Special Edition: On the Road, Day 10

Sometimes on vacation we get up early if we're headed somewhere special. This morning we left Sacramento early, beating some rush hour traffic, as we drove to Yosemite. We had no camping reservations, so we made a beeline to the Tuolumne campground and got there by 11. The sites were all taken, so they put us on a waiting list (#11) and told us to return at 2:00. Garnering provisions at the store, we headed to the river in the meadow and ate, took pictures, read books until the appointed hour. While watching the river, I noticed something long and squiggly swimming towards a rock, and out of the water popped a small snake! I had never before seen a snake in the high country, so I made sure to take a photo.

At 2:00 the line at the campground reservations was long, and the ranger came out and said that there were absolutely no spots available! Plan B: hightail it to Porcupine Flat campground, about 25 minutes west of Tuolumne. We needn't have worried, though. There were plenty of sites in this mostly undeveloped site. No water, pit toilets, but space.

Despite our exile, we spent the rest of the afternoon in the meadow, then went down the hill to the Tioga Gas Mart and had dinner at our very favorite Whoa Nellie! Deli.