Yosemite National Park, CA

Yosemite National Park

On December 29, 2015 my mother and I stopped off at Yosemite National Park on our way to southern California. This was the first time either one of us had been to Yosemite and it was nice that we had the opportunity to experience this beautiful place together.

We were excited to explore Yosemite. We both have driven near Yosemite several times in the past, but never stopped. I also was looking forward to seeing Yosemite during the winter. Most of the pictures I've seen of Yosemite have been taken during the summer time so it was neat to see Yosemite in a different light.

Before even entering the park, we both were amazed at the beauty of that area. The weather that day was cool and clear, which allowed us to see as far as our eyes could.

We were traveling east on long, winding roads near the Moccasin Reservoir. As we climbed in elevation and cut through the landscape, the views became even more breathtaking. It seemed like every few turns I was pulling off the road to take pictures. The scenery was amazingly distracting. I think I only looked at the road four times during that drive.

How we didn't drive off of a cliff is a miracle. I think at one point I might have even yelled YOLO!

We took our time driving to Yosemite, stopping for fuel and snacks along the way. After several hours on the road, we finally made it to our destination. As we approached the Yosemite National Park gate, our eagerness to see Half Dome and the rest of the park built.

We spent all day in the park. There is so much to see and do there. If you're an outdoors kind of person, this is the place for you. Because of the time of year, the crowds were small and the traffic within the park was good. It was a little cold, but not too bad in my opinion. I would like to go back again during the summer time though and do some hiking and camping.

On our way out of the park, we stopped off at a gift shop where I ran into a couple that had a very nicely built FJ. We talked for several minutes about the park and of course, our rigs. My mother and I both had a great time there and I am very thankful that she was able to make the trip with me. I think the best of the day for me is when Mommy Baker and I had our picture taken together with Half Dome in the background.

If you have never seen Yosemite, but have wanted to, please do yourself a favor and go. You won't regret it.
A piece of advice though, bring extra batteries and memory cards for your camera. I ran out of batteries and was at the point where I was sketching everything I saw, but I struggle drawing sticker figures so I decided not to waist my time.