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Winding road, great views & big trees: State
Route 198 between Sequoia and Kings Canyon |
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We then split off Interstate 5 onto California
State Route-99 north and went on through Bakersfield.
We left CSR-99 for CSR-65 north past Oildale. Much of the
Central Valley experience is captured in this
photo essay by Stephen Johnson. I always wonder what's
planted in the endless fields on the side of the road. I also
know that a huge proportion of the water moved around in the
aqueducts is for farming, and that valley agriculture is a
huge economic engine for California, and helps make it the
world's fifth largest economy. The San Joaquin valley is reputed
to have the dubious honor of having the worst air quality
in the country. According to one
study, the local cow population gets much of the blame
for this. As a result of the metabolic processes (known as
"enteric fermentation") when cattle are fed, they
burp large amounts of methane. Methane contributes to the
brown color of smog.
We continued north through a cute little town
called Exeter to California State Route 198 into Sequoia
& Kings Canyon National Parks. We used our Golden
Eagle Passport for entry. (This annual pass is good for
admission to many federal sites and Bureau of Land Management
lands as well as national parks.) Through the park, we stayed
on CSR-198, and did not go to Mineral King or to the famous
Cedar Grove in Kings Canyon National Park. Time constraints
meant we had to keep to our planned schedule. We followed
CSR-198 around through the park (a beautiful drive in itself)
and then followed CSR-180 down to the flatlands and into Fresno.
We then continued north on California State
Route 41 into Yosemite
National Park, crossing the famed Gold
Rush Trail at Oakhurst. We were told at the entry kiosk
that there were absolutely no campsites available. It was
late afternoon, and we were unsure of what to do, but I figured
we'd work it out when the time came. We motored on past the
park rangers, who were shaking their heads. That afternoon,
we took in the valley floor, went swimming in the Merced River
(chilly, but no crowds) under El Capitan, and took some great
photographs.
We left the valley floor after dark, headed
up CSR-41 to Crane flats and found a lonely granite-edged
pullout along the way to spend the night -- figuring a park
ranger might or might not ask us to leave. When you think
about it, pullouts are meant for travelers to take in the
view, fiddle with their vehicles and such, or take a much-needed
rest. So, we rested in a quiet and self-contained way all
night, were not bothered at all, and we had a fantastic view
of the lower valley the next dawn. It was between two roaring
boulder falls, tributaries to Crane Creek. The sound of tons
of water crashing over house-sized boulders drowned out the
occasional passing car. Yosemite bliss on the quick and cheap
-- no reservations necessary!
Next:
Tioga Pass, Bodie Ghost Town, & Mono Lake>
Mark
Helmlinger
August 7, 2005
