07-10APR09 - Coarsegold, CA (via bakersfield)

After leaving the Palm Springs area Tuesday morning we decided to travel in the most direct way north and then to just overnight in Bakersfield, and skip sightseeing for a day. One hour after our arrival at the RV park dust storms closed down I-5 and other local roads. In fact, there was a fourteen car/truck pile-up because of the dust on I-5 that closed the freeway for several hours.

The next morning we began driving toward Coarsegold, CA, so that we could visit Yosemite National Park. Enroute we stopped at Bravo Farms Cheese Factory to check out the cheeses and have breakfast. Bravo Farms is one of those “tourist” businesses that you see the billboards for miles and miles as you drive the freeway. Anyway, it turned out to be pretty good, with lots of free samples, and we even bought some cheese.

http://www.bravofarms.com/

Right around lunch we arrived at Park of the Sierras RV park right in the foot hills of the Sierra Mountains. This has to be one of the most beautiful parks we have stayed in; even as scenic as some state or national parks! As described in the below BLOG link we are members of the Escapees RV club, and this park is what they call a “SKP Co-op” Park that our membership allows us to use. All the RV sites are owned by members, and are rented out when the owner are RV’ing elsewhere. Turns out there is a five year waiting list to buy any spot that is put up for sale! And even though we were in the middle of nowhere, there is one very big Indian Casino right next door run by the Chukchansi. That night no one won any money but Corrie “earned” a t-shirt as a comp.

http://theryanrvexpress.blogspot.com/2008/04/27mar-02apr08-livingston-tx-we-werent.html

http://www.parksierra.net/

http://www.chukchansigold.com/

Next morning it was off to Yosemite National Park. Most parks roads are closed until June due to snow, but Yosemite Valley, the main attraction, is open all year round. Based on our limited time in the park we wouldn’t recommend visiting here during the “busy” season because there is very limited parking and the roads are easily congested. And once the snow pack melts, many of the spectacular falls dry-up. Interestingly, portions of Yosemite National Park (ie the Yosemite Valley & Mariposa Grove) were the first federally protected lands in the USA. In 1864 President Lincoln signed legislation setting aside these two areas for the use of all Americans and their protection forever. The first ever such action by the US government. Eventually these two areas became the core of Yosemite National Park when it was finally created in 1890.

At lunch time we headed to the Ahwahnee Lodge for a bite to eat. This is a spectacular building built in 1927, and we could have easily spent hours viewing the beauty and details of the lobby, the main hall, various meeting rooms, and even the bathrooms. We decided to spend a little extra money and eat lunch in the main dining room, a truly magnificent venue! We were fortunate to get a window table with a view of the granite cliffs surrounding the Yosemite Valley and deer grazing in the meadow

After lunch Dan headed off to check out the Miwok Indian Museum and to take the afternoon Ranger led tour; while Corrie remained at Yosemite village and even rode the free tram around the valley floor to view the sights. By the time we left the clouds had set in with drizzle and snow falling. Corrie was not too pleased to have wet snow falling on drive home, but we made it safe and sound.

http://www.nps.gov/yose/

http://www.webportal.com/ahwahnee

We decided to just sit around on Friday and do nothing, before hitting the road Saturday, 11APR.

Trivia – Why was Yellowstone the first National Park and not Yosemite? Why were Buffalo Soldiers sent to Yosemite in the summers of 1899, 1903 & 1904?