Posts Tagged With: Yosemite

These boots are made for …

Posted on March 12, 2015 by carryoncouple.com

Half a tank now seems to last forever in the Prius.

 

For 24 years we lived the rural life near Yosemite National Park. We loved the neighborhood and seemingly limitless space for our kids to play. We also thought our budget benefitted from the low “temptation index,” or a lack of nearby restaurants and stores.

 

After the kids were gone and we stopped working, we found ourselves behind the wheel for two hours to go to Target or to a movie. It was 40 miles roundtrip to Von's. We soon realized that was not how we wanted to spend our time and money.

 

So we moved to the city (Ashland, Oregon). We were wrong about the “temptation index.” We live steps away from almost everything, including many good restaurants. However, we eat out less often, but enjoy it more when we do. We have found lots of inexpensive or free things to do.

 

Now, for the cars. The Prius sat unused in the garage for the month of February. We drove the Subaru to shop in nearby Medford several times, for a total gasoline bill of $20…for the month!

 

So, the wallet is better off, but as for the shoes…stay tuned!

 

 

Categories: Ashland life | Tags: , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Huge tree limb crashes coffee time

Posted on December 21, 2014 by carryoncouple.com

I was making coffee early Wednesday as 70-plus-an-hour winds howled outside. There was a deafening crack and crash as the building shook. What was that? Sue and I wondered.

We went out on the back deck and could see part of a tree-sized limb from a coastal redwood that had landed on our neighbor's and our roofs.

Our neighbor's home took most of the damage, but we had a four-foot gash in our roof. Our resident manager and a tree expert had the roofs cleared and patched by noon, just in time for heavy rain. Permanent repairs will come soon.

The irony was not lost on us. We lived in a rural forest area near Yosemite for 24 years and never had any damage from falling trees. Over the years, we had several huge bull pines taken down because we feared they could drop branches or more on our house.

So, we moved to Ashland for the carefree city life!

 

Categories: Ashland life | Tags: , , , , | 3 Comments

Scotland, here we come!

Posted on April 11, 2014 by carryoncouple.com

California poppies decorated the Merced River valley on the drive to and from Yosemite.

 

 

 

It was time to dust off the backpacks and head for Yosemite National Park. We start our Scotland trek May 8, so we thought we should begin our warmups. Diligent Sue has been taking long walks around the neighborhood, so Reg huffed and puffed a bit to keep up. After a stroll around the valley, we ended the day with what we really came for: Haagan Daz ice cream bars!

The weather was perfect, just like it will be in bonnie Scotland!

It can be tough to keep your eyes on the trail in Yosemite Valley. Reg showed his talent for sitting by the trail and eating the lunch Sue had prepared.

 

Categories: Scottish Highlands and beyond | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

One Foot In Front Of The Other: The Camino de Santiago

Posted on April 2, 2013 by carryoncouple.com

We knew if we were going to make this happen, we'd first need to put some serious miles on our hiking shoes. Living where we do, we're lucky to have places to train that include breathtaking scenery. We got down to business the day after Christmas, putting our rain gear to the test, as the snow began to fall in our front yard.

 

 

Our rainwear isn't fashionable, but it keeps us dry.

We love having Yosemite National Park in our “backyard.” It provides us with miles of beautiful hiking throughout the year.

 

Springtime in Yosemite reveals some beautiful picnic spots… and some unforeseen challenges.

 

Categories: Camino de Santiago | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

If You Are in the Neighborhood: Going Up in Yosemite

Posted on February 2, 2013 by carryoncouple.com

Half Dome and Cloud's Rest, on the far left, frame this photo with Vernal and Nevada falls. This was taken at Glacier Point.

On the way up, we got many great views of Yosemite Falls.

A series of posts from our travels.

The next time you are enjoying a spring or early summer day in California's Yosemite Valley, the Four-Mile Trail is a great way to get to the high country while experiencing views of the park and its waterfalls that change as you turn every corner.

The trail begins near Sentinel Beach in Yosemite Valley. There is about 3,200 feet of elevation gain, so we wouldn't recommend it on a hot summer day. It is a vigorous trek. This was the original way to get to Glacier Point before the present road was built.

At the top (Glacier Point), the views are unparalleled. There are snacks and hot food in the store and restrooms nearby.

A warning: the trip down can be tough on the knees, so take your time.

If you are not game for the walk up, catch the shuttle bus at Yosemite Lodge, which will take you to Glacier Point, then hike down. The bus sometimes books up, so you may want to reserve seats.

The vast majority of Yosemite visitors never venture to the park's high country. But those who know the park say, “go up!”

Our sons Brad and Andrew along with some friends came along to take in the views.

 

Categories: Neighborhood series | Tags: , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Blog at WordPress.com.

%d bloggers like this: