California July 2022

 

California

July 2022

 

Becky, the girls, and I decided to go down to California for a couple of weeks and tour around some of the national parks and hang out with family (the boys stayed home to get jobs). 

We first went to San Francisco where we met up with our exchange student from Germany, Franca, and her family.  They were just finishing up a road trip around California and a few other western states.  We met them by the Golden Gate Bridge and went for a walk together on the bridge. 

Us with Franca and her parents on the Golden Gate Bridge

Golden Gate Bridge

After that we drove up to Twin Peaks, which has an amazing view of the whole city of San Francisco.  It was very windy up there.  We split up for a bit, with Franca and her family going to pick up her sister and we went over to Golden Gate Park for a bit.  Toward the end of the day we met back up down by the Golden Gate Bridge again and spent some time hanging out by the water and talking.  We then said our goodbyes and promised we would come visit them in Germany in a few months.

Top of Twin Peaks with San Francisco in the background

A few days later we loaded up our camping gear and headed south toward Yosemite National Park.  Our plan was to visit Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia National Parks, then drive up the back side of the Sierras and meet Becky’s parents at their cabin.  Well, that didn’t go as planned.  It was extremely hot as we drove to Yosemite, averaging 105 degrees.  As we were climbing the Big Oak Flat road, our van seemed to be struggling.  Around 4:30pm, just as we entered Yosemite, all of the dashboard lights started flashing.  I turned the car off and let it cool down for a bit.  We then started back on the road and only made it another five minutes before all of the lights came on again and the car died right in the middle of the road, on a slight hill.  Fortunately, there wasn’t a lot of traffic.  Finally, a national park service work crew stopped and helped up push the van off to the side of the road and called a tow truck for us.

Getting towed down to Yosemite Valley

The tow truck driver was very nice and actually stopped at a few view points for the girls as we made our way down to Yosemite Village.  That was as far as he could drive us, since he would only tow in the park.  Once we were there, we called Becky’s dad and asked if he would be willing to drive down with his truck and flatbed trailer and tow us home.  He said he would, but it would take about four hours to get there.  In the meantime, we decided to walk around to the Lower Yosemite Falls vista point.  Right by the bridge we saw a bear foraging around for food.  We then walked over the Ahwahnee Hotel to sit down and relax a little. Around 10pm we walked back to the service station where we met Terry and loaded the van onto the trailer.  After a long and sleepy four hour drive, we arrived back in Rocklin a little before 3am.

El Capitan, Yosemite National Park

Lower Yosemite Falls

Back side of a bear

Yosemite Falls

Half Dome

Killing time at the Ahwahnee Hotel

After we got the car fixed, we decided to play it safe and spend some time with Becky’s parents.  We drove up to their cabin off of Donner Pass to spend a few days up there and beat the heat down in Sacramento.  The next day we drove up and hiked a few miles into Loch Leven Lakes.  We saw very few people and for the most part, had the place to ourselves.  On the hike out Max got tired and had to be carried in my backpack.

Towed the van back to Rocklin

Relaxing at the cabin

Hiking to Loch Leven Lakes

Max sunbathing

Poor Max was too tired to hike any further

The next day we decided to go up to the old train tunnels and snow sheds that cut through the summit of Donner Pass.  It was amazing to think how hard it was for the early railroad builders to blast their way through all of the granite.  Most of the tunnels are now covered in graffiti art work.  Elise and I decided to walk on the roof of the snow sheds on the way back.  That plan worked fine until we got to the point where the sheds end and the tunnel starts.  We had to lower ourselves down and find a way around the cliff until we could make our way back up to the track.

Hiking the old train tunnels on Donner Summit

Once we were back in Rocklin, we decided to take Becky’s sister’s couch and chair with us.  Her sister didn’t think we could fit both of them in the van, but we did.  It didn’t leave much seating space in the back though!  After a very hot and tight drive, we made it back home.