Round One.

I'm the worst. I can easily poop away some serious hours looking at templates and contemplating how to present something. I love this blog. I do. It's like my own little baby but then comes a moment when I have 8k pictures I want to share with you for this one experience and well, its sort of hard to do on here! But I guess that makes me slim and trim it down? Eh.

I need to stop talking to people so much on the phone because then I feel like I've told the same stories over and over and in reality, no, I haven't. So well, here goes.

There's a place called Yosemite that I had heard a lot about, seen a lot of pictures, and listened to a lot of stories. Like most things I wanted to go see it for myself. See what all this TALK is about. To see if the reason these campgrounds are all so full is not because it's the nearest National Park but because it's that awesome. Folks, it is.

I know, I know, you've already seen this photo. But really, have you? Because it's rad. And I'm sort of obsessed! Hard not to be when you find yourself wide awake at 7 a.m. on a Saturday with no real plans for the day when, boom, you decided its time to head East. And you do. And you sing. The Whole. Freaking. Way. Because its sunny out and you're behind the wheel and you can go wheeerrrrreevvver you wanna go.

What's best is driving through pretty much nothing beautiful in particular, and then, you feel it. You can just tell you're getting close to something awesome. Something special. Whenever I get that feeling I always wonder if way back when, when the first guy who was making his way across the uncharted territory got the same feeling. Did he know? Did it pull him? Are the Berkeley hippy vibes rubbing off on me?! :)

Anyway, heading M&M's advice when I first entered the park I didn't head straight for the valley, I took the high road. Literally. One that's closed in the winter and puts you (now I know) on top of the valley rims. I had no idea what I was looking for or what I would find but holy heck, someone was looking out for me because while I was mowing down on bread and peanut butter, I somehow found a trail head that led me to where I could snap all these photos. Seriously dudes, this view is the best one on the park as far as I'm concerned. Not a soul out there (sans the one guy who snapped my picture). And you're bloody staring straight at this massive rock face! (Or my face.)

I hung out on North Dome for about 2 hours I guess just pretty much staring, soaking and taking it all in. I didn't realize it had been two hours until I got headed back to my car and was SUPER thankful I had already scored my camp spot for the night! Anywho, already long story short, thanks to my bro I had myself an MRE (I wasn't planning on staying up there but when do I ever really plan on anything) and tucked myself in in the back of my car for the night. Dudes. I haven't slept that good since. Woke up early the next a.m. and thought, what the hell, lets go check out the valley before the asian invasion, eh? 

It was a good decision. Look at her beautifully shinning in the morning light. People, it's enough to take your breath away. I highly recommend it. Complete human perspective in seconds. You just can't stop gawking at her. I believe this is El Capitan? Anyway, continuing further into the valley where all the "campgrounds" are, I was trying to find Half Dome and was getting slightly more than frustrated with myself! I drove around in circles for about 45 minutes looking for that beautiful rock I just showed above above. I ended up laughing out loud at myself so hard I was getting looks from passerby because darn it, Half Dome was in front of me the whole time it just looks nothing as cool as it does from North Dome! AT ALL! I don't think I even snapped a photo I was so saddened. I still had time for a hike but people were stirring from their slumbers so it was time to act fast. So, I picked one. Yosemite Falls. "David likes waterfalls," I thought, "I'll go there and take a picture for him." It said the hike was pretty strenuous but I don't really remember reading that. I guess by strenuous the book meant "See this face? This is where a waterfall usually is. You can barely see it there. Well, you are going to hike to the top of it."

Warning - objects may be bigger than they appear.

 And Amy said, "Well, you can't really be serious so I'm going to  not hold back and I will walk my normal excited pace because I can't wait to see what's at the end of this road!" And she did. And it was good. 

And this is where it takes you... 

People!

YEEEE-IKES! Yes that's where the waterfall pours off to the floor below!

Anyway, I hiked that sucker in less than 4 hours. I can't remember the exactly mileage but it's like 2,600 feet in elevation gain. So I went up and down for a total of almost 6! By way of STAIRS. Just like Frodo. Right up the side of the flipping valley. Hot as heck and sweating like a dirty pig. IT WAS FREAKING RAD AND I WILL DO IT AGAIN ANY DAY - as long as there isn't snow. 

Oh hey there heat-reflecting granite! :)

Welp, that there is the end of it! Except for these random final photos that I couldn't help but include. I mean come on, look at that cute little puffy white cloud just hanging out enjoying the day!

(P.S. Thank you Lord for  putting that little trickle of fresh water on the path. I was in a bad way and you had my back. Thank you.)