Late Summer Road Trip 2019: Yosemite National Park

After our morning spent visiting Mono Lake, we decided to cut through Yosemite National Park on our continued road trip to Portland, Oregon. Neither Dan nor I had visited Yosemite National Park previously, yet we were familiar with pictures of the famous El Capitan, an enormous granite cliff that attracts rock climbers from around the world. Yosemite National Park seemed too iconic to miss.

Prior to officially entering the park, we saw dramatic mountains and a beautiful lake.

We entered at Tioga Pass, paying a 30.00 fee. The fee is per vehicle. I think that we must have entered on the quiet side of the park, as the deeper we went, the more traffic we encountered. We visited the day after Labor Day, and many visitors had extended their three day weekends.

After entering the park, the landscape included extensive fields, tall pines, and more mountains.

We pulled over for some dramatic mountain shots.

And another stop at another lake. This one was vast, much larger than the lake near the entrance to the park. To be honest, it could have been a very large river, rather than a lake. I’m not sure. The water was crystal clear, and I felt envious of the people having a lazy day in lounge chairs on the shore. I wish we had both more time to stay in Yosemite and the forethought to have packed a few chairs and a picnic. The weather was crisp, but sunny. A perfect way to cap off the end of summer.

As we continued our drive, the rocks became even more dramatic.

We drove up into the mountains with amazing views of the valley below.

Finally, we reached Yosemite National Park’s star attraction, El Capitan. It was crowded, as if the entire population of park visitors converged into this one area. It was so jammed, that we spent an hour driving around a loop in an attempt to find parking and decided to bail on the idea. We did get to see the magnificent El Capitan, and stand in its shadow, but since Yosemite was an unplanned stop, we had to keep moving. it’s hard to see it in these pictures, but there were plenty of climbers on the mountain, which was incredible.

Our drive through Yosemite National Park took a few hours, longer because of the traffic near El Capitan. We thought that it was stunning, but it Yosemite didn’t pack the same punch as some of the other national parks that we have visited, such as Bryce and Zion.

I am happy that I finally visited Yosemite National Park. It had been on my “California Bucket List,” and visiting was especially sweet, as I moved to Colorado a few months later. I always think of the things that I should make a point to see now, things somewhat close to Colorado, for example, the Black Hills of South Dakota or Yellowstone National Park. In her early 20’s, my mom lived in Virginia for two years, and one of her biggest life regrets was not visiting Washington DC. I want to make sure that I see it all!

We drove through the Stanislaus National Forest and into the charming town of Groveland for lunch. in Groveland, we went to Dog Gone Good, a hot dog stand set up in the front yard of a person’s home. It was odd and delightful. The hot dogs were delicious and a good value. We would definitely eat here again, if we ever found ourselves in the area. I highly recommend it.

I’ll end this post with a beautiful sunflower that was in the garden of Dog Gone Good. I can’t think of a better symbol for the last days of summer.

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Late Summer Road Trip 2019: Panum Crater and Mono Lake

After leaving our cabin at Glacier Lodge, we headed to Mono Lake. Dan had previously visited Mono Lake, and it was one of the places in California that he really wanted me to experience. He had hyped it up for years.

On the way to Mono Lake, we pulled off to see the Panum Crater: a Rhyolitic Plug-Dome Volcano. This detour took us off the highway for a scenic drive through the desert, ending at the Panum Crater. We took a short trail for a closer view of the crater and to snap some pictures. If we had wanted exercise, there was a much longer hiking trail (we walked for about ten minutes) and even guided tours offered later in the day. Yellow wildflowers were everywhere!

Back on the highway, and just a short drive down the road, we came to the Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve, which is part of the California state parks system. We started at the visitors center to look at the exhibits. The visitors center also has a great observation deck and it is the starting point for several tours, including the tour of the Panum Crater. We didn’t take any of the tours, but I think this would have been a excellent experience if we had more time. I always enjoy learning more about the places that we visit.

I think it was within walking distance, but we drove to a parking lot closer to Mono Lake, where we paid a fee of three dollars each. The payment was cash-only, which is common for the state parks, so if visiting or planning a road trip, make sure to have some cash ( small bills/ no change given) on hand.

Mono Lake has some unique features. It’s a saline soda lake, making it incredibly salty. We didn’t swim in it, but apparently you are allowed, and if you try it, you will easily float due to the salt content. Also, local legend states that the water in Mono Lake is restorative and will cure ailments.

The other unusual thing about Mono Lake is the Tufa’s, which are large columns made of limestone. They are all over the lake. The Tufa’s reminded me of the Hoodoo’s of Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. Both Bryce and Mono Lake have an otherworldly vibe. They are exquisite and unexpected.

Several walking trails were located just off of the parking lot, trails that took us both into the desert environment and to the lake shore. These trails were an easy walk that most people could enjoy and we even saw a person in a wheelchair. Don’t climb or collect the Tufa!

On the water, we spotted several groups of kayakers in the distance. Although it was a holiday weekend, Mono Lake was not crowded and it was a serene visit. I was delighted to hear birds chirping and to feel like we were alone as we traversed this bizarre landscape.

i’m thrilled that Dan insisted on taking me to Mono Lake. I spent nearly my entire life living in California and I had never experienced this local wonder. I guess sometimes it takes a person from another country to make you appreciate what you have in your own backyard. I’d love to visit again and actually get out on the lake.

We refreshed ourselves with lattes and muffins from Mono Cup Coffee.

Mono Cup Coffee is a wonderful local spot and it was near the entrance to our next stop: Yosemite National Park!

Late Summer Road Trip 2019: Manzanar National Historic Site

I’m ashamed to admit it, but while planning our road trip, I had no idea that we would be passing by the Manzanar National Historic Site. As soon as I realized how close we were to Manzanar, I knew that we had to leave behind the fun part of our day ( Death Valley National Park and Lone Pine Western Film Museum) and confront a dark part of American history.

Shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt enacted “Executive Order 9066",” which effectively made the west coast of the United States a military zone. As part of this new zone, Americans of Japanese descent were considered a security risk and relocated to interment camps that were located in remote areas of west and mid-west states, ten camps in total. Manzanar, now a historic site of remembrance, was one of the camps.

Here is a model of Manzanar.

For over three and a half years in the 1940’s, over ten thousand Japanese Americans, mostly from the Los Angeles area, where sent here. Over a hundred thousand people were interned in the ten camps. Their experience was abrupt and traumatizing, with many families given only a few days notice to pack up their lives, leaving behind homes, businesses, and pets. This forever altered their lives, as many people emerged from the camps to realize they had completely lost the lives they had built. An apology and a small amount of compensation ( around $20,000 per person still living) did not come until decades later, during Regan’s presidency in 1988.

The visitor’s center has an affecting exhibit that allows you to follow the lives of specific people who were interned at Manzanar.

Visiting Manzanar is an emotional experience. I had a similar gutted feeling when visiting the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam and the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial. It’s a solemn experience and I certainly cried. I didn’t take very many pictures, as I felt like being present in the moment and truly “listening” with an open heart was most important.

We visited in 2019, while Trump was still president. A presidency marked by inhumanity towards immigrants and separating families. At the time, I could not have imagined how much more rampant hate crimes would become in the US. In particular, the Covid crisis has created a surge in hate directed towards Asians. Visiting Manzanar was a strong reminder of what fear and racism brings if we do not stand against it. It also made me confront my own privileged place in the world.

Despite the sorrow and tragedy, Manzanar is also a place of great hope and humanity. Many of the exhibits emphasized the ways that those interned at Manzanar tried to stay positive and focused on creating a life in the camp. They held dances, arts events, and played sports. The camp had services and businesses, such as hair salons, a library, and a newspaper. Also, the American public was not unanimously in support of the camps, with many people reaching out to those interned, trying to help make their lives better or to be advocates.

After touring the visitors center, we were able to take a self-guided driving tour with stops at several of the cabins. We visited in September and it was scorching hot. The cabins were suffocating from the desert heat, but it also wasn’t hard to imagine how cold they could also be in winter., as they did not have heat or air-conditioning. The cabins were small and sparsely decorated.

This diagram shows the maddening circular form of questioning that Americans of Japanese ancestry had to endure to “prove” their loyalty to the United States. This was at a time with over thirty thousand Japanese American’s fought for their country in World War Two.

After visiting Manzanar, I wish that I had made the effort to visit sooner. The Japanese internment camps, along with many other uncomfortable aspects of American history, should be seen, remembered, and discussed. It is a bit off-the-beaten-path, but I feel that everyone should make the effort to experience Manzanar and the other camps. We need to have these difficult conversations, because truly this is not in our distant past, and based on the climate of our country, it is not hard to imagine something similar happening in our future.