Yosemite

Day 2 of the Big Trip - I am waking up to a beautiful sunny morning in the middle of a beautiful forest. I stare out the window for awhile just taking in the fact that I am in Yosemite with so much beauty all around me. The waterfalls are bigger than I have ever remembered seeing them! The River is wilder.. there is no sign of the forecasted rain, but I know that can change quickly. 

The campground has been surprisingly quiet, the advantage of a weekday with school still in session. I know that will change this weekend. And the campground is about 25% empty. Yet it shows being full at the office. I think people just don’t cancel because the rates are so low here, particularly for seniors.

This is a Travato group ( my camper van face book group) gathering I have planned for a long time. We should have about 18 vans here. Unfortunately we are scattered thought out the valley.  Guess I better go find my people.

Day 3 - Thursday.

I am sitting here at 7 am enjoying a cup of coffee with a nice view all around me. The sky is slowly getting brighter and campers are starting to move. I am surprised there are so many tent campers as I know the nights have been getting down to 25. But I am toasty warm! I have not even used my heater. I am thinking the insulation I added is really helping.

Yesterday was a good day! The weather was perfect, even a little too hot in the afternoon. In the morning I walked around to find all my Travato friends who are scattered throughout the park. I then hiked for a couple hours and met up with a friend to shuttle around the park stopping for lunch and doing some exploring. I was pleasantly surprised to find the food court had added a Starbucks and treated myself to a frappachino for the ride home. 

Last night was a get together and campfire. So nice to finally have us all in one spot. The original gloomy weather forecast is back. It is supposed to rain today after 11 am. SO... I better 
get moving and get some hiking in before then.






Yesterday we had some crazy thunder and lightning and then it rained for about 2 hours. But that all started around 2pm. In the morning I took a nice long hike along the river. I ended up taking a wrong turn and extended my hike by about 40 minutes. It was all worth it. I am trying hard to build up my stamina for hikes in Utah. I have a potluck tonight with the TOAW group. It is supposed to be clear and it has been sunny all day.

Other than the one afternoon rain storm the weather has been perfect!

Retired and the living is groovy!

Retired!!!!
It has been 4 weeks and it is a whole new world. I have been so busy with kids, grandkids and travel I wonder how I ever had time to work before. It still feels a little like vacation only in my work life, even on vacation, I was checking emails. 

So the BIG trip is coming up quick. I head to Yosemite on May 7, for 6 days, then head out to Utah and ultimately Yellowstone! Woohoo!. In Yosemite I will be hanging out with my Travato van group, so 25 of old and new friends. Love this group.

But after Yosemite I am on my own for 2-4 weeks. This will be a big deal for me. I am hoping to spend some time renewing my spirit.

Meanwhile, I have already had two kayak club trips. First was 5 nights in Bodega Bay. Cold, windy and beautiful.

 

My second trip was just this last week. Clear Lake is where we stayed 3 nights and paddled Kelsey Creek and the Rodman Slough. The campground is beautiful. Large sites, right on the water. However, the mosquitoes were out in force and tortured us. The campground is beautiful with lots of trees for shade and big camp sites. However, the water in the creeks and sloughs, along the lake shore, was pretty stinky and full of dead fish.  Yuckkkk.

Next Week I head to Yosemite and from there to Utah.  

2019 and big changes

It is really happening! This is my last month of the working life. As of April 1st I will be officially retired!!!!

It is exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. Up until this last year I have truly enjoyed my working life. But it is the right time to leave that world and start my next round of adventures. That will mean spending a lot more time outside and away from computers. I will be traveling and exploring, spending time with grandkids and family, finding ways to give back and volunteering. So many things to do, places to see and adventures to be had.

This last December I lost my best friend Sydney. She was my Aussie who had been with me for 13 years. I still miss her every day. In February “Kenny” was added to the family. Kenny is a little firecracker and I am hoping Kenny can become a good traveling dog.

Adding some pics from the end of 2018 as I was remiss in keeping up here.

New Years Paddle

A Christmas San Francisco trip

One of those rare winters where I got snow

Thanksgiving weekend - kayaking crab fishing in Bodega Bay

Lake Tahoe - Camp Richardson June 20, 2018

My SKEG kayaking group celebrated the Summer Solstice and first day of Summer in beautiful South Lake Tahoe. Home was hot hot hot at 100 plus degrees, so the cooler weather was a bonus.  We camped at Camp Richardson a historical resort right on the lake. My family had been going there for over 35 years. We have missed the last several years so this was special for me and brought back many good memories of family members who are long gone.

Charley, my Travato Camper Van, was my home base. It carries all my comforts and toys. The rest of my group camped in tents and cars.  I felt a little bad when they were kept awake by noisy campers that I never ever heard...



We kayaked the Upper Truckee River. It was full of Mergansers and their chicks. It was a beautiful paddle. We also paddled from D.L. Bliss into Emerald Bay. We left early enough to miss most the crowns and enjoyed some beautiful, colorful, clear water.



In between paddles a friend and I biked the bike trails that are beautiful as well.  Love this place!! And Love my Paddling club! Oh yeah, and love my Travato!

Fall River Mills May 9 - 13 2018

This trip is now one of my top 10 destinations.  The phrase "Peace like a River" kept repeating in my head.  Fall River is a lush green river with a meandering waterway and a new vista at every river bend.

The first day was cold and windy, and we were going up against the current, So I was a bit apprehensive.  But I am so very glad i went! It was truly beautiful and a great paddle day.  The next day was a longer paddle but we had a light current with us. We did a shuttle so that made for a very delightful day.