Los Banos Churchgoers Take Day Trip To Yosemite

From time to time Los Banos has been called "The Crossroads of California". We are lucky to live in a place that is only a few hours drive from all kinds of wonderful and interesting places that are perfect for wonderful day-trips. For the cost of less than a tank of gas, Los Banans can take mini-vacations to places as diverse as the antique stores along highway 49 in the Gold Country, to the beaches and the Aquarium in Monterey, to the grandeur of Yosemite National Park.

Yosemite National Park is a place that people flock to from all over the world. Los Banans are lucky to have this great natural playground right in our own backyard. Recently Westside Church of Los Banos organized a group trip to Yosemite. The church chartered a bus and divided the cost up amongst those who wanted to enjoy a day in this wonderful spot in the Sierra Mountains.

There are three major routes from Los Banos into Yosemite, each takes a little over three hours and each has its own 'flavor'. The 'Westside Bus' took the more southern highway 41 route (which goes through Madera) on September 26th. We tagged along behind.

As the bus entered the park, the magnificence of the place was revealed as they passed through the "Tunnel View" entrance. This view, which can be seen on countless postcards and in the snapshots of many thousands of visitors, is something of a quintessential overview of what lies ahead. The gigantic rock edifice known as Half Dome rises from the valley floor in the center framed on either side by the sheer granite walls of Yosemite Valley and the forest of evergreens and dogwoods below.

The drive down to the valley was uneventful and when the bus parked in front of the Yosemite Lodge the churchgoers broke off into little groups and family units to enjoy their day.

Summertime in Yosemite can be hot and dusty at times. It is also not the best time to see the waterfalls that Yosemite is so well known for. On this day there was also some pretty bad atmospheric haze which detracted somewhat from the magnificent large-scale views that many tourists cherish.

The atmospheric conditions did not however stop the group from having a lot of fun. Members of the church went on nature hikes, did some 'rock scrambling', did a little photography, took part in Junior Ranger programs (where the kids could win a patch or a plastic badge). They also enjoyed souvenir shopping, the museums, galleries, and wildlife watching that Yosemite is so well known for.

Just before sunset, the group piled back on the tour bus and pulled out of the park. One young man having just completed his first 'tour bus experience' seemed almost as excited about the accouterments of riding in a bus as he was over the park, "We had donuts and had our own little pulldown shades and foot things - and there was even a bathroom onboard!" he said. When asked what he thought of the park he stated simply "Well, we had a great time!"

Here are a few photos from that day:

Though a bit hazy, the views were still very nice.

The lower Yosemite Falls Area, barely a trickle of water keeps a little bit of the rock face wet.

Tourists near the base of Yosemite Falls.

Upper Yosemite Falls is dry too

Though Yosemite Falls is not flowing, there is still a tremendous amount to see just a little way off of the beaten path.

A happy squirrel snacks on a cracker

A bit up the road from Yosemite falls there is an area where rocks have fallen in years past.

The dogwood trees are not quite ready to put on their fall show...

A statue of John Muir in one of the interpretive centers sits motionless as people come and go learning about the park, and its history.

If everyone in Los Banos would just take 1 or 2 hours a month to do something to help their neighborhood or their community we could truly make Los Banos the gem of the valley.

The above is only my personal opinion and I strongly encourage readers to seek out more information from expert sources. Copyright 2009