Day 25: Yosemite Valley

Thursday, May 20th

• After coming out of the backcountry, we spent all day Thursday in the beautiful but heavily visited Yosemite Valley and felt like we needed several more days to really experience the place. The park has been our favorite that we have visited so far on our trip, and has a special feeling about it - the kind that makes you want to linger and explore.

• We didn't really plan on this road trip being a waterfall excursion, but we have seen some beautiful falls the past few weeks. None of them, however, compare with the mighty Yosemite Falls, especially this time of year when the water is flowing heavily.

• The towering granite walls of Yosemite Valley mean that every hike available pretty much leads in one direction - up. We hiked a few miles up the trail to Yosemite Falls. If you've been hiking with Jennifer before, you may recognize what I call her "Super Woman Power Hiker Mode", in which she settles into a light cadence that would tax an olympic racewalker as she storms up mountain trails. I have to remind her sometimes that she is 17 weeks pregnant and she needs to take it easy (as I struggle to catch my breath).

• Speaking of the pregnancy, Jennifer is feeling well - although she usually requires an afternoon nap, and she has had some heartburn. I don't think there's many pregnant women that could camp and hike as much as Jennifer has the last few weeks and maintain such a sunny demeanor (even in the rain).