Sony Girl: Yosemite

Toward the end of last week, everyone (except me) went to Yosemite National Park.

I was able to hold down the fort with Axle and Dash whereas Linnaea (Axle and Dash's Mom) thought she was in charge. We had the best time playing and lounging together while Mom and Dad were vacationing, enjoying spectular views including Inspiration Point.

First on the agenda was to see the highest waterfall in North America, Yosemite falls. Too bad there was no water. I sure am glad that I got to see Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls earlier in the summer when at least there was still some water falling. Click on the link above to compare the pictures!

This picture above is Lower Yosemite Falls. Since Mom had to stay with me last time while Dad climbed the boulders to the base of the waterfall, she was anxious to enjoy this pool of water herself.

Everyone patiently waited while Mom and Dad hiked to the base of the falls . . .

only to find a little tiny wet spot on the rocks!

Alas, there was a small pool of clear, cool water, which was refreshing after their climb up the rocks. (I am embarrassed of my mom's lily white legs! You would think that she could have at least exposed herself to the sun before this trip.)

Mom and Dad enjoyed the views while relaxing in the pool. Some spots were deep enough to swim in but they did not wear their swimsuits.

Then came the realization that they had to climb back down these boulders.

If you zoom in on the center of the picture, you can see some people standing on the bridge along with some others in the shade. This is where Great Mamaw, Grandma and Grandpa were still patiently waiting for Mom and Dad to return.

You can almost see the look of pure panic on Mom's face when she realizes that she has to climb down these huge rocks. (One would think that she would have thought about this as she was excitedly climbing up these slick rocks.) In some places, it was so steep that they just slide down the boulders on their rear ends, hoping that they could brace themselves for the landing without spraining an ankle or two.

After resting and drinking lots of water, the next stop was Mariposa Grove, the largest of the three sequoia groves in Yosemite National Park. These pictures do not portray how massive these trees actually are.

Here's Mom standing in front of the Fallen Monarch. Biologists suspect that this tree had been down several hundred years! Sequoias do not have deep root systems; instead, the roots spread out near the surface to get water. While the roots are usually no deeper than six feet, they fan out more than 150 feet, providing a stable base to balance the massive trunk

Grandma and Great Mamaw are walking toward a tree known as The Grizzly Giant. It is one of the largest trees in the Mariposa Grove. This tree is approximately 2,700 years old, one of the oldest living Sequoias. That huge limb blocking the sun is almost seven feet in diameter, larger than the trunk of your average tree!