Road trip: SFO to New Orleans -- First, we take Kernville

A point-to-point rent car from SFO airport for 12days.


My camera is permanently fixed at F8/400 after an accident in Yosemite. A viewer displays a latest image I took but as a result of a damage on control button, it doesn't switch off itself and drains battery completely out if I don't apply a little force with my finger to turn it off. It became a pretty fixed, primitive camera with no reviewing options like an old film days. I am still immensely grateful to be being able to take photos.







One of impressive towel holding displays that I would be continued to be amazed.












A cafe behind of motorbikes was heaved with diners, possibly half of them were bikers.
Couldn't get in and no time for queuing for whole moning, we had to keep moving. Just
a light walk around town and time to go.


A shop window, a week after The Day of The Dead.











Champagne cork chairs - this motif would come up later on again on my trip.






A hand built RV. A guy at a pump in the shadow made it.

The Mist Trail

The Mist Trail was very smooth trail until last half mile. Here again, life form tries to be malleable to the environment.


















Met these ladies previous day and run into again on the top of the mist trail. They shared their provisions (including a bottle of beer with plastic cups to pour for each) and had a picnic on the top.
Walked back together to the bottom, then time to say goodbye as I was catching a bus back.




Pick up my stuff at the tent..



Last greetings to coyote.


Posting cards to family and friends.


Attractive looking p.o.boxes.

Yosemite Valley Full Loop Trail

Post election day. In the midest of nature it didn't seem to the greatest world's concern that President-erect was Mr.Trump. All news are contained in lockers until you really need to know.


Cafeteria in the morning.




Two bivouac shelters on El Capitan with 2 climbers making a descent from. Two or more others I could spot were making an ascent above.




Cathedral Rock in distance.









Very particular light floods in Yosemite. These huge granite rocks around reflect sunlight into woods and ambience is evenly lifted in the deepest corner.











































Never seen this kind of light in woods/forest before. Just like a reflector used to lift up the darker side of an object but a little eerily and strangely feeling secure.

Yosemite upper fall

On the top of Upper Yosemite Fall at 11:30. 436m high up from the bottom where I started at 8:00. Gaining 790m with distance to walk for 12km.
The pressure from sky above makes a tree bent in submission but it still raises up its head. I liked the spirit.  It was very warm day for a second week of November, it was actually so hot I envied hikers wearing stripy tops.

Yosemite National Park - tents in autumn

Heated canvas tent for 1-2person(about 100bucks a night excluding breakfast. Bummer). It was 5-7C at night coldest and a heater on far right kept me warm. Though I would opt not to use this type of accommodation again if I made a trip to national parks - it felt such a waste of energy emitting from what looked like 80's heater to a canvas tent that doesn't contain heat well at all.


There is a bear-proof food locker outside just by the door. I was told to store even cosmetics e.g. hand cream, shampoo etc. A locker full of picnic goodies & hampers, Boo-boo!  If only I was smarter than average bears!



Hard-core campers by Yosemite lower fall access point. They are rock climbers I guess, as El Capitan is around corner. I was walking towards a head trail for Yosemite upper fall at 8am.