Well I’ve made it.  Been in Mammoth Lakes for 2 days post an epic journey from Vegas.  Left at 11am and arrived 8pm.  Very surreal journey.

I’ve never driven abroad, there is the opposite side of the road, turn on red, different speed limits. Different cars so it was quite a feat that I managed to drive 300miles across a desert. It was very surreal, the roads were good but at some stages there was no one on the road but me.  Very freakin scary.  I just had images of me breaking down or doing something equally dumb!!  I made sure I had water, snacks and a 1/2 tank of gas at all times and crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

I arrived in the evening and was starving as hadn’t eaten since the morning.  I went to find food after checking in to my lovely apartment for the next week. I found a Domino’s pizza and I got take out and settled in for the night. I was knackered!!!

The following morning was rest day/chore day. Shopping for food and doing laundry. Boring, but had to be done.  I wasn’t sure where to shop so eventually found a grocery that was reconvened on Yelp as doing reasonable food. Yep, reasonable at $100 for 2 x soup, 1 cereal box, milk, cheese, GF bread, cookies and 2 x ready meals and a few cans of ginger ale. I was to hungry and couldn’t be bothered to look elsewhere so paid up.  Going to be an interesting week, food wise (one of the ready meals was Mac and cheese, a green gray coloured mess, should have warned me.  Absolutely discusting!!). 

Today was my fist day out, and what a day.  I did a short day hike to Devils Postpile, just a little way off the John Muir Trail.  I decided not to drive to the park and ride, a decision I was later to kick myself after missing the last shuttle back and having to walk an extra 2 miles back to the apartment.  However, the three short shuttle journeys to the pick up point and $6 ticket was worth it.  A drive into the valley past wonderful scenery and we arrived at the Devils Postpile, a national monument.  

Beautiful and amazing. 

The view from the top was breathtaking. You could see the whole valley!!

I then hiked another 2 miles to a place called Rainbow falls.  The views on the way were just as good

I got very excited when I saw this sign

Ansel Adams is my favourite photographer who was extremely passionate about Yosemite and photographing as much as possible in this region. After the brief view today, I can see how he fell in love with the region and why the region was named after him. See Ansel Adams for further details. 

I then reached Rainbow Falls, a very love,natural waterfall that, in a certain light, the way the water falls causes a rainbow to appear.  

After attempting, and failing, to photograph the water in motion/blurred, I hiked to Red Meadows Resort.  I can tell you I was glad to reach it.  They have a cafe, shop and tents for campers and hikers on the Jobn Muir Trail (JMT). I took a pitstop to rest and refresh prior to getting the shuttle back to mammoth lakes and I met 2 couples in their honeymoon who decided to hike the JMT.  They told me how marvellous it was, how they loved the scenery, the hike was tough but getting easier after 7 days, how they were coping and how happy they were to be at Red Meadows.  One couple were practically giddy because they realised they had posted a food parcel to themselves a month prior. It was so funny.  I was dead jealous after my failed attempt to get a wilderness permit to allow me to hike myself. Definitely want to try again.

Tomorrow bring on Yosemite

Love you all x x x