May 21 Yosemite and visit with Ellen and Bob

 

More campsite drama……  This is the night that they decide to change Camp 4 from first come, first serve to reservation.  The website to reserve them is working for Android phones but not for Apple phones.  We find a ranger who is able to help us but we can only reserve the site for one person.  He says not to worry about it so we don’t.  We see him again later and he says that it is a problem to have 2 people when the reservation is one but there will probably be some cancelations around noon.  We continue on with our plans to hike up to Columbia Point look out.  

It is a hard hike, at least for me.  It is continual uphill for about 1 ½ miles with about 1000 foot elevation gain.  We cross a stream that is probably usually dry but has water crashing down the rocks on one side of the path and dropping off the other side.  It is cool and people are taking turns crossing it.  Several more switch backs and graciously stopping to let faster hikers pass me, I finally get to the lookout point.  It is gorgeous and a great view of Half Dome. 

Looking down on Mirror Lake where we hiked yesterday.  Since our tent is bright orange and rather large, we could spot it from the lookout. 

Because we feel that we need to get back down to see about those campsite reservations, we don’t dawdle at the lookout.  Nick goes down at a much faster pace than I do.  With my knees, I need to be cautious.

No luck getting a campsite reservation for me.  Being the law-abiding citizens that we are, we were not sure what to do.  Nick came up with the great idea of calling my cousin, Ellen, in Sacramento and seeing if we could crash at her house that night. “Hi, can we show up at your doorstep in about 3 hours and stay over night?” 

“Sure!” 

We break down camp and carry all that crap the 2-3 blocks back to the car.  There’s more to carry back as we had been carrying a few things to the site each time we passed that way for the last 2 days.  We are both quite exhausted and sweaty after the big hike and then promptly taking down camp. 

The drive to Sacramento is uneventful.  Ellen, Bob and their 3 dogs greet us warmly when we arrive.  We feel to grungy to give them hugs until we’ve had showers.  Hugs and then we go out to a Vietnamese restaurant for dinner.  

The bed and clean sheets sure do feel great and we sleep well.