A Lesson About Elevation

July 6 - 10 - Getting to see familiar faces along this journey has been amazing. This whole experience, seeing new places, trying to find our way (both literally and figuratively) and learning more about ourselves and each other along the way has been life changing. The ability to share little bits and pieces of the process with close friends and family (and reconnecting with old friends) and them sharing a piece of their lives with us is what makes this process feel totally transformative.

Pulling in to Truckee last night and enjoying a glass of wine with Joanne and Andy made me wish these opportunities were more abundant. Wouldn't it be amazing if we could have a glass of wine with close friends and family around the globe every once in a while? Although the opportunities are far and few in between, the experience was as if it was a weekly occurrence.

Perhaps it's because this trip has been all about maximizing every opportunity.... but every time we are guests with someone I feel like our time with them was over many days, not many hours. Time with Joanne was no exception. We woke up Monday and she gave us a tour up to the Donner Memorial (I had no idea of their story, other than cannibalism, and what they experienced), up to her school where she and her husband devote so much of their lives to inspiring our future leaders (and they are damn good at it.... they are the teachers you wished you had), on a walk through the abandoned Central Pacific Railroad Tunnel 6, a quick hike to check out some petroglyphs, and an afternoon at Lake Tahoe watching the storm roll in. Needless to say, there were no late night glasses of wine at the end of this day. We all slept well.

The snowline, when the Donner party came through, was up to the top of the rocks in the monument. Crazy!

Tunnel 6

Super faint petroglyphs..... 1000's of years old!

Lake Tahoe is like Caribbean water (color, not temp!)

The water is so low..... usually this dock and the kayaks under are all the way in water.

On Tuesday, before we hit the road, Joanne humored me with a run. Elevation kicked my butt, but if I'm being honest, it was more the fact that I just haven't done anything for weeks other then drive!

After packing up and saying goodbye to Joanne, Andy and their babe Amelia, we were on our way for the long anticipated Yosemite. Though not a long drive (about 3 +/- hours) it seemed to take forever on the 2-lane, windy roads.

Beautiful Lake Tahoe

Trying to capture just how low the lake was... look at all the docks and exposed beaches

Mono Lake - before we started to climb towards Yosemite

Before entering the park (from the East entrance) we climbed some pretty good elevation. The National Forests that usually surround the parks are always worthy of their own mention. Someone, somewhere, had told me to put Saddlebag Lake (in the Inyo National Forest) on my list of places to check out and so as we drove up the pass, and we were thinking about dinner and bedtime, I decided this was a perfect place to call home for the night. The access road to the lake and camp sites rose an additional 1000' from the turn off, leaving us at 10,200' (you'll need to refer to this later).

Climbing up Tioga Pass towards Yosemite

A cool lake in Inyo Forest

Proof of elevation

Our campsite at Saddlebag - you can barely see the lake through the trees

Even the clouds are amazing at 10000'

Happy girls

A very low Saddlebag Lake

Taking turns with the camera.

Peace

We proceeded to have dinner (ravioli with pesto sauce, again, for later reference) and walked down to the lake for a bit. We even managed to play a few card games and take some fun nighttime pics before turning in. As we turned out the lights, Mckenzie let out the first indication she was struggling with the altitude "Mummy, my head really hurts" - mind you, this was completely out of left field as she was all smiles all evening. Assuming we were dealing with altitude sickness, my options were to descend or see if she could adjust. So I gave her some acetaminophen hoping to ease her pain. As I was in and out of sleep, wondering if I got all the food out of the car and in to the bear box, I suddenly awoke to heaving, Mckenzie started vomiting in the tent. I couldn't move her or she'd vomit all over the tent so I just held her and tried to contain my poor baby. She was so sad.

I have to admit, I wasn't fully prepared to deal with something like this. My clean-up tools included paper towels. It was aggressive (refer back to what she ate for dinner, you're welcome). While cleaning was slightly challenging, I'm not gonna lie, I was slightly concerned with how deep in bear country we were. Before I made it back to the tent, I was sure to grab a plastic bag... just in case she wasn't done. Needless to say, every time either Mckenzie or Sierra stirred I was completely worried they were going to puke. I wasn't sure if Sierra adjusted or if she would wake up ill too. Mckenzie woke up again at 12:30 and 1:30am.... it was a loooong night!

Incredibly, we made it to the morning. Mckenzie rolled over, her bright blue eyes smiling, she was back!!! I was so relieve to see her smile. I proceeded to make hot chocolate for the girls and was just about to start on pancakes when she sat on a rock and started to tell me she felt sick again. Before I could get to her, her arms went limp, her eyes rolled in her head and she fell backwards off the rock, passing out. Quite possibly one of the most horrifying moments of parenthood. I quickly picked her up and thought she was seizing as she was completely rigid. At this point, quite frankly by some miracle, a sheriff just so happened to come check out the grounds (remember, we were out there, so this really was the weirdest stroke of luck) and I called him over. By the time he got to us Mckenzie emptied her stomach, again, and was just starting to come around. Turns out the sheriff wasn't the savior I was hoping he'd be "are you sure it's altitude sickness? I mean, it could be anything." And with that, I thanked him for his time and quickly broke down the tent so we could get to lower elevation.

Sierra loving on her sister, keeping Mckenzie as close to the ground as possible

It was rough on her little body. She didn't have a lot of strength so we kept it mellow. A quick walk to the soda springs and as she regained her strength we played around on Pot Hole Dome. But I was not going to push it. We needed to stay low key. I had no idea Yosemite spanned such a crazy elevation change (from apx. 2000' to 13000').

Lembert Dome

Checking out the phenomenal soda springs.....very cool

A gentle walk up Pot Hole Dome

Big rock? Or close up of a little rock? Perspective is an awesome thing.

One tough cookie

Stormy weather

Big rocks, far away

My super girls

A view of the East side

I needed to make our way to the Valley because I knew that was much lower in elevation. Every turn in this park provided the most amazing vistas. It was hard to make progress. But as we got closer to the Valley, the number of people increased, dramatically (think of going to the mall on Black Friday..... seriously). Next time I'll spend all my time on the Eastern side of the park in Tuolumne Meadows and Tioga Pass.

We continued to the South entrance, looking for a place to camp (after spending $6.30 on the nation's most expensive bag of ice) as I was unwilling to consider camping in the Valley. The crowds were a total buzz kill. With crowds come trash and a total disrespect for the wild and wilderness. The concept of making these national parks accessible to everyone is wonderful, in hopes that people will learn more about these beautiful and pristine places and bring back a newfound desire to their homes to help protect the Earth. But instead, people are so consumed by their own lives that they bring their world with them, to these fragile environments, take their pictures and carry on. Checking off that box and not seeing the wake of destruction behind them. After having visited so many places in the past several weeks, I can say the cause/effect is very real and incredibly disturbing.

The girls, picking up trash

One of the many views of Half Dome

Playing in the Merced River with Ribbon Falls in the background

Loving the moment

Famous Tunnel View

We eventually made our way out of the park and the first camp ground just miles from the entrance (in Sierra National Forest) was a sweet little place called Summerdale. Gina, the camp host, was amazing and had no problem getting us set up (by now it was past 6pm so it's pretty awesome she had availability). For the record, thus far we have had no problem camping in the National/State forests just outside the parks. A good thing to know for future trips.

Whaaaaaaat????????

Home at Summerdale

Finally. Sleep. This was much needed by everyone...... And then the rain came, and a huge thunderstorm. Nope, no sleep for me.

The next morning priority #1 was getting cash (as I embarrassingly discovered when I went to pay Gina I had no cash or checks). Gina mentioned the lodge up the street called Tenaya Loadge had an atm. Well, I wasn't exactly prepared for this lodge. Let's just say that upon entering the premiss, I'm sure there were a few thoughts of "who let the riff raff in?" It was actually comical. We hadn't showered in days, or even brushed our hair, and we were in yesterdays clothes. I could hear the Sesame Street song in my head "one of these things is not like the other". While I was gagging at the pungent smells of cologne, I'm fairly confident we left a wake of our own that left visitors cringing. In other news, they had coffee. As we left, Sierra stated "Mummy, I think they must have thought we were homeless." Yes Sierra, I'm sure they did.

The plan was to head south and find a much needed laundromat (yup, sleeping bag still needed to be cleaned) but a random guy at the campground started talking up Glacier Point and how we had to see it. It's days like this when I'm so glad we're not on a schedule and can do as we please.

Before we made it to Glacier Point we spent several hours at the historical center becoming Junior Rangers. The girls were pumped. When I realized it was almost 2:30 and we still had an hour to drive to Glacier Pt we jumped in the car to hopefully make it up to the top and not have clouds swallowing the scenery. Well, it all happened so fast I forgot to give Sierra her Dramamine (we all know what that's for). By the time she reminded me it was too late. Half way up the access road, the 3rd amigo fell victim to vomiting. No mess this time, we saw it coming.

Above: pics of our wagon ride on the real old roads, it used to take 36 hours to get to San Francisco (It now takes less then 2 in a car). Below: Video of the girls getting their JR. Ranger Badge - super cute!

It was a rough 36 hours, but all totally worth it. The view was breathtaking. We hung out as long as we could until the skies opened on us. We all kept the complaining to a minimum because we all knew how badly CA needed this rain. The weather was so cold, that where we were staying yesterday, at Saddlebag Lake, they received several inches of snow and Tioga Pass had a chain requirement! Had we stayed there today we would have been stuck at elevation!

Weather rolling in

Trying to keep our eyes open in the falling rain overlooking the valley 1000's of feet below

Socked in

On the way down the weather looked to be clearing

We made it back to Summerdale for another nights sleep. We woke up Thursday and headed south to Oakhurst for that laundromat. I sent a quick text to a friend who was somewhere in the process of moving to Danville, CA (just outside San Francisco): "hey, where r u guys? we r headed to sequoia"... then she responded within minutes "Hi! Arrived - got r keys 3 hrs ago! in danville - stopping by?"

When you're within 3 hours of a friend, and your kids are getting desperate for a piece of home, you go.

By evening we were in Danville swimming, spending their 1st night in their new home with the Smiths

Caroline & Grant - newly transplanted from NH to CA

Hot tub party