Day 25: July 13, 2013
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These are mere "proof of presence" pictures. The Ocean Park is a place I've stayed before. By the time I got around to calling, it was filled except for a two bedroom unit which seemed much too expensive. However, when Jim Peters and I got to comparing notes on room hunting, it turned out that splitting the suite cost each of us less than anything else we could find. And finding anything was a challenge. Staying at the Ocean Park is pretty much linked with breakfast at Java Beach Cafe. We did that but the only photo I got was of the nearby Doggie Diner head and that was with my phone. The third picture is of the San Mateo bridge as I worked my way east.
Compared to the well planned (by somebody else) trip west, my eastbound drive will be pretty haphazard. At some point, I decided that I should at least have an escape route in mind for departing from San Francisco. When I shared my thoughts of following CA-152 and CA-99 some friends over at the American Road Magazine Forum subtly suggested that might not be the best. They suggested starting out through Tioga Pass and what a terrific idea that was. The pass is actually inside Yosemite National Park and signs some distance away pointed out that there were "Fees Required". But old guys like me don't worry about that sort of thing. We know that our $10 lifetime National Park Pass will see us through.

The road does some serious climbing through some fantastic scenery. The trees aren't as big as the giant redwoods but they'll do.

The Valiant seems most comfortable traveling at 50-55 MPH. I'm used to being passed and often pull over to make that easier when I feel I'm impeding traffic. I naively thought that wouldn't be much of a problem inside Yosemite with speed limits of 25, 35, and occasionally 45 MPH. Boy, was I ever wrong. The park is busy and Tioga Pass Road rather heavily traveled and not all of those travelers are interested in smelling all the pine trees. Many seem intent on getting through as quickly as possible. Though it didn't keep me from enjoying the park, the scene in the second picture, where I've just pulled over to let by a line of rushing tourists, was more common than I would have liked.

Sorry I held you up, mister. Hope I didn't make you late for a rock.

Grandeur may not photograph well but it's out there.
These pictures are of the view across Tioga Lake, a few of the rocks, called erratics, deposited by glaciers throughout the area, and cars parked near Tuolumne Meadows.
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