We have our first physical setback. Today, our plan was to do the intense hike up Mist Trail. Yesterday, Amber’s back went out, and sleeping on these hotel beds is not helping her to recover. In fact, these beds may have caused her back pain. Thus, we delay the hike to travel to Tenaya Lake considered by many the prettiest lake in Yosemite NP. Hopefully this extra day, without much physical demand will aid in Amber’s recovery.
This morning begins with a drive as we go to Glacier point, a magnificent overlook of the valley. Again, stunning with beautiful views of Half Dome and both Vernal and Nevada Falls. Our first trail of the day is a relatively short (2.2 miles), easy hike to Taft Point. At Glacier point, you have necessary and important guard rails to keep you from falling to your death. At Taft Point no such guard rails, you can walk right up to the edge.
Our first day in Yosemite National Park. Yesterday’s drive was not bad except the traffic caused us to change routes. Maybe this should have been the first indication of the crowd in Yosemite. First off, Yosemite is stunning. One of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Driving through the valley, you see stunning mountains, huge waterfalls, unique rock formations, beautiful meadows with wildflowers, and crystal clear river running through it all. Very few places, if any, in the continental United States can match the beautiful of this valley.
Today, in Sequoia National Park, we begin the day with a waterfall hike, Tokopah Falls, the largest falls in this park. What’s better: hiking to a waterfall or mountain peak? It can be a tough call, but not this time. I would easily prefer to go back to Little Baldy. By the way, Josh is calling me Little Baldy now.
Another day and we are still going strong. Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks border each other so today, we drive to Sequoia for our first significant hike of the trip. Little Baldy mountain is a 3.4 miles round trip, but straight up. Josh shared that this mountain was named after me.
The new day is a gift. Yesterday, we drove from Disneyland and struggled. Today is a new creation. The gift of a fresh start in God’s beautiful creation. California as a whole is not stunningly beautiful. It is dry and the landscape reflects it. However, everyday is sunny.
Because we love, we confess, say I am sorry, and forgive. These are necessary activities in love. Sometimes, we need a moment. Sometimes, we need to process. Sometimes, we need some time to ourselves, but we still love and share life together. Reconciliation does not happen in an instant. We have feelings to work through, things to let go. But in love, we go through this process over and over again.
Day 2 at Disneyland has begun, another early morning. We still make good time, but today, this morning we are dragging a bit, and don’t arrive to the park until about 7:35 am. Again, there will be a race. This time to ride Cars, Radiator Springs Racers. Somehow, we do even better than yesterday and are literally one of the first to ride.
We continue riding mostly big rides. Today, we add Guardians of the Galaxy.
Our first day at Disneyland, the 10th national park of California. What a change. After 3 national parks of hiking, hot weather, and God’s creation, Disneyland is drastically different, but we are ready. Here we get to celebrate the imagination. God granted humans the gift of creative imagination. In fact, through the parables of Jesus, we can use creative imagination to better see God’s kingdom in our midst.
It’s an early morning and we need to catch a ferry to Santa Cruz, one of the islands of Channel Islands National Park. The ferry ride is beautiful, but a bit chilly, longer than Josh would have liked. There are 5 islands, in the National Park. We chose Santa Cruz because we can sea kayak. Amber is a bit nervous. I am just excited!
After a 1 1/2 hour ferry ride we finally arrive, and the first glimpse of the island is beautiful. I am excited for this national park because I have never been to a park like this one, an isolated group of islands. Maybe we can pretend that we are on the TV show Lost. Nah, I don’t want that much adventure.