Yosemite!

What a great trip! It was short - only Saturday to Tuesday - but we managed to pack it full of fun and adventure. We went to Yosemite National Park, where Frances was a junior bridesmaid in a wedding.

Along the long, long drive, we stopped at a place called Bravo Farms. The signs intrigued me, and when we saw a sign that told of a petting zoo, we just had to check it out. They have wine tasting, a cheese factory, a fruit stand, and a shaded courtyard with an incredible 6-story treehouse. They also have animals that the children can touch: donkeys, a goat, a sheep, and chickens, a turkey, and rabbits for looking at.

The whole place is barely off the highway, and looks like an old-time mining town. We had to mail birthday cards, so we found the local post office, and the town itself is called Traver. In the courtyard of Bravo Farms, there are all sorts of antiques and lawn ornaments, as well as funny signs ("I child-proofed the house... but they still got in") and some old motorcycles that the kids can sit on. What a terrific place! We made sure to stop there on the way home, too.


We arrived in Yosemite late Saturday afternoon, and checked in to our room at the Lodge. Traffic to simply get into the park and reach our destination was terrible, so we quickly figured out how to use the free shuttle. Our car stayed put until we left! Sunday morning, we got up and started seeing the incredible sights of Yosemite. Our favorite place was Happy Isles, where there are several naturally occurring island in the middle of a roaring river. It's all connected by bridges. The water is ice-cold. In fact, all of the waterways and falls were full, to the point that the rivers were closed to rafting. We had a long, wet winter, which means lots of snow to melt. It was a treat to see all of the waterfalls! I made the girls come with me to the nature center at Happy Isles, and although they were reluctant (Frances was sure it would be boring), we all had a great time with the interactive displays.

The wedding rehearsal was Sunday afternoon, and afterwards we all went to the Upper Pines campground for a dinner of hamburgers & hot dogs (and grilled corn on the cob with garlic & parmesan - yum!). David let Frances help him at the grill. She was thrilled to be doing this "adult" activity.


Monday morning, the Bushnell girls went out again, this time to see Yosemite Falls. It was close to the Lodge, so we walked there. There is a loop trail that goes through the woods, something my city girls never get to see at home. The shuttle was full every time it passed us, so we walked... and walked.... and walked from one place to another. We hiked across a meadow (another thing Frances did not want to do, but she was glad I made her do it!) and saw the little chapel, crossed the river on a bridge, and finally wound up at the Village where we shared milkshakes. Then it was back to the Lodge for a quick dip in the pool (with a view of Yosemite Falls) and a quick nap before the wedding.


Michele and Evan's wedding was on the lawn of the Ahwahnee Hotel, and it was just beautiful. The reception was a lot of fun, and Frances forgot about being so grown up, as she played Ring Around the Rosy with the many little ones at the reception.


Tuesday morning, we had a leisurely breakfast and checked out of the Lodge. We packed the car, but left it in its parking space, and did some last minute sight-seeing. We revisited Happy Isles, where Frances ventured out onto some rocks in the river. Abigail could not understand why I would not let her go too! It has something to do with balance, but she had to be content with the promise that she can do it when she is ten! Next, we had to go shopping. My Franny loves to shop! After lunch, we headed out of the park. On the way, we stopped at Bridalveil Falls. The falls were so full of water that you got soaked by mist just going up the trail to the viewpoint!

Also on the way out of the park, we stopped at Tunnel View, which is a scenic view point from which you can see all of Yosemite Valley. It was beautiful! I think it's so good of God to put a whole bunch of amazing things so close together, so we can see them all in a few days.

The drive home seemed like it would never end, but we finally reached our house about 11:30 Tuesday night. It was a good trip!