Home Sweet Home

Except for the storm we experienced on the drive to St. Louis, we have had incredible luck with the weather. We tuned in to the weather channel each night and tried to make safe decisions. The country has had unusual weather conditions everywhere and we wanted to avoid tough situations. I am happy to report that the fire that we could see from our room in Carson City was contained by the next afternoon. The forecast also showed that it would be safe to cross Yosemite National Park at Tioga Pass.

We were a bit concerned about the amount of traffic in the park on July 4th. The only problem we came upon was a detour at Bridgeport, CA. They were having an old-fashioned Fourth of July Celebration. The traffic was detoured off 395 for a parade. There were cars parked everywhere and someone parked illegally. This blocked a truck from getting through and the rest of us were stuck. It was about 30 minutes before the Sheriff's office could have the car towed out of the way. By this time the parade was over and everyone wanted to get in their cars and join the chaos.

Finally moving on we started the steep climb to Yosemite and Tioga Pass.  Driving along side the river we noticed it looked like mud. There was so much dirt in the water. We were trying to figure out where

where that happened. The storm the night before had been centered in Bridgeport. There had been reports of golf ball sized hail and 4 inches of slush on the road. We assumed that there had been a land slide somewhere in the area. At this bridge we found a fork in the river. The muddy water was coming from the river on the right. There was clear water coming in from the creek on the left. You can see the difference in the water as it came together. Very Interesting!

 Yosemite Park is so different coming from the East side. It is much more rough and rocky, however equally as beautiful. The waterfalls were in full force despite the drought.  Some of it may have been due to last night's storm.

We reached the park and really feel like we're almost home. One last time to use our National Park Annual Pass on this trip! That was a wonderful investment. Next year Jim will be 62 and can buy a Lifetime Pass for $10.00! That is an unbelievable deal for Seniors and we will take advantage of that, for sure!

Each National Park and Monument has a Cancellation Stamp that you can use if you stop at the Visitor's Center. We were so glad we started that practice at our very first park, Saguaro National Park in Arizona. I bought a Passport book and stamped each park. They have a Regional Sticker to add to the book.

We found a group of people sitting along the side of the river. They weren't looking the way of the river. They were in chairs watching some brave souls climbing the rocks high above.

Coming down from Tioga Pass  a bicyclist was on the road. Cars were very impatient and kept passing him at very dangerous spots. He was going downhill and keeping up with traffic. We just hung back and let him ride. I was in awe of his ability. I would have been scared to death. We were all going 35-40 mph and he did the same. When we reached the bottom he pulled off for a rest. He must have had quite a thrill!

Of course we had to stop at the Tunnel View. As many times as I've seen it, it still takes my breath away. In the picture to the right you can see the big clouds that are hovering over El Capitan and Half Dome.
It was still a beautiful day.

We are now home. What a sight for sore eyes!  There really is no place like home, except that we came home to 107 degree heat and a broken air conditioner! At least the unit on the bedroom side of the house was working and we could sleep comfortably in our own bed.

On this journey we have driven 11,031.2 miles through 32 states, one Canadian province and 12 National Parks. It has been 40 years in planning. We started thinking about driving to Mount Rushmore that long ago and as we dreamed of places to go, the list grew. We are so fortunate to finally have the time to fulfill this dream. If asked, I couldn't tell you which place was the prettiest or the most exciting. Every state has it's own unique identity and we will cherish each memory. After all that, the best feeling is to be home.