Yosemite National Forest Trip Fall 2018

We have been in full recovery mode this weekend after the previous 10 days on the road with the RV.  But I am so excited to finally get to share with you all about our adventure & hope you find inspiration to go out and adventure in the outdoors yourself!  And please share your experience in Yosemite in comments!  I love to hear other peoples perspectives!

Looking out over the base of the dam at Hetch Hetchy

It has been so nice to be home, clean & spending the day watching football again!  Oh, and that cold Fall weather we had planned for but didn't get in the mountains (more on that later) is here at home!  So I am cozy in my sweatpants, on my couch, writing again!  

First Stop: Yosemite Lakes RV Resort

I have to admit, my husband and I are very accustomed to long road trips in the car.  But we have never done one with a toddler.  I was so afraid that it would take us days to drive the 6 hours to our first stop, but Ashlyn did so great!  She loved watching out the window, then enjoyed some Sesame Street on the iPad (while mommy took a little nap with Elmo-we left at 4:30 in the morning so...).

When we bought our RV we got a 1 year membership to Thousand Trails (a group of RV/Camping/Cabin/Yurt resorts across the country).  This was the first time we used it so we didn't know what to expect.  But we LOVED it there!  It was so beautiful, clean & the rangers were some if the friendliest people I had ever met!  And have I mentioned there was no cell service.  none. zip.  And it was amazing!  I mean, I missed you guys but it was nice to take a little break and focus on my family & myself (and sneak in some writing & editing here and there...;)...I mean, Im not an animal! ).  

HOW WE ENTERTAINED OURSELVES

• ​Bike rides!!  We got a toddler seat (check out the LINKS tab above for info) for my husbands bike and never looked back!  It was so fun to explore the grounds and meet lots of people!  Ashlyn loved how much she could see from that vantage point.  She sang most of the time! haha!
• Hanging out int he hammock over the creek.  Really Amazing!
• Watching all the people fish right outside our campsite!  Ashlyn has never seen anything like that & was so impressed!  And some new friends we made gave us a few they had caught!  I've never aver gutted a fish so ill leave that to my husband! ;)
• These resorts have it all figured out!  On the weekends there are so many activities for everyone!  Ashlyn got to paint a rock & play bingo.  She got to watch her first movie outside on a big screen-and hasn't stopped asking for Moana since! lol  And we all enjoyed the community BBQ & Pancake breakfast. 

MY FAVORITE MEMORIES

• ​Watching Ashlyn discover so many new things.  She's never done anything like painting a rock and thought is was the bees knees!  

• Making so many new friends!  (Thank you instagram!!)  Ashlyn even made a fantastic friend from Jordan!  

MAYBE WE COULD'VE DONE WITHOUT THIS...

• Meat. Bees.  What the heck!  Ive never heard this term before but its no joke.  Try bringing meat outside to cook and before you know you have approximately 1 million wasps that want it!  So...We ate most of our meals inside the RV but did most of my cooking in my Dutch Oven so we were able to avoid them for the most part.  

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Hetch hetchy

What a beautiful place!  Known as the "Unknown Yosemite Valley".  It truly is magnificent.  I try to imagine what it was like before the dam flooded this beautiful valley.  I had never heard of Hetch Hetchy before and had no idea of the controversy surrounding it.  Since Im just learning about it myself, here are 2 links to articles with more information:

Hetch Hetchy Valley: A Historical Debate 
Hetch Hetchy: Time To Redeem A Historical Mistake

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Next Stop: Yosemite Valley

What can i even say about how magnificent this place is!!  We had the most amazing weather! (I even bought us those super fun matching PJ's because the weather report said it was going to be in the 30's at night...but it was actually in the 60's so we were SO HOT in them but were determined to get a fun pic! lol)  The first 2 afternoons we got to experience an afternoon thunder/lightning/rain storm.  They only lasted an hour or 2 then the skies were completely clear!  It was so neat to hear the thunder roar through the canyon and granite walls!  So crazy!  

The days were spent riding our bikes around the park (to Yosemite Villeage, Half Dome Village, Mirror Lake), cooking fun camping food (Potatoes Au Gratin, Beef Stew, Foil bowls...yummy!!) & swimming in the Merced River!  Even our 14 year old dog, Maverick, loved sitting by the river!  

I was certain I'd see a bear on this trip.  (I have a secret obsession with seeing one...from a distance....a long distance...and preferably from inside a vehicle or building! lol)  But no bear.  We did get to see a wild Bobcat...yikes!  He was small but I was still frozen in my tracks!  And lots of Deer & Cows...yes, cows! lol  

We had an incredible trip!  It was sad to leave but we were ready for some long showers & clean clothes!  Thank you to my amazing husband for planning everything & driving us 6 hours each way for this amazing adventure!  Traveling in the RV made it so much easier to entertain this little lady on the road!  

Let me know if you have a trip planned and have any questions about the park or the drive in (Oh god...the drive in...!!! HINT-If you're afraid of heights DO NOT DRIVE ON Hwy 41!!!  YOWZA!!!)  

​CHEERS!!!