Kings Canyon National Park - late October

We stayed at Azalea Campground in Kings Canyon, had the place mostly to ourselves this late in the season. We were very close to the General Grant tree, could see it from our campsite. The fall colors were beautiful everywhere, and it is a spectacular drive through Kings Canyon - not to be missed if you're in the area (not recommended for big RVs though!).

The first winter rains for Yosemite

In mid-October, we moved into YNP and stayed in one of the campgrounds in the park. It rained for 2 days straight; Gary and I had a good time hiking despite the rain. We hiked out to the rockfall area at the base of Half Dome and came home soaked. The next day was sunny and beautiful, and thanks to the rain, all the falls were flowing and gorgeous!

Here are some shots at Yosemite Falls before and after the rain - wow, what a contrast!

Yosemite in early October 2009

Here's a few pictures from our stay at Yosemite Ridge Resort west of Yosemite. Suanne joined us and had a good time touring Yosemite. It was dry from a long summer, with very little water in the falls (many were bone dry). That was soon to change when the rains hit while we camped in the park.

This tomcat adopted us and became a resident of our back deck at Yosemite Ridge. We named him "MuirCat" in honor of the nearby Yosemite National Park. Wanted so badly to adopt him, but it would have been a very difficult transition for him (and high possibility that he would get loose in some other park as we travelled, because he was a footloose stray and wanderer) - he was better off staying at the resort where there are full time residents and visitors always feeding him.  Plus, poor old Rexie was a bit afraid of Muir and his sharp claws. It was Rexie's last days and I didn't want him to stress over a new cat in the house.

I think about MuirCat often and hope he is okay. He was extremely loveable and would purr loudly as I rubbed his tummy and his feet!  What a sweetheart.

October 1st in San Fancisco Golden Gate area

The first of October, we were in San Francisco and spent a beautiful sunny day touring the Golden Gate, Muir Woods, and coastal area north of the bridge. Then it was on to Yosemite.

Sept 2009 in Humboldt - Big Trees and Close calls with the sewage

We stayed at a nice place in the redwoods but Gary had a close call with the dump station. Apparently, the dump was backed up or had a blockage, and when Gary released the drain, everything backed up and "stuff" came flying out of the backup pipe, flying through the air, narrowly missing Gary. It was like Robin Williams in "RV".  Whew! 

We took the drive on the "Lost Coast" which is the longest uninhabited stretch of beach in California. The cows had this view all to themselves.     

 

Trinidad Beach - Northern California September 2009

Here's some catch up photos from our time on the Northern California coast. Trinidad Beach is lovely! This was back in September of 2009. Finally working on getting the blog caught up!

Greetings from Desert Hot Springs, CA

We are temporarily non-nomadic, and are staying in DHS for the next several months, possibly through March 2010. Cell phone service is weak here, wifi is very slow, but the natural hot springs, hot tubs and pools are fantastic! We will try to catch up the blog as time allows. Our visits to San Francisco, then Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks were fabulous and we could not have asked for better weather....will share some pictures as we update the blog.