Monday, 29 September 2014

California - northern Yosemite & the High Sierras

9pm Fri 26 Sept

We have now ended up further north in Yosemite but very much away from the valley and into 'wilderness' High Sierra country. The air is distinctly cooler up here & for the first time this trip, I'm having to wear a jacket.

We are in Mono Village where the folk round here are of the huntin', fishin' & shootin' variety & the men's beards have been lovingly grown for years rather than for the hipster look.

We have come in search of bears as apparently there are loads round here. We seem to be the only idiots who are excited about the prospect of seeing bears as most people here are carrying bear spray. In fact, we have frankly been shitting ourselves at the prospect of meeting one! As it is, the most bear like creature we have met so far at night is a guy called Ron.

As it is so far out from the usual tourist trail, Mat & I stick out like sore thumbs not least because of his bright green hoodie & well, I suspect not many Filipino-Essex girls have ventured up here.  There is no wifi or phone signal anywhere & this post will probably be posted this weekend when we hit Lake Tahoe. It is a little disconcerting to be so cut-off but that's 'wilderness' for you.

Having soaked up yet more amazing views from Olmsted Point & lunch by Tenaya Lake bird watching, a hike in Tuolumme Meadows made for yet another photogenic afternoon.  I also learnt what a 'tufa' is on Mono Lake. Weird alien landscape made of leftover calcium carbonate as opposed to 2for1 deals found in supermarkets... :-)

Still no bears though!

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