Thursday, June 2nd – Depart about 9am and headed for Yosemite! Little to no traffic on CA 140 route into Yosemite. Pull into a gas station (Chevron) in Mariposa. Attempt to top of gas tank as there is no gas available in Yosemite Valley. Pull into an island. Get out and realize the exit route is near vertical drop with a sign that says “steep exit”. Indeed. That route would easily bottom out the hitch and trailer. Disaster. Sarah helps me back up the trailer, out of the island, giving me enough room to turn and make it to the other island (Sarah saves the day!). Fill up gas can (just in case). All my reading about Yosemite has told me that gas is not available in Yosemite Valley. I am concerned that I won’t have enough gas… the 5 gallon gas can on the back of the station wagon gives me some peace of mind (although I have not yet tried out the spout attachment to the gas can).
CA 140 route is windy but traffic is light. I make frequent use of turnouts to allow cars behind me to pass. I am probably averaging about 35mph. I found CA 140 to be the easiest drive into Yosemite Valley. We arrive at Yosemite, greeted by a bearded, smiling ranger who gives me the newspaper and map. No problem finding our campsite at Lower Pines. Sarah helps me back the trailer in. After a picnic table lunch, we take our bikes to the Visitors Center. We get the girls their Junior Ranger books. I join the Yosemite Conservancy (this provides me with a 15% discount on purchases in the Conservancy bookstore). We eat dinner at Degnan’s Cafe but they botch our sandwich order (roast beast instead of turkey). We call it quits early.