Gary-Summer: April 2023

Wednesday, April 26, 2023

April 26, 2023 - Castle Air Museum

Title: April 26, 2023 - Castle Air Museum
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's :

Hike Info:

Type:Tourist

Description:

John and Cathey have scheduled an event with the Central Valley Hiking Group on the same day we are scheduled to visit Ryan, our nephew. Both are to the north of Fresno and it turns out the schedules work out. So we are good to go on both counts.

We gather at 8:15 and leave the parking lot in Fresno by 8:30. The trek down 99 is uneventful and unusually quick. We get to Castle a little before the 10am opening time. This gives us time to group up and get instructions. We pay our entry fee in the gift shop and then continue through to the museum grounds. We met up with our guide, Rusty. Turns out he is from Turlock and has taught classes at our alma mater, Stanislaus State.

Rusty is a new docent, his second time out in the wild with a group. But he is also an enthusiast, so the knowledge he does not have from experience around the planes, he has through interest. Our group has a ringer also. Mike has flown many of these planes or has been around them. So what Rusty does not know, Mike does.

We start with the World War II bombers and work our way through chronology. One thing I see is that early planes look tiny when you see the planes from the 1980’s. They are behemoths. While fighter jets look sleeker than their earlier models.

I am not an aircraft hobbyist, or even someone who can recognize most planes. But hearing about these planes and their histories is interesting. So I listen attentively.

The other thing which goes through my brain is the thoughts which I am having as I write up our time at Arlington Cemetery. How do I reconcile this fascination with warplanes and the thoughts about the futility of war? I cannot, at least immediately. Maybe it is similar to admiring the bravery of those who fought and died while thinking of how long will this go on?

It is 11:40 and we need to leave. We briefly go into the building museum before exiting the grounds. We go up Santa Fe Road to Denair. We made it to Ryan’s house a little after 12:30. We spent about an hour with him. Sherri does most of the interacting with him. I rest because I will be driving back.

Ryan has an appointment after we leave so we leave a little before 2. On the way back we stop in Livingston at a place called La Morenita. Pretty good place. It is our kind of place, a smaller, home run place. After eating, we head back to Fresno, getting back a bit before 5. I am tired, but feeling good about our time. We have our family Zoom time and then to bed.

Friday, April 21, 2023

April 21, 2023 - Goat Meadow Snowshoe

Title: April 21, 2023 - Goat Meadow Snowshoe

Hike Info : Description : Animals

Hike Info:

Type: Snowshoeing
Trail head: Goat Meadow Snow Play
Trail: 5S06
Destination: An hour and a half
Actual Destination: Buffin Meadow
Distance: 2.84 miles ¹

Start Time: 1:15

End Time: 4:00

Elevation Rise: 611 '

Descent: 611‘

Maximum Elevation:5,762 '

GPS Tracks

¹I forgot to bring a GPS along. So I created a track on Google Earth to approximate our trip.

Description:

We have not been snowshoeing in over two months. So we will go someplace easy. I am thinking of Goat Meadow. Since it is a Friday, not many people should be there. Steven asks a pertinent question: are we hiking or snowshoeing? I reply snowshoeing.

Sherri putting on snowshoes

But first, I sleep until 7. I do a few things, eat breakfast. Yesterday I bought a new lawn mower, a Kobalt electric corded mower. Since I am not seeing anybody up, I prepare to mow the lawn. I see Steven up and then Sherri. But it does not look like anybody is quite ready to go, so I finish mowing and edging the lawn. Mower works great. Lots easier than my older gas one.

Korra, the snow dog

By the time we get ready, it is a little after 11. Not only is Sherri and I going, but Steven has the day off so he is coming, along with Korra. Sherri starts us off and drives to Oakhurst. Then I drive up to Goat Meadow. You know that question Steven asked? There is a lot less snow on the way up 41 than there was one week ago. Maybe we will hike. I also suggest a few alternatives.

Steven and Gary going past a slash pile

We eat lunch at Goat Meadow and then decide that there is even snow to snowshoe with. By this time, it is about 1:15. I do not see the road I am looking for. So we just head off up a promising slope. Lo and behold there is the road. It is road 5S06, the road I was looking for.

Sherri and Steven

Almost as soon as we hit the road, the snow disappears from the road and the surrounding area. So we take off our snowshoes and walk about ten minutes before hitting enough snow to walk on. Will this be the story of our hike?

Along those lines, Steven and I talk a bit and I make the comment that this is more of a journey trip than a destination. He agreed with me. But after ten minutes of walking, there is enough snow to put our snowshoes back on again. We just follow the road as it climbs up. We do come across three more places where the snow gives out, but there is only 10 to 20 yards of bare ground. So we just walk gingerly across these areas, hoping for the best.

More of the snow dog

The uphill is wearing on me. I am hoping to make it at least to the junction with 5S43. Also my 90 minute travel is coming into play. Just as I am thinking that we should turn around, Sherri wants a picture of all four of us. I spot a clearing ahead and hope that we get a good backdrop.

When we get there, this snowshoe turns from a journey trip to a destination. We see Mt Raymond and in the distance is White Chief Mountain. There is an unnamed mountain just to the north of Raymond which looks like it should be named. Also there is a horse corral right there. We have arrived at Buffin Meadow.

Gary, Steven and the road

After some pictures, we turned around. It is a lot easier going down 600’ than going up. But I think both Sherri and I are a bit tired, so Steven and Korra go on ahead. After about an hour of travel, we come to the car and are ready to be off our feet for a little while.

Steven drives us out of Goat Meadow. Now the question is what do we do for dinner? Mexican seems to be the choice for us. When we come to El Cid’s, it looks like it is filling up fast. So we go into Oakhurst and ate at Plazuelas Mexican Restaurant-Sonya friend of ours first told us about this place. The food is good: Sherri has a Rib Eye Taco, Steven a Birria de Res and I have a Super Burrito. The meal was a bit more than I was expecting. But like I said, the food is good. We made it back to Fresno with me driving about 6:30. We are pretty tired, but in a good way.

Animals

Spider on snow?

Thursday, April 20, 2023

April 20, 2023 - Foothills Wildflowers

Title: April 20, 2023 - Foothills Wildflowers
Hike Info : Description : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Description:

A friend of ours, Don, owns a piece of property up in the foothills. With the rain this Winter, Don has wanted to show us the wildflowers on his property. Today is the day!

This blog entry will be about showing off the flowers with a bit of us and the hillsides. Most of Don’s property is along hillsides. In order to see the flowers, we climb up and down and across the hillside. After our time there, we feel we have gotten a workout

Flowers and Plants

Harvest Brodiaea

Blue Dick- have some concern that these are not really Blue Dick's

Golden Brodiaea

California Poppy

Black Cottonwood-another needs verification

Sycamore

Baby Blue Eyes

Common Madea

Tomcat Clover

Popcorn Flower

Fiddleneck

Wednesday, April 12, 2023

April 12, 2023 - Yosemite Wedding Venue Search

Title: April 12, 2023 - Yosemite Wedding Venue Search
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail head: Sentinel Bridge Parking Area

Trail: Wandering-Cooks Meadow, Yosemite Falls, Valley Loop, Ahwahnee Meadow

Destination: None-a wander

Distance: 2.66 mile ¹

Start Time: 1:33

End Time: 3:15

Elevation Rise: 905'

Descent: 904‘

Maximum Elevation: 4,517'

¹Milage and elevations derived from plotting on Google earth. Times from pictures. The elevations data is suspect

Description:

Our daughter is getting married and is planning a Yosemite Valley wedding. The chapel is booked solid for over a year. But there are other places where you can book a wedding within the Valley. The three which Andrea and Lawrence are thinking about are Cathedral Beach Picnic Area, Sentinel Beach Picnic Area, and Cascade Picnic Area. Sherri and I are going to go up to Yosemite and do a bit of reconnaissance. We know it is a tough job, but someone has to go to Yosemite.

Interesting cloud

I get up around 6:30. Sherri is up shortly after I am. We head off at 8:45 with Sherri driving. This gives me time to look out the window and ponder things. As we are about to transition out of the valley, I notice a low cloud bank to the northeast. I think this must be over parts of the San Joaquin. Further on when we pass the North Fork exit from 41, I see the same cloud bank in the distance.

Snow along the road

Sherri is feeling good, so she continues driving past Oakhurst. There is one place on 41 which is one lane traffic control. The storms this Winter have done a job on our roads. We get into Yosemite National Park around 10:15. We soon see snow piled along the roadway in places at least five feet high. Also there are three places which have one lane traffic as well. When we get to Chinquipin, we switch drivers. We stop at Tunnel View. It is not crowded and no snow is on the ground, unlike last December. Beautiful view!

Entrance to Cathedral Picnic Area

And now we go on to our first stop-Cathedral Beach. The area is closed, but we just park our car at the entrance and wander around. We are looking for accessibility, bathroom, parking, picnicking and sites to hold a wedding ceremony. We wander around for 20 minutes before hearing voice-telling us the area is closed. Sherri explains to a wildlife ranger why we are here and he accepts that, just tells us not to linger.

Entrance to Sentinel Picnic Area

So we moved on to Sentinel Beach. Same thing-gate is closed, but we go in and look around. This time, it is close enough to the Swinging Bridge area that we see a few people in the area. Our last stop is Cascade Creek. We stop first at the Falls and look at the creek and Falls before moving on. This picnic area has Cascade Creek flowing right beside it. But there is a tour bus parked here and the tourists from France have a couple picnic tables in use. After we examine the area, we make use of an unoccupied table for our lunch.

Cascade Picnic Area

Cascade Falls

Cascade Creek

Yosemite Falls

We have accomplished our mission, so there is still time to play. Now where do we want to hike too? We are thinking that Yosemite Falls needs to be included, but something we can do within two hours. We try to park at the chapel like we have before, but there is a new sign saying for chapel use only. On we go. There is a space at the Sentinel Bridge parking area. Seems like a good place to be.

Muir and Gary

We start off going across Cook’s Meadow. There is a bridge across the Merced which we detour over. But it is not as good as of a view as from Swinging Bridge-which does not swing anymore. Then onward to the Falls. But first, bathroom break.

We join the rest of the small crowd and wander up to Yosemite Falls. With as much water as is coming down, I am surprised that there is not much spray. Just enough to wet my glasses and let me know that there is a little bit of mist in the air.

Horsetail Falls

We cross the bridge and walk a bit of the Valley Loop Trail. I am thinking we might take the trail down to the Visitor Center, but we are feeling pretty good. So we continue on the trail to the north of the village. This part gets us into the sun and away from most of the people. A couple from San Diego passed us a couple of times. Not because we are speedy, do they get a second opportunity because they stopped to enjoy a view.

Cascade Falls

The trail dumps us out onto Ahwahnee Meadow. We take the trail to the side of the employee housing to one of the roads. This takes us to the new main parking area. Since they put this in, I get confused about where the trails and roads go. So we consult a map and find we are only a little ways from our car. In ten minutes we are back in the car and take off.

Parting View of the Valley

There are two more stops, one planned and one unplanned. Unplanned is when Sherri looks up at El Capitan and sees Horsetail Falls coming over the edge. Really a wondrous sight, even without the February Firefall. Then we stop just past the tunnel so we can look down the canyon and also catch a glimpse of Cascade Falls. It is a good way to end the day. We do talk a bit with a woman from Fresno who used to come up her all the time.

We head back to Fresno. But first we stop in Oakhurst for a burger at Carl’s Jr. We actually eat inside-it is vacant. Then head back home. We get back about 6:35 and hop onto our family Zoom call by 6:45. A good way to end a Wednesday.