and there were plenty of people in sweat shirts and even a few in shorts.

We saw a number of animals including a bobcat, 2 coyotes, 2 bears, lots of deer and squirrels too numerous to count.
Hubbs at El Capitan.

Bridal Veil Falls. All the major falls were running like crazy and there were tons of seasonal falls too.

Due to my knee injuries we only did one hike up to Lower Yosemite Falls. I gimped along pretty good but I don't think this is what the Doctor meant when she said she wanted me to rest. But hey, I didn't want Hubbs to see Yosemite from the truck.

We took the dogs with us and found Yosemite to be very pet friendly. I'm pretty sure that that the dogs thought we were trying to kill them with all the walking that we did.

Half Dome was very elusive while we were there. It was clouded over almost the entire time that we were there. It was only uncovered for about 20 min's that we saw. Other wise the clouds were very low and Half Dome was pretty much completely obscured.

Yosemite falls was amazing as all ways. Beautiful from every angle.

The lupines were amazing.

The deer were so beautiful and very plentiful.

The park rangers were practicing swift water rescue on the Merced River and we enjoyed watching them practice. I'm sure later in the year they will get to put those skills to use.

I even got a chance to work on a sock I started for my grandmother for mother's day.

We even hiked out to Mono Lake.

The weekend was fantastic and I can't wait to go again. We're planning to make a day trip a little later in the spring to see it again and do some real hiking when I'm healed up. I didn't get to run in the valley while we were there but there is always next time.

I've been after new hiking boots for a while now. All of last summer/falls adventures have really gotten my juices going for hiking again. I used to hike all the time but after I moved to Sacramento, I didn't really know where to go.

On Saturday Hubbs and I were doing a little shopping and decided to run over to REI. I've been a member of REI for something like 20 years. I bought my membership back when I was about 13 and was doing a lot of backpacking with various groups including Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. When you live in a really small town, sometimes you have to join forces to have enough people to go on a trip. I've backpacked in Lassen National Park and in Grand Canyon among other places with these groups. I loved it.

When I got older back packing wasn't something that I had much time to do. But day hikes on the weekends are totally do able. While I was at REI, I found this great book 60 Hikes within 60 Miles Sacramento. Now I have lots of places to hike and it even tells you which ones are dog friendly.

I did finally buy some boots. I've been looking since some time last year for new boots. I picked up Merrell Moab Ventilators. They're light weight and so far the couple trips around the neighborhood they've made have been really comfortable. Can't wait to hit the trails!

Hubbs and I took the day on Saturday and went out to the Sierras. I've been begging for the last few years to go to Bassi Falls. Hubbs has always said that we should go in the spring time when the river is really running but I mentioned show shoeing last week and we decided to try Bassi Falls.

It's about a five mile round trip...uphill going in. I thought I was going to die.

But we made it and the falls are beautiful. Pictures truly don't do it justice.

The water was roaring and the sun was shining, warm enough to not need jackets. I didn't even use a sweatshirt.

The water is so amazing...clear as glass. It cut ripples and swirls in the granite.

I kept searching each pool of water for a large chunk of gold. I only need one...

It looked like something that you'd find created for you at Disney Land, but this was nature at it's finest.

After we explored a bit, I got a chance to work a few stitches on Roheline.

I packed it 2.5 miles in just for the chance that I would get to knit in one of the most beautiful places in the world and it was pretty much all ours. We only saw one other couple all day.

Self portrait by Hubbs.

Thank goodness for self timers on cameras!

It was a great way to spend a Saturday. I still want to go back again in the spring time.

Today Hubbs and I headed up to the Sierras to Calavaras Big Tree State Park. It's in the Sierras, east of Arnold in Gold Country, about an hour and a half away from us. It has stands of giant sequoias that are just amazing in size. I've seen lots of big trees, even Muir Woods but they don't even begin to compare to the size of the trees we saw today.

Beaver Creek Bridge

Beaver Creek.


Howdy shadows.

The water was so clear you can see everything below the surface.

Hubbs pretending to be a bear. He said he wouldn't do it unless I did but you notice that I don't post the picture of me. He's too cute.

We saw lots of animals, birds, squirrels, chipmunks and butterflies but this is the only critter that would hold still long enough to me to take it's picture.

Finally the giant sequoia. So huge that pictures don't do justice. The largest one in the part is over 26 feet in diameter at 6 feet above the ground.

The closer you get to the trees the more amazing they are.

Looking at them straight up from the bottom blows your mind.

Huge right? Hubbs is 5'10" and this tree dwarfs him in both height and width.

The five mile hike was worth it to see these trees.

This tree had been hollowed out by fire and then it fell over. Standing inside of it I didn't have to duck at all.

These amazing pink flowers were growing besides the trial.

This is the Palace Hotel Tree. It burned a long time ago but is still alive. The fire hollowed out a hole that goes all the way to the top like a chimney.

The chimney out all the way out the top.

On the trail with Hubbs.

We took the Subaru, I just love this car.

We arrived at the park around 9:30 and started hiking by 9:50 and were back from our 5 miler at 12:30. By 1 the thunder headers were building. We never saw any lightening or heard any thunder but we figured it was time to head home.

Now we're home and watching John Wayne movies on TV. Tomorrow morning we're going to headed off and do some fly fishing about 45 min's away from home. Hubbs is going to fish and I'm going to knit or read or day dream...anything that involves me being relaxed.

Last night Hubbs and I drove over to the Cosumnes River Preserve. It's a wetland preserve about 10 miles from our house. We've lived here for 6 years and known about the preserve but have never taken the time to go. The weather was so beautiful last night that we decided last minute to run over to the preserve and take a walk.

The preserve has two trails. One is about a mile called The Lost Wetlands Trail and a second one that's about 3 miles called The River Walk. Because it was already 7:30 when when we got there, we took the shorter one.

A lot of the area is swampy but lovely. None of the paddies are flooded this time of year so a lot of it is native grasses. In the spring and winter the paddies are flooded to encourage the Sand Hill Cranes to rest there on their migration.

We saw two cotton tail rabbits. This one was right outside the bathrooms and we were able to get really close before he hopped off.

Not sure what this is but it looks like some type of a hibiscus.

These blackeyed susans were part of the landscaping by the visitors center.

Our shadows.

An Egret.

Hubbs on the path. It's cement the entire way and would be great if you had small children or little ones in a stroller.

My car, waiting for us at the end of the walk.

Sunset over the preserve.