Early-ish (early for Jon, late for me) the next morning, we took off toward Yosemite. The Sierra Mountain Lodge, the bed and breakfast we were staying at, including a book of best ways to go to the park, etc. It was super helpful!!! Sadly the drive was still long due to cars but the other way would of been worse. Holiday weekend, folks… holiday weekend.
Scenic drive followed by line of cars… I guess you could say I have a few of these… 
El Captain. 
Like seriously there were cars, trucks, buses, campers everywhere!!! 
We finally found parking for lunch at the lodge and by the visitor’s store. But that was it! It was still super pretty, just a ton of people. 
As we decided to leave the park, we came upon this field across from El Captain that no one had stopped at. It was just a simple field. No bathrooms, food, attractions, etc. Just a glorious field that made you stop and wonder at the amazingness around you. That field was worth it all. It was the feeling I had expected to have in the whole park but yeah… The field came at the exact time I needed to calm down and recenter myself in my world. I wanted to stay longer, but… it was time to head off.
As we were leaving the park, we passed this overlook. It was so packed that we didn’t stop. But this picture I took with my iPhone shows the amazingness. The park was so beauitufl and amazing and wonderful. I can see why Ansel Adams stopped here and just captured for awhile. The next time we go, I am totally doing a photography journey. We didn’t know they had them otherwise I would of done one! 
The truly saddest part of the trip was finding out that they closed the Redwood area down just a day before we arrived. You couldn’t even see them from the road… I saw pictures and a fake short one, but that was it. I told Jon we are totally coming back someday just to explore the park more and hike!!! 
The good part about leaving the park early was we had time for a good dinner and still time to hang out on the porch at the bed and breakfast… Definitely loved staying there. I really want to go back and stay at more bed and breakfasts. 
The random cat might have been my favorite part of it. 
The Instamax camera I took with me definitely got a work out today. I also learned a little more about what settings to use. Now to play with it more so I can continue to get better at them. 