DAY 81: YOSEMITE VALLEY

miles: 0

Walking miles? Many. Around Yosemite Valley!

Today we woke up, ate a delicious, fancy breakfast (complete with QUALITY coffee!!!!!!!!!) We are all coffee snobs and it has been very hard for me to drink the coffee offered along the trail... This may have been some of the best coffee I'd had yet.

Yosemite Valley.

It was a blast to take on the role of a tourist for once and be able to just mosey around at a slow pace, staring at the beautiful sights, eating ice cream, and simply indulging in all of the wonders of the real world (ice water/coffee/pop/snacks whenever you want/air conditioning/being driven around on a bus)

We fully embraced the tourist role and loved every minute of it. 

Ben and I have never been to Yosemite before this!

A fam shot in front of El-Cap

....

Just a trickle...

Half Dome in the sun

It was weird to be carrying our packs around empty but for a small water bottle.

There was a lot of bus confusion.

Navigating.

Love the Milkweed.

We even saw Monarch Butterflies!

<3

Cooling off in the river

She just got right on up there herself.

There were ducklings with her, as well.

Imagine the slow motion elevation of his arm... this is what happened.

The paths around Yosemite are so nice!

The most human activity I had seen in one place in a while. This is what is slightly overwhelming.

Bros.

The Ahwahnee Lodge. Magnificent.

Inside the Ahwahnee.

Ben getting tuckered from all of the non-hiking he has been doing.

Hi Lisa and Nate!

Broke into the Conference Room and had a conference.

I want this.

We ALMOST got to stay for tea time.

The most stunning dining room I think I've ever seen.

...The Shining?

 The Ahwahnee Lodge was a highlight of the trip for me. So much history! So many beautiful furnishings...

After the Ahwahnee we were all feeling a bit tuckered out by the sun and walking (I know it sounds crazy because we walk 20 miles a day, but being out in the public is just as draining in a different way, you know?) We were ready for the comfort of our back porch back at Evergreen Lodge.

All of us enjoying our Happy Hour beer, we proceeded to watch a Steller's Jay for hours, attempting to trick him by placing pistachios in random places that are hard to get to or hard to find. A pistachio tucked firmly into the tree trunk, a pistachio tied to a string hanging in the tree, a pistachio tied to a string on the deck.... The fun never ended! He was begging to be challenged.

 Hung out with this Steller's Jay for hours - trying to trick him.

 

ALL I NEED AT THE END OF THE DAY.

ALL I NEED AT THE END OF THE DAY. Yes - I ate the entire thing in about 10 minutes. Spoiled my appetite for dinner.

New sunglasses - Thank you Lisa! (The reflection of the trees in the green/blue of the glasses is so cool)