Yosemite

Today we ventured out to Yosemite.  By the way, why do we call it "You sim a knee" when  it is spelled "Yo see mite"?  We came in through the Highway 41 entrance.  This is not a popular entrance to the park (probably because you still have to drive 34 miles on a winding road to get to Yosemite Valley (Where all the good stuff is located).  The park ranger on duty at this gate is probably being punished for something ... or is an anthropophobe (fear of people).  Anyhow, they don't get a lot of business there and she was glad to see us.  She gave us the Yosemite newspaper and smiled blandly... She reminded me of a zombie, from Day of the Living Dead.  I showed her Lynda's Access pass (the golden ticket for the handicapped ... free entry to all national parks) and she still smiled blandly.  I drove off ... there were no sirens so I assumed we were ok to proceed.  I think she is still smiling blandly ...  and may be for quite some time.  Go ahead ... check it out and see if she is still there a few months from now .... a venture into the Twilight Zone (Imagine Zone music here).

Along the back-road route to the goodies, we passed a lot of beautiful scenery running along an idyllic river and we passed one other thing too ... a golf course! Ok, I admit it ... I am not a golfer ... I have played and I stink (although I'm probably still better than Calvin Coolidge who left his clubs behind when he left the White House.  But who thought it was a good use of public land that was set aside for its natural beauty to turn a pristine elk meadow into a golf course????  Idiots!!!

Every American should be required to visit the national parks ... to understand the vastness and majesty of the land we occupy ... It will put patriotic blood into the most anemic of us.  This is who we are ... this is the sea to shining sea ... this is America the Beautiful ...  Wait ... I'm breaking into song!

At this time of the year the snow melt from the high Sierra's is running into the valleys of Yosemite.  It is a wonderful sight!  Here are a few pictures:

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Let's talk a bit about Segway etiquette.  Lynda & I parked the car, unloaded the Segways and took off for the Visitor's Center ... The Segways are cool!   Very Cool! ...  They attract a lot of attention as we GLIDE (That's what riding is called in the Segway world) about.  So a few words about Segway etiquette.  It is not alright to ask how much they cost!  (If you want to know call a dealer!)  So we were perfectly justified in telling the guy who asked this question, that we had given our first born for them (Sorry Jason!), but not to worry, he was adjusting to his new family quite well!  Above is Lynda "gliding" with El Capitain and Yosemite Falls in the background.

Wow!  Can you beat this scenery?  Half-Dome is in the background ... I got the Half-Dome label pin ... a collection that will fit in the RV!