The journey from San Francisco to Yosemite National Park
From San Francisco, Lewis the Lion headed East to the spectacular Yosemite National Park. This time however, he didn’t cross the Golden Gate Bridge but rather San Francisco’s other famous bridge, the Bay Bridge which is partly a suspension bridge and partly a canter lever bridge, with two spans joined together. The building of this bridge was completed a year before the Golden Gate Bridge in 1936.
The Bay Bridge at twilight
The three hour bus journey then took Lewis the Lion and his fellow travellers through California’s Golden Valley or as it is also known, ‘The Bread Basket of America’ as it produces 49% of the nation’s agricultural products and especially dried fruit and nuts.
California is known as the ‘Golden State’
Lewis the Lion was amazed at all of the different fruits and nuts that he found on offer at the various farm shops they stopped off at to buy snacks.
Lewis the Lion hides amongst the dried fruits and nuts!
He especially enjoyed a special toffee almond and popcorn mix, although it was rather chewy for his little jaw, at times glueing his teeth temporarily together!
The mini-bus runs on bio-diesel fuel
To pass the time, Lewis the Lion’s bus driver told the passengers many interesting facts about the area. For example, how this part of America was central to the story of the Gold Rush and how the hardworking Chinese had emigrated here to help build the railroads to help transport the goods. He even learnt that Levi’s denim jeans were first produced here in 1859! It wasn’t long before the bus passed the first check-point into the Yosemite National Park.
Lewis the Lion reads the Yosemite Guide
Lewis the Lion knew that it was worth the long journey as this park was renowned as a place of exceptional natural beauty and in particular the Yosemite Valley with its waterfalls and huge granite monoliths that rise majestically out of the ground: Half Dome Rock and El Capitan, the largest granite monolith in the world.
What a view of El Capitan and Half Dome!
Weaving through this valley is the beautiful Merced River, amidst 7,000 species of trees and over 400 different types of animals, including the Californian black bear. Lewis the Lion felt a little bit scared when he found out that black bears lived in these woods and was reminded, of the cartoon Yogi Bear, as the driver told him that these bears have lost their fear of humans and will go for your picnic basket if they get a chance! In fact Lewis the Lion noticed that there were signs all around the park reminding people not to feed the animals and there were even bear-proof bins.
Don’t feed the wild animals!
Lewis also learnt that these black bears are not always black in colour but rather beige or blonde as they are bleached by the sunlight. However, he was more concerned with what he should do should he see a bear when he was out walking in the woods? He was told to ‘Scream at it and scare it off!’ Luckily for Lewis he would just have to roar at it instead!
Lewis the Lion checks out the bear rules
As the bus drove through the park, Lewis the Lion noticed signs which read ‘Speeding kills bears.’ He was sad to learn that the biggest killer of bears in this park is speeding cars. ‘How could people be so silly as to drive so fast through a national park?’ he questioned.
Speeding kills bears
The bus’ first stop was at an incredible vantage point called Glacier Point where Lewis got to take in the magnificence of nature.
Lewis has a great view of El Capitan and Half Dome
Looking onto the Yosemite Valley 3,214 feet below, he could see the great big granite cliff faces and rock formations rising high out of the ground. To his left, El Capitan rising 3,593 feet from ground level and to his right, the helmet-shaped Half-Dome rock. Lewis the Lion wondered how these enormous, majestic rocks had got here in the first place and luckily for him he had some of his questions answered when he visited a museum the next day. He will tell you more about that in his next blog post.
As the bus pulled up and parked near the visitor’s centre, Lewis the Lion was struck by the enormity or everything around him. Not only were the rock formations so large that he had to bend his head right back to look up at them, but the redwood trees were also the tallest trees he had ever seen in his life: they positively dwarfed him.
Lewis feels dwarfed next to these tall, tall trees
A short walk away, Lewis the Lion had a little chuckle to himself as the main waterfall attraction in the park, the highest waterfall in the United States and fifth tallest waterfall in the world, the Yosemite Falls had dried up in the summer sun!
The waterfall has dried up!
However, there was a stain that had been left on the rock from all the gushing water and Lewis the Lion was sure with the next rainfall,the waterfall would return to its impressive glory. From the valley floor Lewis the Lion breathed in a deep breath of the clean air around him and felt a deep relaxation set within him.
Lewis feels perfectly relaxed in Yosemite National Park
The view around him was simply magnificent: gently flowing crystal clear streams, bordered with tall pines and redwoods. ‘Idyllic’ was a word that sprang to mind.
Lewis stops on a bridge with an idyllic view up to Half Dome
Along with his friends, he strolled down to a tranquil part of the river where the calmness of it reflected the landscape in symmetrical detail: It was nature’s way of designing her own artwork! Lewis the Lion watched on as Helen abandoned her trainers and socks by the riverbank and waded in: not too far however, as the river was deceptively cold. He could see her gabbling away in Spanish as she’d met a South American with the same thought in mind. She also didn’t dare go in past the knee though and they all looked on incredulously at some braver men across the river swinging like Tarzan from the vines and splashing full force into the river below. Lewis shivered at the thought!
Lewis sees the beauty all around him
After soaking up the divine peace of the National Park, Lewis and his friends were picked up and driven to some more idyllic sites,
Lewis and Half Dome
before finally being dropped off at a very unique lodge on the outskirts of the National Park.
The hostel is a real retreat in the woods
Lewis the Lion had heard about this accommodation already as it had a reputation as being a wonderful place to relax near Yosemite National Park. It was called ‘The Bug,’ and was set in the middle of the forest with an open-air amphitheatre in its centre.
Lewis the Lion stays at the Yosemite Bug
It was renowned for its good, healthy food and for being a bit of a hippy place. Lewis the Lion could understand why as there was a relaxing spa and Helen even did a restorative yoga session whilst there.
The hostel has yoga classes and a spa pool!
However, after all the fresh air and walk, the pair didn’t stay up late to listen to the live Sunday night country music but rather got an early night so they could enjoy the next day in the park to the fullest where Lewis the Lion would be hiking to some very impressive waterfalls.
The hostel shows the daily weather chart
Lewis the Lion felt very relaxed and at one with nature in the relaxing Yosemite National Park. Which place have you visited that makes you feel relaxed in the same way? Describe it to your friend.
