What a beautiful morning. We woke up in Yosemite Valley. It really is beautiful no matter what direction you look.

After breakfast we took Lucky, and walked up to Happy Isles, and took a bunch of really neat photos. Check out the Yosemite Gallery We got a lot of really beautiful photos. Happy Isles is on the Merced River Below Nevada and Vernal Falls.

After lunch, we jumped in the Jeep and took a ride around the Valley Floor. Stopped and walked back to the base of Yosemite Falls. Got more great photo’s. The water is really cold, and we got wet in the spray. Lucky had a great time wading in some of the little side streams.

We also visited the Post Office, Ansel Adams Gallery, and the Museum.

Later in the afternoon, Richard took his camera, hopped the shuttle back to Happy Isles, and hiked a mile up the trail to the base of Vernal Falls.
Got some good photos from the trail, and walked a ways up the Mist Trail toward the top of Vernal Falls. The Vernal Falls Trail is also the begining of the John Muir Trail that follows the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains from Yosemite to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National parks ending at the top of Mt McKinley. The John Muir also is part of the Pacific Crest Trail. Returned “home” in time for diner.

Now we wish we’d made the reservation for a longer time.

Left the KOA in Visalia today and drove up to Yosemite. The roads are very steep and winding. Wouldn’t want to try it with anything bigger than our Journey.

Saw a prescribed burn inside the park while we were driving down into the valley. Also a big brown (black) bear crossed the road right in front of us. Lucky was very interested in him. Glad we were in the Coach, and he was moving off into the woods.

Finally found our campsite. people were lined up in the parking lot waiting in line for no shows and cancellations. Boy are we glad we had reservations. The campground is beautiful, and laid out so each site has plenty of privacy, and there’s lots of open space between the loops.

There’s no phone service at all in the campground.