Our first real trip with the new trailer!! We planned this trip to Yosemite a couple of months ago. We thought it would be great to invite Lee, our friend from Walnut Creek. Everett and Lee also worked together years ago and have kept in touch over the years… Ev, Lee and I went to Yosemite about 11 years ago and I know we all enjoyed it so very much, same time of the year.. I do believe that was one our first trips in our “new” trailer, a Salem 23’. So this is now a tradition.. 
We left here on Sunday afternoon (late start) and arrived at Rossmoor where Lee lives. We stayed over night with Lee that night and planned on leaving first thing in the morning..
Lee treated us to a nice dinner at the lodge there at Rossmoor.. very nice..
First thing Monday morning we loaded up and off we went. Not without stopping first to have breakfast, then be on our way..
Ev was driving and I was in charge of routing our trip.. The GPS instructed us to go Hwy 120 east of Escalon, close to Stockton.. As we were driving I saw a sign that “Tioga Pass” was closed.. Well hell, I had no idea where the heck Tioga pass was, as I never drove that Hwy before.. So I called the Groveland Campground “Yosemite Pines RV Park”.. The girl that answered the phone told us that the pass was closed.. however she didn’t ask where we were coming from.. 
So we turned back and took the long way to Groveland, via Merced.. At this point we were only about an hour and half from Groveland. By turning back and going around by way of Merced/Hwy 140 it was about 4 more hours!! and whole lot of HILLS or should I say MOUNTAINS that we climbed with trailer in tow.. Dang! As it turned out the pass we were going to cross originally was Old Priest Grade.. NOT TIOGA PASS! Oh well another lesson learned! I guess we should have stopped at a “gas station”?? and asked.. oh well..
We finally arrived at the campground and it was lovely!! We pretty much had the place to ourselves..With such gorgeous weather I would have thought the place would have been packed!
There were 4 young men from Germany camped close to us.. They were so funny.. They all spoke English some, some better than others.. They were Thomas, Thomas, Rene and Marcus. We didn’t know it then but we would see these four guys each day we were there! As they only camped one night at the Yosemite Pines RV Park”.. and then moved closer to the Yosemite Park. We were about an hour’s drive to the Yosemite Valley.
Our first evening I cooked up a meatloaf and put it on the barb-q to cook… ummm gave that meatloaf a great flavor.. Later in the evening one of the German boys came by to visit Thomas. He had never tried Brandy before, so I treated him.. Not sure he really liked it. But he sucked it up, then poured him a vodka/orange with little ice (he requested little ice).. Thomas spoke pretty good English.. He was the one we could communicate the best with. His friends referred to him as “Iron Man”, for good reason. Thomas did some of the Iron Man marathons in Europe. And it would seem is he is always training..
We were up and at’em the next morning get to Yosemite! After a wonderful breakfast, I packed us a nice picnic lunch and we were off! Didn’t’ realize at the time that the drive was quite long.. While driving on Hwy 120, cal trans was painting the white line on the road.. uummm.. gonna love this one.. Ev always love staying close to the white line.. aaaww yes now our truck is burgundy with WHITE LINE PAINT on it!! Not sure how we will get that off.. but we will work on it..
We had a beautiful day at Yosemite.. Seeing all the rock giants stretching thousands of feet abobe the valley floor. Spectacular water falls!! Bulging streams of white water!! All the trees coming into bloom. Lots of color coming alive!!
On our way back to the camp.. As we were driving, who do we see walking along the road?? Oh yes remember those German young men.. Oh yes.. They had hiked about 15 miles through the Redwoods and were wore out, so they were “hitching” for a ride.. we saw them and pulled over.. Picked them up! One was missing, “Iron Man” he was running.. But we found him too and picked him up.. Took them back to their camp and continued home. I cooked up some delicious Rib Eyes Steaks.. Took the mashed potatoes from the night before and added some stuff to them and made them “twice baked potato” casserole.. uumm..
Wednesday was pretty much a copy of Tuesday.. Only this time we saw the German boys at the Yosemite Falls!!
After another fun filled day at Yosemite we headed back to camp.. Great fun!!
For dinner tonight I cooked up some ribs/bacon wrapped asparagus and those potatoes we have been eating all week!!
Below are the scenery photos.. Some great shots!!
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