June 8 - 19, 2012

We arrived at the Coarsegold KOA about 4:30 in the afternoon, after having come through Yosemite National Park on the Tioga Road.   The entrance to the park at Tioga Pass was 10,000 feet!   Yikes!  And we were on that road for the majority of the day.   We only drove 180 miles today, but oh what a road!   Up and down, curvy, winding roads with fabulous scenery.   The speed along that road was 45 mph.   We stopped and took tons of pictures.    By the time we left the park, I was feeling a bit queasy.    Our campsite at the KOA was on a knoll, with delightful breeze.   There were only 3 campers on the knoll until Friday.   The town of Coarsegold is small, with very few amenities.   We drove 8 miles north to Oakhurst for breakfast, groceries, and church.  

We actually went into Yosemite 3 times.   The first was on our way through the Tioga Pass, the second was to visit the Yosemite Valley with it's Yosemite Falls, El capitan mountain, and bridalveil falls.   We visited the museum and the Indian village and the visitor's center and the store.   The final trip in was to visit the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoia trees.   The most famous is the Grizzly Giant (2,700 yrs. old, 200 ft. tall, and its base is 31 ft. across).   We hiked (uphill, of course!) to the tree and then went to the California Tunnel tree which had an opening through the base to allow stagecoaches to go through it in 1890's.   After lunch we drove up to Glacier point where we had a panoramic view of the valley, the Half dome and Vernal and Nevada falls.   On our way out of the parking lot, a mother bear and two cubs were coming down out of the woods toward the parking lot.   I got a couple really good pictures as we drove by!

With Jack's interest in trains, we went to the Sugar Pine Railroad in the Sequoia National Forest and rode a Jenny-car, a Model T car that was converted into a railroad car used to haul workers to the area that they were working on, or to follow steam trains to put out any fires that occurred along the track.   Another couple from San Diego road the car with us.   We also visited their gift shop, book store, and museum, where we bought a sugar pine pine cone -- a mere 12 inches in length!    They grow stuff  BIG around here!

Our final venture into National Parks was to visit Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, about 2.5 hours from our camp.   The two parks adjoin each other.   We entered the Ash Mountain Entrance.   The 16 miles from Ash Mountain to Giant Forest includes 130 curves and 12 switchbacks.   Slow going!

In Sequoia we enjoyed the Giant Forest where the General Sherman Tree, the largest tree in the world.  It weighs2.7 million pounds and is believed to be 2100 years old.  It's height is 274.9 ft., and its circumference at ground level is 102.6 ft.   The diameter of its largest branch is 6.8 ft.   Every year it adds enough wood to make a 60 ft.  tall tree measuring one ft. in diameter.    It's still growing!  We hiked 0.4 miles down hill to see it....and then back up!   After lunch we continued on the General's Highway to Kings Canyon to see the other very large tree, the General Grant.   This tree measures 267.4 ft tall and 107.6 ft. around.   It was discovered in 1862 and was named to honor US Grant.   This tree is "only" 1,800 to 2,000 years old.   It is called The Nation's Christmas Tree.  

We were very blessed to be camping so close (70 miles) to navy friends we hadn't seen since 1967.   We didn't realize this until we were sitting down and looked at the California map on that first weekend in camp.  A phone call and we planned to go visit them in Lemoore.   How wonderful!  We so enjoyed catching up in person!  On our way south into the Central Valley we were in awe of the vineyards and orchards.   We also discovered a new fruit ...a peacherine.   It's a fruit with smooth skin like a nectarine, but taste like a peach.   Love them!