We took off for the hills today! It was great fun. First, we rode the historic Sugar Pine Railroad. It's a real steam engine that takes you through the old logging route as you sit in open-air cars and gaze up at the trees. The girls really enjoyed seeing the steam engine and hearing the whistle blow. It has to work pretty hard to get the train up the grade, so you can literally hear the "I think I can" sound of the engine chugging.
Then we headed into Yosemite (just barely) to do a bit of the Big Trees at Mariposa Grove. We made it as far as the Grizzly Giant, but the girls had about had it. It's a lot of walking for 3 year-old legs. Along the way, we spotted several deer and chipmunks. They're so used to the tourists that they just stand there and graze right next to the trail.
I really need to get myself a point and shoot for trips like these. I really can't manage my mom responsibilities and worry about aperture and shutter speed. And when you're going from light to shade to light again...ugh.
You're not supposed to take any cones out of Yosemite, but this was on the train. So it wasn't in Yosemite. So don't go calling the feds.
