Greg and Kelley

Kelley and Adam and I just got back from a weekend in Yosemite.  We stayed two nights in a nice cabin in Wawona, inside the south gate of the park, about 60 miles from our house.  (Kelley's mom and dad stayed with Erin and Sarah.) 

Friday night we had dinner in the Wawona Hotel.  Saturday morning, we drove to Glacier Point for the views of the domes and Yosemite Valley.  Perfect weather.  Adam enjoyed riding in the back seat of the Jeep with the top down looking at the tall trees.  In the afternoon, we explored the Historical Pioneer Village in Wawona, including its very nice covered bridge.  Early evening on Saturday, we went to Mariposa Grove to inspect the 500 giant sequoias there.  We saw eight mule deer, including two bucks near Wawona Meadow with large, velvety racks.  By the time we returned to our cabin in the failing light, all of the sourthern part of the park had lost power.  We still managed to make a pretty good dinner on the Webber grill by the light of an oil lamp, a Petzl headlamp, and a large wood fire in the fireplace.  Power came on at 10:22.

We had fun.  Click the pictures for a few more.

After dinner Erin and Sarah and I went for a Sunday drive with the top down and blankets on their laps.

Erin said, "Dad, I know these are the foothills."  I said, "And how do you know that?"  She said, "Because they are not too big."

We got back after the Sun had set and the light was failing.  We were gone only for about an hour.

Adam is almost three months old.  Here he is:

Erin and Dad slept in a tent in the backyard on Friday night.  It was Erin's first night in a tent.

First, we looked at Jupiter's moons:

Then, to sleep:

In the morning, Sarah came out to see how we did.  After seeing how cozy Erin looked, Sarah decided to try it out:

It was a big success.  Erin is ready to go up to the Sierras before the snow comes.

Erin took these most of these pictures with a disposable camera on a trip she and I took earlier this month up the trail alongside the Kings River.  The last 8 miles were unpaved. 

Click the pictures for more.

Here is where we ended up before we turned around to be back by lunch.

Last Saturday, Erin, Sarah and I drove the open-top jeep up to Shaver Lake and rented a boat for a picnic on the water.  They both had turns driving the boat, and then we ate our lunch in the middle of the lake.  Erin took most of these pictures with a disposable camera.

Click above for more.

We then went to the Renaissance Fair (or Faire, if you prefer) in the town of Shaver Lake.  No pictures as it was far too depressing.

On the way home we drove down the unpaved and somewhat rough Musick Farm Road a little ways.  The girls were clamoring for a "bumpy road," which is one of their favorite Saturday activities.  Mine too. 

They slept on the way home, heedless of the buffetings of the wind in the back seat of the open truck.