stopped to stretch on the ride up to Glacier Point - deer just below us -
And tree next to us, had to take a few shots:
might try to collage these shots together:
And another pair...
Hard to catch jay:
near Glacier Point
midday
sunny, warm
We can see across to Vernal Fall, Emerald Pool & Nevada Fall above that - all far below us. Lots of sugar pine, Jeffrey pine up here, along with Red Fir - Half Dome dominates the view. Blue belling lizards and our scrounging squirrels scuttle along on the ground.
midafternoon
Tuolmne Grove of Giant Sequoias
clear, sunny
lots of kinds of trees here amongst
fewer tourists
more mosquitoes
quiet without voices - a stream not too far - chipmunks and squirrels both scramble here & there
Another pair to collage together later:
nearly 6 p.m.
Merced River
catching the evening light
breeze is picking up
leaves rustle, winds make a rushing sound around the rocks
Crowds are thinning as the light wanes. The river is peaceful and calm here, the light is just right but changing rapidly - we hop back on the bike to go up the road just a short way to an oak grove I had seen this time yesterday. I try to move quickly in the changing light, catching the magic on film to the best of my ability.
It's easy to understand how the Yosemite Valley captured even the hearts of the native Miwok Indians so long ago. Coming up the Merced River, the surrounding valley is mostly dry and desert-like in the summer. The foothills to the north are nearly pure desert, dry and only harboring low scrub brush. To then come upon this valley with giant rock walls and the lush and varied growth along the meandering river certainly seems like coming into some completely different, divinely blessed land.
I head back and we leave about a quarter to seven - a scant hour of truly good lighting before the whole valley is in shade for the evening.
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