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with
my Heart!" Bears aren't the only Wild animals you have to watch out for
in Yosemite... Raccoons can be pretty "feisty!" and managed to tear up
my box of Malt-O-Meal that I had left out. When I took it away, they
decided
to "fight" with each other, and by the time they finished, I was WELL
on my way to the land of slumber! When it dips below freezing... WEAR
YOUR FLEECE TO BED!!
November
13, 14, 15,
16, 17, 18,
September
13, 14,
15, 21, 22,
23, 24, 25,
26, 29, 30,
Friday, November 13, 1998
FINALLY!!
Back on the ROAD!! While I TRULY Enjoyed my REST, I am so excited to be
back out here... back where I rely on God alone for my providence... the
kindness of "Strangers"... To begin... The last several days have been
spent in the company of my Good Friend Jill and her Father Bill. What
started as a 2 day stopover in Sacramento, became a six day stay, when
and the mail I had been waiting for did not arrive before Veteran's Day
(not that I'm complaining... snow began to fall in the Sierra Nevada's
=\
has a beautiful, and ACTIVE son named Joshua ... AND Still doesn't feel
she lives up to expectations!!
Jill
and I have been friends since I was in a sophomore in high school ~ she
has spent a year in France... acted as an exchange student to Japan...
finished a BA in International Relations... completed her California teachers
credential (check out her class!)
Bill
just bought a brand new Harley Davidson... his Pride-and-Joy
!
After
a send off from Jill, Bill, and Jen (and a quick kiss good-bye to Joshua),
Bill dropped me off at the Amtrak Station and I prepared to catch AMTRAK's
Bus to the train station in Stockton, California. When I went to pay for
the transport fee, the
KINDNESS Began! Not only did the woman at the counter give me a new box
for my bike (the old one was pretty beat up!) but she also waived the
Transportation cost! When we arrived at the station in Stockton, I met
Daria and her daughter Summer saying good-bye to their friend Mike.
train,
and I was sad to leave my NEW Friend, but excited to meet all the good
people that I now KNEW I would find on my journey! The ride up to Yosemite
was a scenic excursion, highlighted by interesting `history' from the
bus driver. Most of my fellow passengers were either foreign tourists
or elderly Americans... where have the "Curious Youth" gone?!? Once the
"Spirit of Laredo" was re-assembled, I was introduced to a sight that
helped bring things into perspective! Yosemite Falls is rated one off
the TALLEST Falls in the World. Looking at the sheer volume of water cascading
down into the valley is IMPRESSIVE... when you look at the height that
water is FALLING... then you return to being just a "tiny" spectator of
this Incredible World! I quickly found a "walk-in" site to set up my tent
and "hit-the-road" to see some of the park! There is a 12 mile bike path
that skirts most of Yosemite Valley. It's a great way to get around the
park and bike rentals are available for a nominal fee. I headed towards
Mirror Lake and was given some impressive views of the "Centerpiece" of
Yosemite - Half-Dome.
When
I peddled back to the campsite, I was reminded that not EVERYONE pays
much attention to a guy on a bike.. While animals don't know what to make
of me, they are generally NOT frightened! When I got back to the campsite,
I was visited by a friendly neighbor who invited me to sit with him and
his friends by their campfire.
Andy
is from Germany and currently taking a "Holiday" from being a river-rafting
guide... he hopes to return and coach gymnastics. As soon as I finished
my dinner, I joined Bob, Agnes, and Peter for some warmth around the campfire.
They
had both raced bicycles competitively and met in Sacramento, and now are
leading NEW lives on separate coasts. Mike is waiting for his acceptance
to Medical School (I hope the east coast) and Daria is raising a beautiful
little lady and cheering her husband on to victory. We shared pictures
on the
Agnes
is from Budapest, Hungary and is visiting Peter, whom she met a couple
of years ago at a Camp in Hungary.... Peter, whose family is Hungarian,
gave me some beautiful insight on the Art of Photography and encouraged
me to "Go
Bob
has a degree in Mechanical Engineering and is finishing a master right
now (update me Bob!)...
