Day 4 - Yosemite NP and Lone Pine

Hi again,

First of all, I have to say that the Americans are really nice and we feel very welcome here. Everyone is open, relaxed, helpful, and friendly. Everyone greets each other nicely and you often have a short conversation. Even in restaurants, gas stations, or supermarkets. It's not just like in Germany: Hello, table for 2 people? Ok, over there in the corner. But rather a friendly conversation right away: Hi, how are you doing? Everything alright today? Where are you from? Wow, what are you planning? Etc... And I have to say, it really feels genuine. All of this, of course, in a relaxed, American 'way'.

Onto today's day: It started relatively early. I have to admit that I haven't quite found my sleep rhythm yet. Last night, I woke up again at 1 o'clock and wasn't tired at all. Full of hope, I grab my phone and think 'Oh please, let it already be 6 o'clock' - but no, 1 o'clock. So another long night ahead of me...

Anyway, we had breakfast right after getting up from (let's call her) our grandma. Delicious blueberry pancakes, bacon, and fruit. After that, she gave us some tips for the day and then we set off to Mariposa Grove in Yosemite NP - a circular path with lots of giant 'sequoia trees'. It's simply incredible what nature creates here.

Unfortunately, there was also bad news. Due to the currently raging wildfires, the south entrance of the Yosemite NP was closed. Actually, this entrance was the reason why I booked this accommodation. For us, that meant driving back for 2 hours to take the west entrance after all :-(

I just realized that the blog is getting pretty long and I'm not sure how many non-readers I have in the group, so I'll make the ending a bit shorter. We left the national park via Tioga Pass with picturesque landscapes (there was a video here) and then we drove another 150km straight ahead - as far as the eye can see towards Lone Pine, where I am sitting now and writing this blog. Let the pictures tell the rest. Don't forget: In addition to the pictures here in the text, there are also some more in the gallery above.

Oh yes, there's maybe one more thing to mention: In Yosemite, there is relatively little water in the summer, which means that the rushing rivers are currently more like 'streams' and the thundering waterfalls are more like a misty shower.

Tomorrow, we will continue to Death Valley (I believe it's around 50°+ in the sun there) and then to Las Vegas.

We'll keep you posted.

Dean + Luisa