Weekend Round-Up: Chance of Showers

The weather this weekend wasn’t exactly cooperating with our camping plans. Despite a lot more rain and snow than expected, we had a great time in Yosemite.

On Friday, Jackie and Margaret met us at our office after work. We packed our little Fit to the brim with four people and all our camping gear. Rob drove through the valley, while we watched YouTube videos and listened to Pandora (what did people do on car trips before iPhones?). Arrived at the campsite at 11:00, set up our tents, chatted for a bit and went to bed.

The next morning, we woke up to find our friends from Weaverville – Rich, Molly and baby Richard – in their RV next to our campsite. They got in late that night. It started to drizzle while Rob made us all blueberry pancakes. We figured it was the “20% chance of rain” the reports had mentioned.

Still raining, we walked over to Yosemite Falls together. The baby was bundled up and didn’t seem to mind the rain at all (ps: these photos are courtesy of Rob’s cell, I forgot my camera):

It started pouring when we got the base of the falls. Now pretty soaked, we all took the shuttle to Curry Lodge. PB&J and PBR for lunch. After eating, we all took long naps while warming up in front of the fireplace. As we were bundling up to leave, the mom of one of my elementary school friends came over to say hello. Small world!

From Curry Village, we walked aross the valley and over the river to visit the Ahwahnee. They had decked the lobby with new potted ferns and succulents, very pretty. Now pouring, we walked back to the cars and went back to the RV. Lasagne for dinner and lots of card games.

Eventually time to go to bed. We had to brave the heavy rain and the flooded campsite to check out our tents. Jackie and Margaret’s tent was in a low area and completly swamped, they went to sleep in the RV. Ours was on higher ground and snug. Rob and I fell soundly asleep with the rain pelting the tent…

…and woke up to the sound of big clumps of snow hitting the roof. Surprise! It had snowed at least four inches early in the morning and was still coming down hard.

Jackie and Margaret’s tent was almost fully sunk and covered in snow. Ugh, a big mess. We got everyone up and packed the camp before things got even worse.

A nice warm breakfast of coffee, carmel rolls and louisiana hot sausage in the RV. Still snowing hard, we spent the rest of the morning packing up. With chains on, we drove out of the gorgeous black and white valley very slowly.

In Groveland, we finally ditched the chains and regrouped for lunch at at a good little Mexican restaurant. We made it home with Margaret and Jackie around 6:00. A quick load of laundry, grocery shopping, flower arranging and batch of cookies before my college roomate dropped by for a visit. He’s about to to go to Korea for a year-long teaching job. Hot fudge sundae at the 24-hour diner. Back home and to bed at 11pm.