LOOONNNNNGGGG DAY

So we started off the day in Wyoming and decided to hightail it to Yosemite to get a few extra days in California...which made for a day full of changing scenery, and lots of self-entertainment. We've gone all but the first day without music, though, which means we must be doing something right. I sleep in the car a lot because otherwise I have to be watching where I'm going to avoid car sickness.

Hit up a wanna-be coffee shop, drove past a plaza with antler arches, and I almost hit a suicidal moose that ran across the road in front of me as I was driving the winding roads out of the mountain range...good start to the day.

We also enjoyed the rest areas and took full advantage of posted information to avoid being in the car as long as possible :)

Big fan of the roof-rack...

Rest stop.

Keith set a new land-speed record...and was very proud...

It was flat for a lot of the drive and we could see forever until mountains jutted up in the distance. We figured that the plants we were seeing could easily become tumble-weeds when they dry out, and since none of us have ever seen one, we thought we should get one on video if we got the chance...which led to a series of games and jokes as Keith attempted to practice video taping tumbleweeds on the fly...IE: Someone would yell "tumbleweed" and Keith would have to turn the camera on and start video as fast as possible...I got him to wake up being out cold in a nap...but it took about 15 seconds before he got the camera on and in the right mode...we concluded that Keith would fail should the tumbleweed video opportunity arose.

Adam took over...3 hours shifts or so...moving right along.

Clearly having a blast.

Adam hit the 65,000 mark,

and we hit the great state of Nevada

which had cool geography of its own.

...Like I said...

just, wow.

And apparently all of the water and sleep helped me to gear up to take over as the land-speed record holder...Take that, Keith!

It was flat again, obviously.

Reno, city of lights?
we were moving too fast, but some of these turned out cool so I figured I'd share.
and on to Cali...
So after detours and such we made it to Yosemite with Adam at the wheel. I was sleeping and we got in around 2 or 3. We drove down narrow twisting roads, and I don't even want to know what was on the other side of the guard rails that were at our sides! Made it to the campgrounds. They are ALL FULL. Are you kidding? Finally Keith and Adam went into the hotel thinger and asked if they know of any availability. They weren't helpful at all. We just need a place to crash for 4 hours since we're getting up to hike Half Dome at 7 and the only option they gave us was a $100 cabin/tent thinger. None of us are very happy. Adam was tired so I took over driving. We saw something up ahead, and what was it but a black bear running down the road in front of us, which I almost hit as Adam was yelling "Move it, fatty" and I'm wondering aloud "Who walks around in the road at this time of the morning...? Ohhhhh...." Who has 2 run-ins with wild beasts in one day?? Seriously, though.

So I guess it really IS time for bed. The boys were nice enough to give me extra blankets. It's pretty chilly. Up soon for the big hike!