Thursday, 2 April 2015
Weed, California – Stockton, California – Yosemite National Park, California
(Back to 4.1.15 Sundries and supplies from Oregon or to 04.03.15 Fresno and the Inland Empire)
The explorers awoke in the semi-freezing rest area at Weed, California bundled up in their sleeping bags within their sturdy festival wagon. A quick breakfast they were back on the road south towards Southern California. They passed through the drought infected areas of the California Water Crisis on into Sacramento and into Stockton, CA. Sir Thomas Leaf was intrigued by a exit sign stating Pixie Woods, so had to go investigate. They drove through a couple of neighborhoods to a very large city park hosting a little theme park called “Pixie Woods” based around faeries, dwarves, elves, mermaids, pirates, and other fantastical beings. Alas, unfortunately the park was not yet open for the season so the investigators only got to peer through the fences guarding the wee creatures. A playground awaited the Prince of Endurance who started working on his skills of agility and balance as he climbed pedestals, monkey bars, sliding down slides on his own, and crossing metallic rope bridges. He was brandishing his shirt bolding declaring “I want to be an explorer” which he’s definitely in apprenticeship to doing so Sir Thomas Leaf stated. After a lunch break and rest the adventurers were back on the road and decided to sub-route their journey to the Inland Empire by going through Yosemite National Park, visit the hot springs, and some other state parks on the way down. It wasn’t a wise choice route-wise they discovered as the passes were still snowed in and they couldn’t easily get to the hot springs that route yet, having later to turn south through agricultural waste-lands. Sir Thomas Leaf, Lady Etain, and Prince Cian however were glad they did as Yosemite was worth the extra mile. Driving through the old prospecting town of Angel’s Camp gave them a surge of history while pitstopping to fulfill a few Amazon orders and getting back online to check emails. They then hit Yosemite National Park and was able to drive the western edge from North to South gazing at the natural wonders, geology, rivers, waterfalls, and the enchanting magical Fern Spring. As darkness fell, all campsites in the park were booked, so they would have to find lodging elsewhere. They made their way south out of the park and driving late just pulled over to the Fresno rest area for a night’s sleep in the dust bowl. No more cold weather, it was back to shorts and t-shirts.
