Day six:

I ran out early to meet a group of crazies who were being led by a photographer to photograph some early morning sites, sunrise, etc. We met at 6:30 and I was delighted that he was such a knowledgeable person. Surprisingly he could work everyone’s camera, had great suggestions for exposure, and had great ideas for compositions to photograph. Breakfast followed in the “Food Court” a kind of cafeteria. I had pancakes prepared by a loud crazy cook. Sissy went for eggs. Everything was terrific. We talked some more with the photographer at breakfast. We gathered our things and checked out of the lodge, then went on a ¾ mile walk to the base of Yosemite Falls. I wanted to stay there a long time and we did, taking many photos including clearly the best shots of the trip. It was fun to talk with people at the falls. After a deli sandwich lunch where we watched people feeding various magnificent birds, California jays, woodpeckers, and others, as well as the white collared squirrels, we began our journey away from the valley. I stopped again for final pictures of El Capitan and Cathedral Spires, but we eventually had to get in the car and drive away.

The Groveland Hotel was a welcome sight in the late afternoon and we had a wonderful romantic dinner in the Victorian dining room. The crowd doesn’t arrive until about 7:30 so at 6:30 we had steak and ribs, a wonderful tomato and cucumber salad, and we had the run of the place. The jazz guitarist serenaded us alone. We scored a much bigger room tonight in the front of the hotel, so our windows look out on the front porch. After dinner we walked the town’s wooden sidewalks under the porches of every little shop, including the Iron Door Saloon. Groveland has the feel of an old western town, almost right out of the movies, though the roads are paved. Neither internet, television, nor telephone service has been an option for us now for three days. We hope our world has survived without us. Tomorrow, it’s back to civilization.