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Blondie’s Reflections in Mirror Lake – Yosemite National Park June 2016
This past summer I took a break from the book writing and marketing journey and took my family on on another adventure of a lifetime exploring five national parks. Here is quick story about the first day we went to Yosemite National Park. If you'd like to keep up to date with my book journey follow my free newsletter full of updates and freebies here.
Late June, 2016
The mountain air was dry and crisp as we packed the car with
our picnic. My husband, three kids, mother-in-law,
sister- in-law, and I had been eager to explore another of our magnificent national
parks. A few years ago we explored the wonders of Yellowstone together and had
been truly a magical experience. See my two blogs here and here on that amazing trip. Okay,
that is partly a lie. Six of us were giddy with excitement. My son was being
dragged along for the experience. What he really wanted to do was stay in the
cool, bug-free basement of the cabin we’d rented just outside of Yosemite and alternate
studying science and playing games with his friends online.
We had jackets just in case the weather app lied again. A
few days prior it promised cool temps at Sequoia National Park, but was a big
fat lie. It was 90 degrees and we managed to hike with jeans carrying our jackets
and sweating profusely. This time we wore
shorts and tank tops expecting the heat despite the promised high of 62. In
Yosemite Valley, a cartoon of a blazing sun and 97 degrees posted on the
information center board told us what we had in store. We jumped on the shuttle
to Mirror Lake Trail that was only two miles, just about the right length for Shorty to not completely suffer, with the added
bonus of a cool lake at the midpoint to cool off.
The bus had standing room only but that wasn’t so bad until
the second stop where a sardine can-esque
scenario ensued. Poor little Shorty was smashed in the front with me. To our chagrin, an enormous man got on the bus
squeezing in the last possible space right between us. It wasn’t too bad until
he lifted his arm to hold onto the railing on the ceiling giving me a front and
center view of something that still haunts me -- a glaring red rash and loads
of armpit hair. I peeked around the fuzz and made a face at eight-year-old Shorty.
She looked terrified. I couldn’t help but be grateful for the fact that it was
the beginning of the day and the potential for fresher air was still at hand.
The Scottish word ‘oxter’ rolled around in my mind endlessly until he got off
the bus with gobs of other park-goers to allow us to sit in a diseased-armpit
free zone.
At stop number seventeen we exited the bus and we joked
about it being as crowded as Disney, not exactly what we had expected. One of
us had the bright idea to wait a few minutes to let the hordes of people from
the bus meander ahead as we enjoyed the gorgeousness of the giant white pines,
and redwood lined path calling out to us. When most of the crowd was out of
view, we started along the path following Tenaya Creek.
About a mile uphill
we came to a clearing with magnificent views of Half Dome and dozens of people
swimming in a calmer area at the head of the creek. The water widened to a
narrow lake with stunning mountain views all around. You know me, I was itching
to get in that water. We shucked shoes and crossed a small stream to get to
what used to be the middle of the lake, feet squishing in the ice-cold mud.
Years ago, they dredged the area to create a lake that would
mirror the mountains, hence it’s name. As
the years passed they made the choice to stop dredging and let nature take its course. Now it sports two small halves of a
stream with an island in the middle.
We waded across the water braving the bone-chilling temps with little Shorty
thigh-deep complaining of how much it hurt her little bones. My ankles were
screaming to get out of there but my mind told it to hush since the water was
so refreshing. The two men folk wanted a longer walk so they walked around the
lake, or so they said. Truth be told the boy didn’t want to wade through the
water. We reunited with them about a half an hour later as they sloshed through
lake. I recognized the steam coming out of my son’s ears and his hunched body
language letting me know to tread carefully. He emerged from the water shoes still
on his feet and a seething hatred for all things natural, despite his love of
science. Turns out the path around the lake was blocked and they had no choice
but to wade through the longest part of the lake.
We made our way back down the path along a tree-lined road
with the boy doing his best to swat every flying insect within a ten-foot radius of his delicate “I prefer the
indoors” and “haven’t I been put through enough today” self. The rest of us were in heaven with the huge trees creating
dappled shade (might I add desperately needed shade) and fresh air. Living in Dirtville, any trees are a welcome
sight, but these were magnificent giants bigger
than any trees I’d ever seen. My sister and mother in law, two very well-traveled
ladies, were greatly enamored with the stunning views of sheer granite cliffs
above us and occasional burned out forest
as we walked.
We stopped for lunch back in the village after another
crowded shuttle ride, but absent offensive body parts in my face (thank God)
and spent some time in the air-conditioned Ansel Adams museum and other stores.
The hardier folks in our group (and more nature loving) went on another hike as
my beautiful darlings ate ice cream in the cool bug-free
zone.
I sipped on coffee and discussed twitter pages of the
politicians running for President with my son, who critiqued their worthiness
on twitter. His analysis: Some were more genuine than others, and one definitely
had a staff member do all the social media posts. At least I could talk to him
without the incessant question of ‘couldn’t we walk faster’ or ‘when are we
going home’ inserted every other sentence. The poor
boy was just not cut out for the rest of his nature-loving
family. He should have raised by a pack of nerds.
After buying Shorty a
cute stuffed black bear at the grocery store we made our way out of the park snapping
pictures of Half Dome, El Capitan, and
the enormous cliffs. About a half hour out of the park it was 105 and
ridiculously hot. Our rental home was down a long dirt road deep in the woods
where the devastating effects of the 5-year
drought and an infestation of a beetle that targeted smaller pine trees left as
many brown trees as green ones. The boy immediately retired to the cool solitude
of the basement to recover from his torturous day out in one of the most
spectacular National Parks our country has to offer. The rest of us retired to
make dinner with cold white wine in the delicious
air conditioned upstairs to make dinner and talk of our adventures of the day.
I counted my blessings to be surrounded by family in such a
spectacular place in the world. How was I so lucky to be able to afford this
vacation and the love of such amazing people? I hoped my kids would realize
what a unique adventure they had just experienced and maybe even bring their kids
here someday. I felt sorry for the people who were raised by a pack of nerds
and never venture out to experience such stunning nature and, despite the
crowds, a national treasure.
Please see my post about the Petrified Forest National Park
here, Blondie in the Crystal Forest for more of our amazing California vacation soon. If you like my writing feel free to check out my books here.
