Go Climb a Rock

Yesterday had its own fair share of interesting turn of events. I had a fairly early flight out of San Jose this morning to Sacramento that was never meant to be. As we were getting close to boarding time an announcement was made that there was mechanical problems with the plane and there would be a “slight delay” and that more information would be given to us as things developed. Well a slight delay turned into a 2 hour delay, which then without an announcement turned into the flight getting cancelled. I don’t know what instinct it was that made me get up and go check on how they were still feeling about the accuracy of their two hour estimate, but I came to find out that that almost immediately after making the announcement that the plane was delayed that they started ordering van shuttles to take people up to Sacramento. I had decided to go find a table down the terminal a bit to relax and came up and was able to get them to hold the last shuttle they had ordered by a hair. Someone must have put in a good word with the big guy upstairs and asked to get me the hook up. (Thanks by the way for the people that have been sending prayers our way…I’ve felt very blessed and things have really been coming together nicely)

The ride to Sacramento wasn’t too bad…to my right was a chatty college girl that had just gotten back from spending 3 months traveling in Europe and the woman to my left had just come back from seeing her first grandson come into the world. I also earned 2000 free frequent flyer miles and had the money returned to me I was suppose to pay to check luggage ($40), so not too shabby and I only ended up getting to the airport an hour and fifteen minutes behind schedule. The only odd thing was that the shuttle bus had to drop me off in the middle of the economy parking lot and I had to try and coordinate with Chip how to come and find me, which was successful.

Yosemite National Park is absolutely beautiful…up until this point it has been pretty hard to really say what has been my favorite city or place and I really think that Yosemite could be it or is definitely in the top 3. It has so many different things that it offers in just one park: river beaches, mountain streams, mountains, waterfalls, sequoia trees (redwoods), bears (at least enough signs to make you think there are bears, I haven’t actually seen one yet), hiking, mountain climbing peaks, lively camping villages, a cool lodge hotel, a ski lodge, and a number of different stores that could keep you well stocked including a grocery. I really wouldn’t mind coming back here and staying for a week or two…we only really spent 4 hours or so touring the park and taking in the sights, sounds, and excellent smells (the mix of camp fire and redwoods should be the newest old spice scent…I’d wear it).

As the night wears on the temperature has dropped to a nice cool 50 degrees or so and the camp sites have been getting less and less rowdy and people are bundling up near the fire rings and hanging out; even the Japanese guys at the camp site next to us with the miner’s helmets and lights. We also have these bear boxes next to our picnic table where we’re suppose to keep all food and aromatic items like soap, so the bears don’t try and break into the cars or the tents. Since I haven’t seen any bears on this trip besides the ones in the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago I was thinking about leaving out some of the smoked salmon I got back in Seattle and wait for one of the suckers to show their face. Chip didn’t like that idea so much and thought it would be rude if I didn’t run that by the other campers around us. I don’t think they speak much English so I’m in a bit of a snag…maybe if we head out early enough in the morning I’ll see one.