California...

 

Leaving Palm Springs behind, we decided to head up the West side of the state of California.  Looking at a map, you can almost travel the entire length of California without ever leaving a National Park or National Forest, which makes for some spectacular scenery (and a lot of curvy up and down roads).

One of our stops as we traveled North was Bass Lake, California.  Bass Lake was made famous in the movie "The Great Outdoors" starring John Candy and Dan Aykroyd and is your quintessential small mountain lake resort area.  We ended up camping in the parking lot of the "Pines Resort" (which is also featured in the movie) after having dinner in their restaurant overlooking the lake and politely asking if we could park overnight in their lot.  We spent the next day stand up paddle boarding around the lake and enjoying the pool and Jacuzzi at our free host resort.




Todd paddle boarding on Bass Lake in front of the "Pines Resort"

Shonah on the dock of the "Pines Resort" on Bass Lake



A "Stellar's Jay" bird

A "Great Horned Owl" in a tree along the road North

Our EarthRoamer isn't so big among the giants...  (Sequoia National Park)

The "General Sherman" Sequoia tree, the largest tree (by volume and weight) in the world at Sequoia National Park
The small person at the bottom of the tree is Todd with his arms raised

A "Marmot" in Sequoia National Park

Todd and Shonah at "Tokopah Falls" in Sequoia National Park

Dinner at one of our dispersed campsites in Sequoia National Forest



"Weaver Lake" in Sequoia National Forest

Shonah enjoying "Weaver Lake" in Sequoia National Forest

A "Jenny Train" (made by Ford) on the "Sugar Pine" Railroad in Yosemite National Park



Narrow gauge steam locomotives on the "Sugar Pine" Railroad in Yosemite National Park

Todd in Yosemite National Park (with famed "Half Dome" in the background)



Three of five Corvettes that passed us in Yosemite National Park
This picture is especially for Shonah's Mom (who loves Corvettes!)

"El Capitan" mountain (famous for rock climbing) in Yosemite National Park

"Bridal Veil Falls" in Yosemite National Park

"Yosemite Falls" in Yosemite National Park

Beautiful scenery in the valley of Yosemite National Park



Views from high above in Yosemite National Park

"Tenaya Lake" in Yosemite National Park

An "Osprey" at Mono Lake



An "Osprey" in the sky with the moon as a backdrop at Mono Lake
(No, this picture is not photo shopped)

"Tufa" formations in Mono Lake

"Tufa" formations in Mono Lake

"Tufa" formations at Mono Lake



Sunset from one of our camping spots in the Toiyabe National Forest



Sunset in the Toiyabe National Forest





A "Black Bear" heading down the slope toward the river where we were sitting in Toiyabe National Forest
Of course this happens the one time we don't have our camera and we need to use the iPad to take a photo





A "Black Bear" (yes, it is actually tan in color) in Toiyabe National Forest
"Black Bears" can actually be a multitude of different colors

 

Fields upon fields of wildflowers in Lassen Volcanic National Park




Wildflowers in Lassen Volcanic National Park





Shonah loves getting butterflies to rest on his finger

"Mill Creek Falls" in Lassen Volcanic National Park



View of Upper Klamath Lake



Sunset in our camping spot above Upper Klamath Lake