The Other Y Park

California

Every year at Christmas I receive an Ansel Adams calendar.  It’s a tradition, like a Terry’s Chocolate Orange in the stocking and Croissant Bread Pudding with Rum Raisins and Maple Syrup for breakfast.  I’ve spent decades admiring his iconic black and white photos of soaring cliffs and plunging waterfalls and rocky mountains reflected in pristine lakes.

On our first cross country RV trip in 2010 we each compiled a list of Must See places and then tried to fit as many as we could into the 25 day itinerary.  There was  really only one place I wanted to see - the Ansel Adams park.

Geography was never my best subject so we ended up at Yellowstone.  At first it was all wonderful, mainly because the Grand Teton Mountains were VERY Ansel Adamsy (indeed, he did photograph them). But I began to wonder why he never captured geysers and buffalo and burbling sulfur pools.  I kept thinking that maybe around the next bend we’d see a towering cliff or two - El Capitain, Half Dome, all those famous vistas.

I shared my confusion with Dan and when he stopped laughing and regained control of the vehicle he told me that that was “the other Y park” and no, there wasn’t time for a “quick detour”.

So, 11 years later, here we are at Yosemite.  Huzzah!  Even though the drive up was the most terrifying I’ve ever experienced - one ridiculously narrow lane in either direction with NO shoulder or guardrails (no doubt useless under the circumstances but psychologically helpful, surely?)

We hauled our 15,000lb (plus full freshwater tank!) rig all the way up, rounding hairpins bends and negotiating oncoming trucks which were rude enough to be on the road at the same time. I managed to block out the imminent death that awaited us mere centimeters from the passenger door but I did notice Dan had gone awfully quiet.  I felt sorry for the cars behind us but really, there was nothing I could do except chug upwards in third gear.  My 10 speed diesel beast of an engine did us proud and we made it to the campground, white knuckles and all.  We have five days to explore, relax and enjoy this magnificent place before we head on to the next place.  Down the same death road.  But let’s not think about that.  Vistas await. 

                Moonrise over our campsite outside Yosemite.