Anchored to the Rock

 

                                            

            The morning after my niece’s wedding in Placerville, California, Al and I drove to Yosemite National Park for an early celebration of our 40^th anniversary. Neither of us had ever taken Highway 140 to Yosemite, the fastest route when coming from the north.

Highway 140 didn’t have the famous” tunnel” view of Yosemite Valley from the southern entrance on Highway 41. However, I had the same sense of awe when we rounded a bend of the narrow road and the tall granite spires overlooking the valley came into view.

Looking up, nothing had changed. The same glaciated walls rose on each side, with Half Dome in the distance. It was great to be in Yosemite again after an absence of several years.

What memories came flooding back! Memories of camping there as a child, of hiking the trails, watching hang gliders soar, listening to the calls of the ravens, tubing down the Merced River and horseback riding, among others.

My family used to sit around the campfire at night as the ranger called, “Let the fire fall” while his counterpart pushed a stream of embers over the edge of Glacier Point. 

Yosemite was the natural choice for our honeymoon in 1982. We even danced a celebratory polka around an empty parking lot at Bridalveil Falls—an appropriate place for a new bride and groom to dance!

 On this occasion, we sat outside on the patio of our little room and soaked in the beauty of the granite monoliths. Al’s desire was to just sit and look up! And so we did, soaking in the beauty of the changing lighting on the valley walls as the sun went down,

We were on our way to dinner when we passed a couple in the hallway who had just returned from an all-day hike. The husband told us that they had gone to Glacier Point and that they both were exhausted.

I envisioned a different trail, the Mist Trail, to the top of Vernal and Nevada Falls; but later Al reminded me that the trail to Glacier Point went from the valley floor and had many switch-backs up to the top.

We had hiked the Mist Trail several times, and Al had even climbed to the top of Half Dome with our friend Joe Payne years ago. Neither of us had hiked the Glacier Point trail though.

In the dining room at the Yosemite Lodge, the same couple came up to our table.

"I'm embarrassed," said the man. "It wasn't the trail to Glacier Point after all. We hiked on the Mist Trail!"

             The four of us chuckled. But then I had to confess my confusion as well! He handed me a refrigerator magnet and said, "Here. I want you to have this."

It was a rectangular magnet with the tiny figure of a black bear on top and the engraved sentiment, “Yosemite…a favorite National Park.” How did he know? I do love Yosemite!

On our way out of the valley the next morning, we stopped near the meadow at the base of El Capitan to watch rock climbers making the rugged 3,000 (approximate) foot ascent. People were scattered over the meadow with telescopes, watching the progress of the climbers intently, especially the ones they knew.

Al talked with a man and his guide who were laying out assorted equipment, preparing to spend about 5 or 6 days on the sheer wall before making the summit. They would be taking one of the many established routes, relying upon the cables, the metal pins embedded in the rock, their own equipment and climbing skills.

Around the same time that we were there, a father and his 8-year-old son were attempting to establish the record for the youngest climber ever to scale El Capitan. The father assured news reporters that his son would always be attached to the rope. Still, there were many risks involved.

We left Yosemite behind, grateful for the blessings of a marriage founded on a mutual faith in the Lord—a strong marriage that has withstood many trials of life—and a love that has only grown deeper with each passing year.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down and the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24-25 NIV)

*See previous blog from 10-29, to read about our trip to attend the wedding of niece Lily in CA

 

                                     

                                                                             (The 2 black spots are platforms of climbers who spent the night!)