Yosemite - Mist Trail

Last weekend, Michael and I made the 45 mile drive north to hike the Mist Trail... Yosemite's signature and most popular hike. The Mist Trail has fabulous views scattered all along it, beginning at the bridge overlook, progressing to two unforgettable waterfalls that fall a combined total of more than 900 feet (270 meters), and ending with perhaps the most striking of all: the view of Nevada Falls, Liberty Cap, and the back of Half Dome.

We stopped about a mile into the trail just past the bridge that passes over the Merced River (see above picture) for a picnic lunch... PBJs, fruit, and chips.

The pictures below show Vernal Falls and our very misty and slippery hike up to the top. Michael decided to go shirtless (ooo baby!) since we basically got rained on by the waterfall for a good 20 minutes! It's called Mist Trail for a reason...

What a specatular view from the top of Vernal Falls!

After another quick break, we continued on to climb to the top of Nevada Falls.

After climbing 1.5 miles up steep stairs carved out of the rock (my knees still hate me, btw), we finally made it to the top of Nevada Falls and were rewarded with another awe-inspiring sight. My pictures do not do it justice... Josh, you should have come with us!

 

Forestiere Underground Gardens

The description below comes from the official Forestiere Underground Gardens website... it describes the history much more eloquently than I can!

The Underground Gardens are the life-long devotion and hobby of Baldassare Forestiere (1879-1946), a Sicilian immigrant who came to America in 1901 to escape the iron rule of his wealthy father and pursue his own dreams. The Gardens are a subterranean complex of patios, grottos, and garden courts interconnecting with passageways that encircle the living quarters of the self-taught artist and builder who sought to escape the brutal heat of Fresno summers.

Forestiere patterned his underground world after the ancient catacombs, which he so admired as a boy. Arches and passageways dominate the underground landscape while the stonework provides stability and beauty.  But unlike the dark catacombs that protected the remnants of the lifeless, Forestiere designed well-lit courtyards and grottos to bring forth the radiance and vitality of life.

No plans were put on paper; each room and passageway originated in Forestiere’s mind as he worked.  With the simple  tools of a farmer—a pick, a shovel, and a wheelbarrow—the young immigrant dug, chipped, and carved the unforgiving hardpan land for 40 years (1906-1946) in his spare time.  By the time he was 44 years-old, he had excavated and planted over 10 acres.

But the humble immigrant’s genius did not stop there.  Incredibly, Forestiere planted multiple varieties of fruit-bearing plants at different underground levels.  Oranges, lemons, grapefruits—many on a single tree—as well as more unusual varieties like kumquat, loquat, jujube, strawberry, quince, and dates could be easily plucked from the surface by simply bending down.  Wine and table grapes also grace this sanctuary, and dangle lusciously in great clumps everywhere---truly an oasis in a modern-day desert of pavement.

Shinzen Japanese Gardens

Hello again!

Remember the post about a month ago that talked about our failed attempt to get into the Japanese Gardens? Well, we finally succeeded! And what an amazing place we discovered!

The Shinzen Garden is a beautiful and serene 5 acred Friendship Garden located within Woodward Park adjacent to Freeway 41. Back in 1967 when the park was being developed, the idea was proposed to create a Japanese garden complete with stone lanterns and a teahouse to be dedicated to Fresno's Sister City Kochi, Japan, as a symbol of friendship and international brotherhood, and for the promotion of cultural relations between the two cities. It has grown and expanded throughout the years and is now a main tourist attraction in the Central Valley.

I felt slightly discriminated against when Michael and I had to pay $3 each, rather than the $5 family price. If we had some little rugrats running around, it would have been cheaper. I guess being married doesn't make you a family, according to Fresno. Makes no sense to me!



 

After walking around the gardens, we sat on some rocks by the lake and read our books. Quite a relaxing and serene afernoon :)

Seqouia National Park - General Sherman

Matt has been in Bakersfield, CA for the past few weeks for work and drove up to Fresno yesterday on his day off. He wanted to see the mountains so we took him to Sequoia National Park.




The drive along 198 was absolutely stunning!

As the elevation increased, the colder it became. And the colder it became, the more snow and ice we started to see. We finally came across this sign...

<grumbling from the twins>

Attempt #1:

Attempt #2:

The chains were too big for the tires and were so loud that it was difficult to hear each other! After a few miles of unbearable noise, Matt decided that he wanted fix the right tire once and for all.

His "quick fix" broke the chains on the right tire.

So we drove the rest of the way up the mountain with chains on one tire. Classic.

You might notice that both Michael and Matthew are wearing shorts. They both forgot to bring their jeans that were sitting on the table in the dining room. And none of us were expecting the large amount of snow or the below-freezing temperatures.

The picture below is the three of us in front of General Sherman. General Sherman is the world's largest tree in terms of volume. It is 275 feet tall and has a circumference of 102.6 feet. It was named after the American Civil War general , William Tecumseh Sherman in 1879.

At least Michael and Matt weren't the only idiots to wear shorts in 29 degree weather.

There is construction for a few miles on the main road in the national park and we were stuck for about 20 minutes at a stoplight waiting for our turn to drive on the single lane road. Thankfully, the scenery was gorgeous and the guys made the wait much more enjoyable by building a snowman.

Another group shot:

On the drive back, we couldn't help ourselves. We stopped the car on the side of the highway and grabbed a few oranges off a tree. I guess this counts as stealing but there weren't any fences or signs telling us to stay away! :)

Delicious.

It was so great to have a family member in town... we miss everyone so much!