Yosemite National Park

We were a little nervous about our Yosemite experience because all that we had heard about the crowds.  Even some of the visitor centers and campgrounds were closed for the season.  Our first day was at the east entrance (Lee Vining).  We drove the Tioga Pass (elevation at 10,000) through Toulumne Meadow.

Half Dome is behind us!

We couldn't get a camp site in the park so we had to stay outside of the west entrance at a bummer rv park.  The next day we headed to Yosemite Valley early to get a good parking spot...and we did!  Our day in the Valley could not have been more perfect.  We got on our bikes and rode through the Valley for about seven miles.  We hiked the Vernal Falls which was classified as a three mile strenuous hike.

Vernal Falls

It was a strenuous hike, but really Joe, do we have to stop again!  The two grannies (well over 70 years old) passed us! 

Mammoth Lakes, California

Thanks to Pharaba, we made the excellent decision to go to Mammoth Lakes!  We dry camped (no hook-ups) at Twin Lakes Campground which is situated within the Inyo National Forest.  This was not an rv park, it was a campground in the mountains!  The hiking right from this campground was awesome!  Keith, Michael, Joe and I went on a two mile strenous hike called "bottomless pit".  Joe whined like a super charger the whole way, even while a two year old passed us by.  As it turns out, that was one of Joe's favorite hikes!  We also went biking, but could only make it about four miles because the mountains were just too much for our little Joe Emory.  What a great place!

I did leave out a part of this story:  Keith booked the Mammoth Lakes RV Park and when we arrived there was no power, we couldn't get level, and we didn't like the people at the office.  So, after I ran across the highway (dropped my phone in the middle of the highway) and asked the National Forest Ranger where we can stay, he suggested Twin Lakes Campground.  In case you haven't caught on, we were in full blown cluster mode :)  We didn't care that there was no power, no water, and no sewer because it was only $18, instead of $54 at the rv park!

Chopping wood (because again, we were roughing it)

Family Game Night..Apples to Apples

Hiker Joe

Lake Tahoe

We stayed at a fabulous rv campground called Zephyr Cove RV Resort.  It is located on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, on the south end of the lake.  We had amazing weather (78/50)!  The restaurant was overlooking the lake and had great food.  The campground was located at 6,200 feet above sea level which had us all gasping for air!  2nd deepest lake in the U.S. (#1 is Crater Lake in Oregon).  We rented a boat to do a little sightseeing and tubing!

The boys are the only ones brave enough for 62 degree water!

Fun Fun Fun

I am not going in that water!

Sparky doesn't know cold!

Playing on the beach and boating with snowcap mountains in the background is pretty cool.  The color of Lake Tahoe is not a color that you can describe....very blue!

Math

My dad and I had a test to see who was better at math. Dad, the "math man" got a 94% and I got a 100%. After  I beat him, we did another test. He beat me this time, he had a 100% and I had an 85%. Who is the ''math man''?

Yours truly,
The Math Man

Petaluma/San Fran

We are staying at one of those wonderful KOA resorts.  We have stayed here three nights and could easily stay another night or two.  Our San Fran tour was great and was hosted by KOA.  It was not your typical San Francisco weather.  It was 80 and sunny!  We could see everything, even Alcatraz.  The only thing on our tour that I wasn't thrilled to experience was Chinatown. 

Alcatraz over Michael's shoulder.

Golden Gate

Good times down on Pier 39!

The Rock!

The trolley...our nation's only moving national monument!

We are headed to Lake Tahoe tomorrow after school.  Speaking of school, the kids are working very hard.  The "roadschooling" gets better each day.  I have decided that there is no better classroom than the road. 

Weaverville, California

We were suppse to make it to Trinity Lake; however, we were caught on the mountain in the dark!  So, we had to pull over in Weaverville due to darkness.  Since we are so flexible we decided to skip Trinity Lake and the following day we drove to Vacaville, California to make our way towards San Fran.  Not much to tell, just school work and laundry.

Crescent City, California....Redwood National Park

Our stay at the KOA was great.  There are redwoods right there at the campground and the kids had a great time climbing hiking these massive trees.  This campground is located just 10 minutes from the Redwood National Park and some great hiking.  We started our day at the Hiouchi Visitor Center and then went on to the Stout Grove where we did some great hiking.

Banana Slug

Sarah Rose's photography

Found a Geo Cache!  Mimi would be so proud!

We did a lot of hiking here!

Then it was off to the Trees of Mystery.  Its a tourist trap, but well worth the visit.  We went on a gondola ride up the mountain and then the boys hike down an "advance trail".  It was very informative and a fun gift shop.  Sarah Rose bought a Sasquash drivers license!

At the base of Cathedral Tree which has been formed into a small chapel where weddings and Easter services are held.

So interesting!!!

Then we ended our day down at the beach at Whaler Island.  The Sea Lions were hangin out on the docks.  Dinner was fabulous at the Chart ??? something.

Eugene, Oregon

We spent two nights in Eugene, one night at a nice retirement rv park (Pleasant RV Park) and one night at Pacific Center (Freightliner Repair Center).  I have to say that our free night at the truck repair center was quite nice.  It even had 50 amp service!  We had a part repaired on Big Red (stabilizer thing).  We rented a car and spent the day at the Gateway Mall.

Joe is so messed up he needs to see a doctor about that!

Joe

look at this.

Never drink Gilacier water it gives you explosive diarreah!

Elk!

There was a big elk.He had a big rack of antlers.He was next to the road eating grass.I wanted to see an elk with a rack.And I saw one.    sarah

Waldport, Oregon

We are staying at another KOA, which is located right on Alsea Bay (within walking distance of Pacific).  We walked to the beach yesterday and wow was it cold (55 degrees at 5pm).  It was too foggy to take pictures.  The kids had a great time playing in the sand dunes in sea grass.  Then.....the panic attack!  I was checking emails and the computer crashed!  Everything was gone!  Nothing was there ie. pictures, Outlook, documents etc.  So, the next morning Keith went to the KOA office to ask about computer repair shops.  They referred us to a company that is closed on Satudays, but we had a cell phone number for the owner.  This man graciously came into the shop on a Saturday for us.  He fixed it (we had a virus) in about an hour.  So, the rest of the day we spent touring the coastline.  We visited the Sea Lion Caves; however, the sea lions were out hunting salmon so there were no sea lions in the cave.  Then, we spent the rest of the afternoon at Govenor Patterson's Beach.  This beautiful beach was empty, hardly anyone was there.  Tomorrow we are headed to Eugene, Oregon.

Castle Rock, Washingtotn

After nearly three weeks in Washington, we will be headed to the Oregon coast.  For two nights we stayed at the Toutle RV Park which was a brand new rv park that reminded me of a summer camp.  There was such an assortment of activities:  basketball, volleyball, pickle ball, soccer, football, swimming, and a whole lot more.  I suppose if there was a downfall, it is the train track that runs along the perimeter of the rv park.  So many trains!  All night long!  We did

We did get back to business with our roadschooling:

What was that Michael....you can't wait to get back to St. Francis?

The Toutle RV Park was a great facility for P.E.  Ms. Lavander and Mr. Loeverde would have been really proud today!

Class dismissed!

Still in Seattle...

We are back in Seattle, staying at the KOA Seattle/Tacoma.  Not the best KOA, but the location was great for trips to/from the airport.  We were also only 1 1/2 hours from Mount Rainier.  Kane and the girls arrived!  We spent the first day of their visit enjoying the campground.  Sarah Rose and Emma played at the dog park from sun up to sun down.

Nice tye-dye Joe and Emma!

Poker again...Vegas here we come!

Good times!

The following day we decided to make a trip back to Mount Rainier.  We planned on going to the northeast entrance at Sunrise; however, there was a line at the entrance and no parking at any of the trailheads.  So, we drove passed Sunrise and had lunch near Chinook Pass.  On the way down off the mountain we stopped at a pull-out and we hiked.  Hannah Grace proved to be quite the hiker and can make a mean snowball!

Deep depression hit Big Red when the Richmond Cousins had to leave :(  Big Red felt very small after living with 11 people.  Such amazing memories were made and we were all sad to see our family leave.  Back to school!