April 24, 2016 Drive to Coast and April 25, 2016 Drive to Schooner Gulch

Sunday, April 24, 2016 Drive to Coast

We drove to Redwood Empire Fairgrounds in Ukiah, CA.  This was our last stop in Northern California and Pat wanted to go to Schooner Beach and see the bowling balls.  This park was small but it was very nice.

Monday, April 25, 2016 Drive to Schooner Gulch

Again we are driving along the Pacific Coast and this was all new to us.  On our way we took a detour to see Port Arena Lighthouse.  The wind was up and there were a lot of white caps on the water. Pat didn't want to venture out on the cliffs as she was afraid of the strong winds and slipping.  It was a beautiful setting.

We continued on to find Schooner Gulch and the bowling ball beach.  We finally found someone who knew exactly where it was and gave us exact directions.  It was a short hike down a narrow path, across a driftwood bridge then down the beach and the tide was coming in and soon it would cover these bowling ball rocks.  But we made it.  Pat read that it was possible to find abalone shells that have washed up on the shore but we weren't lucky instead we found a Giant Chiton.  Of course the thing was dead but it was an unique looking mollusk. This beach was different and now we can say that we saw them.

Look we found a white seal

And we also caught a pup


PICTURES OF THE SHORELINE

Port Arena Lighthouse

Cliffs and Natural Bridge

ABALONE SHELLS

Path to the beach

This looks like a dinosaur skeleton

This was the driftwood bridge that we had to cross

Bowling Balls being covered by the tide

Giant Chiton

April 22, 2016 Ride to Winters, CA-Tour of Jelly Belly Factory--April 23, 2016 Visit to Napa Valley

Friday, April 22, 2016 Ride to Winters, CA-Tour of Jelly Belly Factory

On our way to Canyon Creek RV Park in Winters, CA.  In order to get to Winters we had to pass by Jelly Belly Factory so we stopped.  Yes sometimes we are still kids.  After a quick hour and by the way they had a chocolate with wine tasting.  It was pretty good.  Then off to this campground.

This campground was about a 40 minutes or so through the mountain to get to Napa Valley.  This park was built in the mountains with a creek running beside of it.  There was no phone service nor internet service.  Crazy but it makes you realize how dependent we have become on technology.

Saturday, April 23, 2016 Napa Valley and some wineries.

We first started out at the visitors center in the City of Napa and got us a map.  We drove up on Silverado Trail and came back out on 29.  The countryside was green and the vineyards were jsut starting to grow. We picked out 4 wineries to tour.  We picked Sterling because of the tram ride to the top overlooking the valley below.  The wines here were VERY GOOD.  Next, was Castello di Amorosa looked like a castle and it was a pretty cool place.  Wine was okay I liked their sweet wine but on the pricey side but a nice tour through the castle.  I loved it.  Reminded me of Italy.  We stopped at Beringer but it was closed and the last one was Mondavi.  Which is the oldest one in Napa and the wines were pretty good.  The best wines of the day go to Sterling.  Michael finally can say that he has seen Napa Valley.

Picture of Princess Di made of Jelly Beans

One of a Indian Chief

Mike walking cha cha steps

Downtown Napa

Vulture drying his wings

Entrance of Sterling Vineyards

VIEWS FROM THE AERIAL CAR

Sterling Vineyards

Entrance to Castello di Amorosa

SOME OF THE FEATURES OF THE CASTLE

Castello di Amorosa

eNTRANCE TO mONDAVI vINEYARDS

Ornamental Olive Tree

A Grapevine

Our site at Canyon Creek

The creek besides the campground

April 20, 2016 Drive to Park of the Sierras and April 21, 2016 Trip to Yosemite National Park

Wednesday, April 20, 2016 Drive to Park of the Sierras and Yosemite NP

This campground is an Escapees park in The Sierra Nevada Mountains and it was wonderful.  It is nestled among trees.  This park is run by volunteers and only has 5 paid employees.  It has 250 sites and has a lot to offer.  Shortly after we arrived the staff arranged for us to get a tour of the grounds which took 1.5 hours.  Mike and I both agreed that we could very well get lost with all of the intertwining streets.  This park is definitely back to nature.  It is very quiet and peaceful.

Thursday, April 21, 2016 Trip to Yosemite National Park

WE have been wanting to see this park for a very long time and we are finally getting to do it.  We were unable to go to the very top due to the fact that there was 2-3 feet of snow still on the road and the elevation was over 12,000 feet but we are going to see the things that we wanted to see.

We arrived at the south entrance of the park at about 8am. Temperature was in the high 50's when we started and as we continued it got down to 48 degrees with a little wind but bearable.  The car was warm.

Our first stop of the day was Glacier Point. Glacier Point was at 7214 feet. As we drove the 16 miles up to get to the end we started to see some snow on the side of the road.  By the time we made it to the top the snow was about 3 feet on the sides of the road.  It was beautiful.  At the top you are able to see the valley 3000 feet below.  This valley is what was carved by a glacier many years ago.  You are able to see Half Dome, Vernal and Nevada Falls and Yosemite Falls which is the tallest in North America.  All of these waterfalls had a lot of water flowing over them.  These falls can only be seen in the spring when the snow is melting or if it rains.  So we had good timing. 

After Glacier we headed down to the Valley.  Before reaching the valley we drove through a fairly long tunnel.  Once we reached the bottom we were able to get close to the waterfalls that we had seen from the top.  The amount of water that was coming over the top was very loud and exhilarating.  We also saw El Capitan which is 3593 feet tall.  The only waterfall that flows all year is Bridalveil Falls and the last waterfall that was named was Cascade Falls.  We saw small waterfalls throughout the valley.   Just before we exited the park I saw another waterfall and made Mike turn around.  Good thing because we would have missed the rock arch over the road at the west entrance.  It was so tall that a motorhome drove through it but it was tight.  All in all it was a great day to see waterfalls!!

Happy Birthday, Mark Edwards

Look close, can you see the acorn in the tree-a acorn woodpecker stores his nuts in the tree

Our site

Nice pond done by volunteers in this park

Road to Glacier Point check out the snow

Left-Vernal Falls Right-Nevada Falls

Half Dome

Famous Yosemite Falls

The Valley below

This Sage Thrasher was just singing his head off for us

Bridalveil Falls

Check out the water flow

El Capitan

Cascade Falls

Rock Arch at West Entrance

We named this No Name waterfall

Another shot of the rushing waters