We have our first physical setback. Today, our plan was to do the intense hike up Mist Trail. Yesterday, Amber’s back went out, and sleeping on these hotel beds is not helping her to recover. In fact, these beds may have caused her back pain. Thus, we delay the hike to travel to Tenaya Lake considered by many the prettiest lake in Yosemite NP. Hopefully this extra day, without much physical demand will aid in Amber’s recovery.
As usual, I am the earliest up. This time as I explore the Yosemite Valley’s hotel grounds, I come upon a surprise guest, a bobcat. I am sitting at a picnic table, while it hides lying down underneath a tree. I don’t even know its there, just 20 feet, at most, away. A worker points the bobcat out.

This morning begins with a drive as we go to Glacier point, a magnificent overlook of the valley. Again, stunning with beautiful views of Half Dome and both Vernal and Nevada Falls. Our first trail of the day is a relatively short (2.2 miles), easy hike to Taft Point. At Glacier point, you have necessary and important guard rails to keep you from falling to your death. At Taft Point no such guard rails, you can walk right up to the edge. If you are afraid of heights, you will soon know. Maybe my greatest fear is not me near the edge falling to my death (or Amber because she won’t go to the edge), but Eli and Josh. I would like them to have a little bit more healthy fear.

Our first day in Yosemite National Park. Yesterday’s drive was not bad except the traffic caused us to change routes. Maybe this should have been the first indication of the crowd in Yosemite. First off, Yosemite is stunning. One of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Driving through the valley, you see stunning mountains, huge waterfalls, unique rock formations, beautiful meadows with wildflowers, and crystal clear river running through it all. Very few places, if any, in the continental United States can match the beautiful of this valley.

Today, in Sequoia National Park, we begin the day with a waterfall hike, Tokopah Falls, the largest falls in this park. What’s better: hiking to a waterfall or mountain peak? It can be a tough call, but not this time. I would easily prefer to go back to Little Baldy. By the way, Josh is calling me Little Baldy now. Tokopah Falls is a 1,200 foot waterfall, but I am a bit disappointed.

Another day and we are still going strong. Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks border each other so today, we drive to Sequoia for our first significant hike of the trip. Little Baldy mountain is a 3.4 miles round trip, but straight up. Josh shared that this mountain was named after me. Why do we have kids again? Yes, now I remember, so they can harass us. It’s a tough hike at 8000 feet. Nothing slows Josh down so he and I reach the top about 25 minutes before Eli and Amber (he reaches it about 10 minutes before me).

The new day is a gift. Yesterday, we drove from Disneyland and struggled. Today is a new creation. The gift of a fresh start in God’s beautiful creation. California as a whole is not stunningly beautiful. It is dry and the landscape reflects it. However, everyday is sunny. As we travel through much of the state, I miss the lush green of Indiana (not the humidity though).

This was a rough morning. It was bound to happen. Everybody, except maybe Eli, is in a bad mood. The long days, continuously going, going, going, and then Disneyland, morning to night, wore us out. Today, we are supposed to drive to Kings Canyon National Park, but before we leave, Amber is trying to squeeze in laundry. Unless, we want to wear dirty underwear (and none of us do), it needs to be done. Because of grumpiness and being tired, we are at odds with each other.

Day 2 at Disneyland has begun, another early morning. We still make good time, but today, this morning we are dragging a bit, and don’t arrive to the park until about 7:35 am. Again, there will be a race. This time to ride Cars, Radiator Springs Racers. Somehow, we do even better than yesterday and are literally one of the first to ride.
We continue riding mostly big rides. Today, we add Guardians of the Galaxy. Here, you ride in an up and down, falling elevator kind of ride. Honestly, I am a bit nervous, not sure if my stomach will handle it.

Our first day at Disneyland, the 10th national park of California. What a change. After 3 national parks of hiking, hot weather, and God’s creation, Disneyland is drastically different, but we are ready. Here we get to celebrate the imagination. God granted humans the gift of creative imagination. In fact, through the parables of Jesus, we can use creative imagination to better see God’s kingdom in our midst. However, for right now, we are enjoying the imagination of Walt Disney.

It’s an early morning and we need to catch a ferry to Santa Cruz, one of the islands of Channel Islands National Park. The ferry ride is beautiful, but a bit chilly, longer than Josh would have liked. There are 5 islands, in the National Park. We chose Santa Cruz because we can sea kayak. Amber is a bit nervous. I am just excited!
After a 1 1/2 hour ferry ride we finally arrive, and the first glimpse of the island is beautiful. I am excited for this national park because I have never been to a park like this one, an isolated group of islands. Maybe we can pretend that we are on the TV show Lost. Nah, I don’t want that much adventure.