Well folks, we made it through the night. The night spent in the tent cabin was some of the best sleep I have ever had. Ever. No A/C’s thumping on and off in the night, no distant sound of a washer and dryer rumbling…just the peaceful silence and serenity of the great outdoors.

We woke up nice and refreshed…and quiet cold. We threw on some comfy clothes and made our way to the camp’s breakfast buffet to warm ourselves with a big hearty breakfast. Delish!

Now, off for more exploring! It was an absolutely gorgeous day, the most perfect weather for trampsing around outdoors.

We made a stop at El Capitan (or ‘El Cap’ if you want to sound like a groovy local). Once again, I wish you could get a sense of the scale in these pictures, but alas, you can’t. I will just have to do my best to make you realize just how small these mountains make you feel.

Looking up at El Capitan, we tried to strain our eyes and see if we could find any climbers. I scanned the granite face and didn’t see anything. It was so hard to imagine anyone climbing this monster, but I kept my eyes peeled. The climb can take several days and climbers must sleep on the face of the mountain in beds like this . Do you see anything?

As I am scouring the mountain side inch by inch…I finally spotted something! That can’t be a person…can it?

I grabbed the camera and zoomed in. Do you see anything now?

Yep, Crazy #1 and Crazy #2. I could not believe how small they were. They looked like tiny ants! You’ve got to be nuts to just hang out up there.

Spotting the first two climbers really sparked our curiousity and we stood at the base of El Cap for about an hour finding more and more climbers. It was like a real life version of Where’s Waldo. Do you see any in this picture?

There they are… a string of climbers and their gear.

The guys at the top look like they are sitting around singing Kum-bay-ya or maybe meditating to find the courage to continue the climb.

Here’s their gear…

And here is their other buddy who looks like he is just standing around admiring the scenery.

See any adventure seekers in this picture?

They are taking a break in a shaded mountain crevice.

Now for the real dare devil.

Way, way, way up on high…meet Nutso. This guy looked like a teeny, tiny little speck. We zoomed in as far as our camera lens would reach and snapped a shot.

We then zoomed in even further on the camera’s view screen. We could see a little man that looked as if he were crouching on a tiny ledge. Probably sitting there thinking, “What have I gotten myself into?”

While it was absolutely stunning to spot a climber from the ground, it doesn’t compare to their view during their ascent . I am not sure if they’re a definition of bravery or reckless abandon. Either way, hats off to them.

After all that squinting and neck straining, we skipped on over to this delightful rushing stream. This spot was probably one of my favorites in all of Yosemite. The crisp coolness of the stream, the plush green meadows and the rising magestic mountains in the background – I wish myself back to this place often.

That’s my mountain man. Ha! He looks pretty good in the great outdoors for a city boy. I like his arms, almost like they are saying, “I’ll save you should you fall into this raging river.”

We later took the long, winding road up the mountain to Glacier Point. The air was much cooler and the views were breathtaking.

From the top, we had a great view of Half Dome. In the distance you can see snow-capped mountians. Such a great snap shot of America.

You can also see the raging Yosemite Falls. From here you can get a real sense of the height of this whopper.

Our California buddies – I can’t think of a better bunch to share this experience with.

This is the look I get when I am slowing things down with all my picture taking.

Aww, there’s that smile. He is a good sport most of the time (wink wink).

Like I mentioned, there was still a little snow on top of the mountains. Mr. Blue Eyed Yonder may look all sweet and innocent, but just a few seconds later he pelted me with a giant snow ball. How lovely.

After leaving Glacier Point, we made our decent down the mountain for one more breathtaking stop before we headed home – Bridalveil Falls. If there is one thing I can say about a journey to the base of Bridalveil Falls…you are gonna get wet. I promise.

This is what happens when you ask someone else to take your picure. Thanks lady, thanks a lot.

So, we had to resort to the in-your-face self portrait. Not exactly glamorous, but hey, it works. The crowd at the base of the falls reminded me of some theme park ride, where people line the banks just hoping to get soaked as the ride comes to a splashing end. There were people in bright colored ponchos and others dripping wet and freezing. It was hard to see much of anything at the base. Clouds of icy mist continuously sprayed bystanders. Definitely the place to go when you need a refresher from the heat.

Even little Elle got bundled up to take a peek.

Walking back to the car, I just had to stop and let the filtered sun warm my face. It was hard to imagine that our trip to Yosemite was coming to an end. It hurt my heart to think about leaving this place. I just whispered a promise to the trees…I’ll come back, just wait and see.