Closed Restroom Tour of California

Saturday 20 October 2018

Another good night’s sleep and turned the heater on early so that it was toasty when we chose to get out of bed.  Another early morning trek to the coffee shop for Larry (more brownie points) and then the rest of the apples and muesli bars for breakfast.  Checked out and on the road by 9am and then up and up and up out of the Yosemite Valley and on to the Tioga Road.  We stopped at Olmstead Point for our last views of Half Dome, this time from the eastern side and then on to Tenaya Lake for a wee stop (in more than one sense of the word).  It is interesting to note that although the weather is still beautiful and there are heaps of people around that it is ‘public toilets closed’ season in Yosemite National Park but there are still a few around thankfully.   Also interesting that every car park has metal food lockers to stow your food before doing any hiking to dissuade bears from treating your car like a tin of sardines.

Onwards to Tuolumne Meadows where we did the ‘easy’ hike to Soda Springs and Parsons Memorial Lodge.  It seems easy as it is all flat but you forget you are at altitude and so a short hike can make you pant.  Interesting that part of it was on the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) as hiked by Cheryl Strayed in ‘Wild’ – a trail that stretches 4265km from Mexico to Canada – we can say we hiked about 2km of it!

Very pretty with the grassy meadows, streams and huge granite mountains in the background – imagine it would be just gorgeous a bit earlier in the season with the mountains still wreathed in snow and the grass being greener but still very pretty (and very busy with car parks full and hikers everywhere – at least the toilets here were open!)

Onwards to the Tioga Pass.  For some reason I thought we would have to climb up and out of it but obviously we were already on the high side so that it was pretty much all downhill from Tuolumne Meadows (still no idea how to pronounce that!). Larry thoroughly enjoyed this part as it was 55mph downhill with gentle bends instead of hairpins, didn’t touch the accelerator once until on flatish ground.

 Back on flat ground we stopped in Lee Vining at a road side diner for a heart attack in a bun (bacon bbq cheeseburger) and a shake and swapped drivers.  An easy cruise down the highway and then, as it was still early afternoon, made a detour and did the June Lake scenic loop.  The guidebooks call this valley the “Switzerland of California” and the mountains and lakes and swiss chalet type housing make it seem a little that way.   Very picturesque also as all the trees along the streams and around the lakes have their fall colours on display.

Back on the main highway and another quick drive down to the Mammoth Lakes turnoff.  Hit the town a little too early for check in so wended our way up the valley to the various lakes where there were plenty of people enjoying the weekend sunshine and fresh air.  We stopped by one of the lakes for quite a while and watched some guys fishing for trout.  Some were content to sit on the edge and fling a line and drink beer (Larry style), others set up their ‘float tubes’ and donned waders and floated out into the lake.  A float tube is like an inflatable U-shaped boat that you sit in whilst wearing waders and flippers so that the top half of you stays dry and you can paddle around the lake with your feet – kind of like a swan.  Couldn’t help laugh at one guy who struggled his way out only to flip his tube after he managed to drop his rod but that was because I didn’t realise the danger he was in.  Once his waders filled up with water he was a dead weight and it was lucky that he wasn’t so far out that he couldn’t still stand, otherwise he could have quite easily have drowned.  Luckily his son, who had been chatting to us, was there with a proper boat and went out to retrieve him so all ended well although the other fishermen weren’t impressed as all his flailing scared all the fish away!

Headed back into town and checked in and then had a little down time before walking down into town for dinner.  Found a really nice bar and grill called Slocum’s and treated ourselves to a lovely dinner (thanks Mum!).  Finally had really good service that we actually felt was worth tipping also!

Staggered back up the hill to the Sierra Lodge (the altitutude here is still over 8000 ft) and a quiet night in watching ‘Whose Line is it Anyway’, blog writing etc.