Yosemite!

Thursday August 19. Rode along some more beautiful roads, through very hot and dry areas and climbed up into the mountains to gain access to Yosemite National Park. This is the first national park in the world.
Rode through the park to the very beautiful valley. At the end of that I found a trail that sounded like a very nice hike. I walked 5.5 kilometers and climbed 1000 vertical feet, the equivelent of 100 stories! The climb was very steep up 'stairs' that were blasted out of the mountain rock! Beautiful views of the valley and two gorgeous waterfalls. The hike up was hard on the lungs and legs, and the descent was hard on the legs too!

After that, I rode the bike up one of the mountains along another twisting and winding road with few guardrails up to Glacier Point for a spectacular view of the valley. The sun was just beginning to set, so I headed back down that same road. Took about an hour to descend 20 miles and then ran into a construction delay at the bottom. Needless to say, now it was dark and I was still in the park with no hotel in sight. Managed to find a gas station, which solved that problem and then rode around the corner and had a coyote run across the road in front of me. I needed a place to stay. Immediately after that I saw this amazing, huge, old wooden hotel that actually had a vacancy!

Boy, did I luck out! Amazing place, built in 1850, it predates the park! However, no wifi or computer, or phone or tv. But, the room was great, washroom down the hall, and a huge buffet breakfast included in the price. Talked to a young couple who were celebrating their anniversary. Next morning, I pigged out on the buffet. Great food and fabulous place. Went for a morning hike along a dirt road through a bunch of giant sequioa while I waited for the weather to warm up for riding. Finally left about eleven. Fantastic day.