Yos.em.it.e Part 3: Bears, Bears, Bears

I don't like spiders.
I don't like snakes.
And I don't like the idea of being in close proximity to bears.

It's not that I have a particular hatred for these creatures. I just can't handle that element of surprise--when you're hiking up a trail and about to put a foot down when WHOA there's a rattle snake all acting cool and blending in with the scenery like it WANTS you to step on it. Or, you're minding your own business, weeding the backyard and WHOA the fattest little black widow you've ever seen starts crawling up your pant leg. I mean, why can't freaky-crawly-slithery-dangerous creatures be colored in neon lights with disco music blasting from their fingernails or something? I'd give them their space and they could give me mine. Not that I really buy into that whole "they're more afraid of you than you are of them" mumbo jumbo.

Growing up I wasn't too freaked out about bears. We went camping all the time and I never came across one. My parents never talked about them much (probably, in part, due to my overactive imagination), so I didn't really think about them either. The closest I got to studying their habits was listening to my mom read from a book that I loved:

Bears, Bears, Bears.
On the stairs.
Under chairs.
Brushing hair...

You get the idea. I was much more concerned with snakes & spiders joining me for a midnight nap than large furry bears looking for a midnight snack. Of course, we also spent a good portion of that time camping in the desert where the risk of running into a bear is pretty minimal.

That all changed when a young boy was snatched from his tent by a bear in a canyon near our home. I had camped at that very same camp ground multiple times so it all became very real to me. I've been a little nervous about bears ever since.

Our first night in Yosemite started fairly late. When we finally found a camping spot we were tired and the last thing I wanted to do was unpack the car. But, rules are that you can't keep food of any kind in your tent (obvious) or vehicle (dang). I'd never been camping in a park where the rules were so strict so of course that raised my anxiety level a little bit.

We unpacked the car and got our tents set up. I checked all my pockets for chap stick and rounded up all the sunscreen. Apparently bears have a nose for both. I was worried that we wouldn't be able to fit it all in some tiny metal box but little did I realize how massive these things were! If I wasn't a wee bit claustrophobic I would have had plenty of room for my sleeping bag in here:

The first night we camped here, all of the warning signs were messing with my head. I wondered if I'd wake up to a bear licking the chap stick off my lips, or if I'd signal our location with the deodorant I'd used earlier that day. As a result I had multiple dreams about the large furry creatures crowding our tent all night long.

Our second night in Yosemite we sat down at the table and made a proper meal. We threw the doors to our bear locker wide open while we rummaged around for potatoes, meat, vegetables and other goods. We then turned our full attention to savoring our delicious dinner. It was dark by the time we started eating. I remember laughing about something and feeling fairly relaxed when Katie paused, a timid finger poking the air as she very slowly said:

"What....what....what is that???" 

Something big, and dark was rummaging around the bear locker. Brent jumped up. I jumped up. I whipped my head around and was ready to run when my siblings heard me swear for the first time in their lives.

Did I mention that curses fall from my tongue when I'm scared? Well, I was completely freaked out! I'm not sure if they were more shocked by our surprise visitor or that my last words might keep me from heaven.

That is when everyone immediately started laughing, and might I add--quoting--my words of terror. Turns out that large dogs look suspiciously like black bears in the darkness. We had left the locker open and he was making good use of our neglect. Katie started singing "I see your True Colors shining through."

I guess we all have a few of them.

Yos.em.it.e Part 2: Swimming Holes

My first morning in Yosemite was pure joy. I awoke to the sound of our camp mate's car tires rolling off to greet the day. It was barely light. In response to the cold morning air I snuggled deeper into my sleeping bag until I could no longer ignore my pleading bladder. I took a leisurely stroll around the campground while Brent got the stove going for breakfast.

A calm stream a short walk north was clear as glass. I marveled at its pristine condition for a few moments and then headed back to fill my belly. We ate a hearty breakfast in anticipation of the day's adventures, but to be honest, we weren't really sure where to begin. After packing a lunch and some swimming gear we piled back into the car and headed down the road to Yosemite Valley. The trees were quite thick as we descended down the canyon, so I wasn't at all prepared for the view that awaited us. Suddenly we came around a bend and were delighted/awestruck to see this:



Huge granite slabs towered thousands of feet in the air. I felt so small next to the expansive cliffs. It was a little overwhelming.

We were so excited we hopped out of the car to snap a few photos.

 Brent and Katie standing in the middle of the Merced River

 Look how clear the water is!

View from one of the meadows

We drove the valley loop a couple of times until we decided where to begin. Brent had heard of a fun little swimming hole that can only be accessed when the water is low. Fewer crowds? Secret summer oasis? We all said "yes, please!" However, I did have second thoughts when the rubber soles of my 5.10 approach shoes refused to grip the surface of the sleek boulders we were climbing. Most of the rocks were worn smooth from the pounding waterfall that crashes down in the Spring. I had all of my camera gear, so I awkwardly made my way up from boulder to boulder until Brent made his way back down to give me a hand.

This simple view was indeed worth the climb:

The water was a pretty green color and I was terribly tempted to jump in until I realized it was FREEZING! That didn't stop Brent, & Bryan, & Katie from cliff diving though. Soon a bunch of teenagers were lined up like lemmings trailing behind them.

Another view of the falls

The spray from the waterfall above was light, but occasionally, the wind would kick up and throw the water out towards us. It was crazy! Every time I would scramble to grab a couple of shots before stuffing my camera inside my jacket to protect it from the delayed shower.

After spending a good chunk of the day vascillating between the two extremes of baking in the sun and freezing our hinies in the water, we headed back down the boulder field in search of our next adventure.

Brent wanted to find another swimming hole on the Merced River. We were still trying to wrap our minds around all there was to do, so none of us objected. Everything was awesome and everything was beautiful.

When we found this spot I felt like I had just walked directly into a Tolkien fantasy novel. The water was clear and inviting, just like before, but this time it was WARM! We spent the rest of our afternoon here as we were in total heaven!

Just before sunset I asked it we could head back to the valley to get some pictures of the meadow at the height of its golden glow. I grabbed a few head shots of us for future generations:

Bryan--Became best friends with our camp mates and scored valuable information about cool, out of the way places to explore. Spotted edible berries on all of our hikes and introduced us to their sweet flavors.

Brent--Trip planner extraordinaire. Did 90% of the driving and cooking. Never got ruffled feathers. Can sport the philosophical gaze at the drop of a hat.

Katie--The road trip champion. So, so patient. Laughs when she's scared, made me laugh when I was scared, didn't complain about a thing. Made me smile a lot.

Me--Crazy camping hair/ad for Northface. Took a million photos. Don't regret it one bit.

While grabbing a shot of this:

I walked into a herd of sleeping deer without realizing it. They were all chilling in the grass and didn't seem to be a bit afraid.

Saying hello to Bambi

We found a boardwalk meandering through the meadow and decided to see where it would lead us. This is what we found:

Wildflowers

 Curious irridescent bugs,

A variation of trees lining a cobblestone beach

A "bouncy" log 

And more of that clear green water I can't get enough of!

I reveled in each minute of sunshine, swimming, exploring, and mountain air. 

Life doesn't get much better than this!

Stay tuned for part three: Bears, bears, bears