Yosemite.. and Squaw Valley

Yesterday was a long but excellent day. I got to the Yosemite National Park pretty early and generally just mosied around the valley, mostly in some degree of awe at my surroundings. The valley is just a small piece of the Nat. Park, but no doubt the most popular. Yosemite really merits a whole holiday on its own, especially if you want to include some serious rock-climbing - but there are lots of lesser challenges and things of interest. My pics can't do them justice, but I'll have a go with El Capitan (3000 ft rock face) and Half Dome. Despite the bear warnings I didn't meet any of those, but I did encounter some deer and a wolf just strolling along the road (maybe looking out for the deer I'd met earlier).

I've decided to have a look at the Sequoia National Park too, and so I drove in the early evening through Fresno and stopped over for the night in Squaw Valley (pop. 2691, elev. 1700 ft - but I think the population estimate is a serious over-estimate). I was beginning to think I'd driven too far into the wild but was pleased to come across the Squaw Valley Motel. Think "Bates" and you'll be pretty close, but it had everything I needed. Bear Mountain Pizza just along the road did me proud with the Polar Bear (garlic chicken) pizza - with extra anchovies and roasted garlic. This morning I found the local community library - who provide free internet access. Thanks for the tip Moira! Now I'm off to Sequoia to look at some big trees.