Scenic Drive

I had Saturday off and I didn't want to just spend it in the house. I knew I wanted to go for a drive but couldn't decide where to go. So many options. The coast. The mountains. Stay local. My sister Brittney suggested I just drive and try to get lost. So I got in my car with my camera and had a general direction I wanted to go. I stopped in Oakdale on the way.

This pillar was outside a bar. I liked all the titles for acceptable patrons.


Funky looking, rundown sign for a hotel.


After Oakdale I got lost through Jamestown and ended up in Columbia. I used to go on field trips here when I was in elementary school. The whole place smells like black licorice and sarsaparilla. It was so hot there! 108!!

Second story of an old hotel.

Because it was so hot, and I had drank my entire 32oz bottle of water already, I got a cold bottle of sarsaparilla. It was soooooo good!!

Funny sign that I loved. I really have no idea what it means.


After I left Columbia I drove through Sonora and then was going to go try and find Rainbow Pools, an amazing waterfall that my friends and I often cliff jump from. It is sort of secretive and hard to find. I've been there a bunch of times and can never remember how to get there each time. I'm bad with remembering directions anyways. I passed the turn off for Rainbow Pools and had to turn around. After I passed it again and still couldn't find it I turned around for one last look. I drove too far and ended up driving halfway up the mountain before realizing I couldn't just turn around again. The road is narrow and windy and there's no going back once you're on it. When I finally got to the top I thought, I'm halfway to Yosemite, I might as well go there. The drive was at least another hour long but it was so pretty. At 5:15pm I finally got to the check in station at Yosemite and pulled up to pay. I go to hand the ranger my money and she says "You're visiting Yosemite on Free Day!" I was so excited! She handed me a map of the park and I continued on my way. That's when I saw the road sign that read "Yosemite Valley 24 miles" Dang! I thought I was so close! But I had gone this far I wasn't about to turn around. Since it was so late in the day I was the only one driving into the park. I felt like I had the mountain to myself! The 24 miles wasn't so bad. It was just difficult to keep my eyes on the road when I wanted to look at all the stuff around me. When I finally got to the valley I started to see people and cars. For it being Free Day there weren't that many though. Maybe most had left by that time though. I parked at the Village and knew I wanted to go see Yosemite Falls.

Waiting for the shuttle...

Half Dome.

I grabbed the first shuttle I saw and rode it for a little bit. I talked to other people on the shuttle, asking what they were seeing, if they were camping in the park, etc. Then I started to realize that we weren't headed anywhere near the falls. I had taken the shuttle going the opposite direction! Oops! At the next stop I got off and walked across the street to wait for the next shuttle. I made it to the falls stop and hiked/walked up to the Lower Falls.


The last time my family and I were at here it was early June and the Falls were flowing more and we got soaked just trying to walk up to the bridge and viewpoint. This time of year people had to climb on over the fence and up the rocks to reach the water. I was just glad there was some waterfall to see.

Interesting rock formations. Looking around the valley it is obvious that it was carved by glaciers. It is incredible to imagine!

Half Dome at sunset. In the map that the ranger gave me it said in a 1868 Yosemite guidebook, "the summit of Half Dome will never be trodden by human foot." George Anderson reached the top in 1875. And many many more have. I want to someday.

On my way out of the valley I snapped a couple pictures of the beautiful meadows.

The long drive to Yosemite and back was totally worth it! I didn't realize how much I needed to get away and experience something like that. I would totally do it again. Maybe before the summer is over. Go for a real hike up to one of the other waterfalls.