[Leica] Yosemite report

[abridge683 at fastmail.com (Adam Bridge)]

We drove up to Yosemite on Sunday via Rt 140 from Merced. There wasn?t much 
color along the river below 3,000 feet but there was a healthy flow in the 
Merced which was very nice to see.

We arrived in the park under heavy overcast. Lots of yellows to be seen in 
the under-story that just popped in the gray light.

Tons of water flowing over the falls throughout the park.BridalVeil Fall was 
really flowing well.

We jogged up to Tunnel View - I was sad to see the number of dead trees from 
that vantage. The drought has severely stressed the trees which have then 
succumbed to bark beetles.

Then a deluge hit us as we headed to the Lodge. Traffic was a bit of a mess. 
The normal flow around the valley has been impacted by work in Yosemite 
Village. The normal one-way traffic pattern is now two-way. You have a 
choice about staying on the south side of the valley or shifting over to the 
north side. There?s only one place to do that. So if you head up be sure to 
know where you want to go and to read the signs!

The dogwood are in the early-middle phase of changing - lots of wonderful 
pastels.

We left the park on Rt 120 (our normal way but Rt 140 was closed due to a 
rock slide. They were going to have to dynamite the mini-van sized boulders 
that were blocking the road. Should be open as I write this, I hope.) As we 
climbed the dogwood became more and more vivid. Definitely some fine stands 
on the fringes of the fire areas!

The park was very quiet. Maybe it was the weather to some extent, but I 
think the park is just low-use in the later autumn. The hotels didn?t seem 
full, the restaurants were only seating half the available seats.

We both road our recumbent trikes which are wonderful photo vehicles to 
travel the park - but NOT on the roads. Being two-way and with no shoulders 
we judged them too hazardous for the likes of us.

In short: a great time to visit Yosemite. Lots of water in all the falls and 
in the rivers and streams. Seemed more like early spring in terms of water.

I?ll post a few snaps when I have something to share.

Thanks for reading!

Adam Bridge
Davis, CA