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@jimdonovan
Paris highlights and our favorite moments in France. Or, rather all the reasons to have made our first retirement destinations; at least for
and we are off…. heading to Logan, for 5:15p flight. Here’s a few notes — before we go, and we will update while we are away. #vermont #retirement
Pipe Organ part 3 continued updates about Pipe Organ installation at Barre Congregational in Vermont — a 1930’s Skinner historic pipe organ (opus #868) https://jmdonovan.wordpress.com/2024/03/29/pipe-organ-part-3
continued updates about Pipe Organ installation at Barre Congregational in Vermont — a 1930’s Skinner historic pipe organ (opus #868)
continued updates on the Barre Congregational Church new Pipe Organ installation, 2024 — this post describes the various voices for the “Cho
A newsletter article, for the local UCC Church in Barre VT (Congregational), about the months of work going into a brand new Pipe Organ installation.
The continued project to install a new Pipe Organ in the sanctuary at the Congregational church in Barre VT. Already completed is the Swell
Use the link, to read my WordPress blog post.
It's my 10 year anniversary on Tumblr 🥳
San Francisco — work-in-progress (I mean, the puzzle …… but, I suppose it applies to the city, as well).
From New York Times bestselling author Mari Andrew, a c…
A fun read, and highlighted with watercolor images from her drawing pad. A love story about life in NewYork City, and coming and goings around the world.
We have been planning for six months… and, now we are about to head west. On Friday we will head to Boston and are psyched that we have a non-stop to San Francisco; with a first night in the city, we’ll head up into the mountains to see Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada mountains in spring time. Ok, maybe Winter becoming Spring — it may be flooded, and it may mean a lot of accommodating the season. But, we are looking forward to it and all the natural beauty of the region.
We are looking for waterfalls, in particular — and, yeah … any of the vistas associated with the Yosemite Valley. We are not sure where all the waterfalls are, but we know there’s a bunch of them.
So, like anyone planning ahead a bit, we figured we’d start with a Google map — to scout out the landmarks, and get our bearings:
Google, “Yosemite CA”
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And, yeah… add the satellite image; because you need to see the topology.
Both Google and Microsoft do an excellent job of making the striking geology forms come to life on the computer screen. Navigating, and flying in and out and around the famous Half Dome and El Capitan may not be as good as being there in person, but is a nice first impression before arriving. It’s impressive.
So, the static views I’ve captured may not help convey much more than where things are located — but, it’s where we started.
Maybe to back up a bit and explain the logistics. Last year was the 100th anniversary of the national parks, which really means Yellowstone’s 100th. Plenty of excellent shows on PBS, CBS, and other networks highlighted some of the history. We decided our 2017 vacation would be a nice time to explore a few national parks we haven’t been to yet. At the top of our list was Yosemite.
We plan to fly from Boston to San Francisco. We had some frequent flyer miles we used to get a couple of tickets. We had also booked the Majestic Lodge well in advance for just a couple of nights, knowing full well that off-season would be the best way to assure availability (that was probably back in the September/October time). We also wanted to make sure we had a SUV rental vehicle which included 4WD. Frankly we are still left wondering about the snow at this time-of-year and local laws which require you to carry tire-chains while in the park.
So, back to navigating “the valley” and deciding which points-of-interest to see along the way. We had a couple of basic ideas. Waterfalls! Mostly, waterfalls, but also Half Dome, and El Capitan rock formations (made even more popular by the prominence of the opening scenes of Star Trek V — with Spock’s “flying boots”. Yay!)
We would like to fly up the sheer rock face of El Capitan.
And, yeah, I had not remembered that it was Capt Kirk who was actually climbing El Capitan. (I also had not remembered that Spock saved Kirk from sure death when he fell from the vertical wall. And, I don’t think it was all simulated on the holideck). But, no, in case you were wondering, we do not plan to hike up any vertical walls at Yosemite.
We DO plan to hike. And, we’re planning to take some photos of waterfalls. But mostly we’ll take selfies just to assure that you know “we’re HERE, and it’s Yosemite!”
Day 1, San Francisco — landing, at 4pm
Day 2-3, El Portal, Yosemite View Lodge — exploring the valley and maybe some sequoias and Hetch Hetchy.
Day 4-6, Majestic Yosemite Hotel (it used to be called Ahwahnee) in the valley.
Day 7-8, John Muir Lodge, Kings Canyon (a bit further south)
Day 9, Monterey, and driving back up the coast
Back to San Francisco and home.
A few more maps. (And, if maps are not your thing we intentionally put this near the bottom of our first planning post. You could do better by just googling on your own and zooming in at your own speed.
From Northern California, we’ll drive for three or four hours through Stockton, and Modesto.
The real value of using a web browser or smart phone to show a map has more to do with the “3-D” perspective. It is much more eye-opening to use yourself, but the following images may give you a feel for seeing views within the park.
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Here is a link to our page highlighting a series on the Yosemite Waterfalls.
Yosemite vacation – trip planning We have been planning for six months... and, now we are about to head west. On Friday we will head to Boston and are psyched that we have a non-stop to San Francisco; with a first night in the city, we'll head up into the mountains to see Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada mountains in spring time.
A few of the highlights of our Spring 2017 trip to the Yosemite Valley include seeing many waterfalls.
We love seeing waterfalls; back in Vermont we often spend time exploring, hiking, and taking photos with waterfalls and we want to do the same during our vacation in California. We also figure we will have some time to see a few of the sequoia groves. At least to spot a couple of the 200′ tall trees with 10′ diameter trunks; it’s just something we would never get a chance to see back home.
A basic map of the area to highlight the names and location of some of the more popular waterfalls — and to help in planning which ones we can get to in a short hike … or, which maybe out of reach for our first time trip to Yosemite. We don’t expect to see them all, but for a first trip we did want to make sure we saw all the ones which are in easy reach of a short hike in from the road.
Plenty of friends encourage that the real beauty of Yosemite is away from the crowds of the valley — but, it seems like there are an amazing number of sites just a short walk from the Majestic Yosemite lodge.
The best map to help orient the locations and names of the Waterfalls… and, especially, because we’ll relate our own impressions, for each of these after we’ve seen them in person:
The only one not appearing on this map, is the “H” letter which is a bit further south to find Wapama Falls — Well worth the walk, but would have made the other letters impossible to read with such a scaled out image.
Note: the top of the web page for Yosemite’s waterfalls shows road closures (both seasonal, and up-to-date notices), so check: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/waterfalls.htm https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/waterfalls.htm
Also, the site http://www.travelYosemite.com http://www.travelyosemite.com/discover/points-of-interest-waterfalls
I liked this guy’s writing, and his web page was helpful. It’s cute. And, besides, the description of Hetch Hetchy resevoir, and the hike to a waterfall there, is excellent — so, I maybe repeat some of his pithy remarks in my own blog entry on our hike at Hetch Hetchy.It seemed like a nice four mile hike with virtually no elevation gain… it’s a good first hike before we even consider the 2000′ elevation changes in some of Yosemite’s domes, like Half Dome, Sentry Dome or El Capitan!! Just kidding, we are not doing any hike up Half Dome!
As a first stop at Yosemite the history and controversy about the water supply for California’s cities, and how John Muir and his contemporaries struggle with “the right thing” to do… it’s a gripping story of consevationalists versus the progress of civilization.
Now, navigate away… to this interactive link using MAPS.Google.com — to zoom in a bit, and don’t forget to look at both the MAP view, and the Satellite view too!!
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The other features we don’t want to miss, of course, is Half Dome and El Capitan — there’s also a Sentinel Dome which maybe out of the question, given the time of year for our visit. The roads into Yosemite valley are limited — I guess it would be more gramatically correct, to say the road … singular, during the time in March when we’ll be visiting.
Yosemite vacation – waterfalls A few of the highlights of our Spring 2017 trip to the Yosemite Valley include seeing many waterfalls.
Stop and stare. The day is bare. Plant your feet. And walk with flare. (at Sacramento, California)
Stop and stare. The day is bare. Plant your feet. And walk with flare. (at Sacramento, California)
A few favorite links, check out #vermontlife and today's FB updates...
We generate 30kW on a good day, 20 on a more typical day.... and, 10kW on a lot of days in Dec-Feb
Pokemon GO - yeah, a game that makes us keep an eye out for things around us!!
Pokemon GO – yeah, a game that makes us keep an eye out for things around us!!
How many “old people” have harrumphed at the kids getting their heads burried in those “game boy” devices and being oblivious to the world going on around them?!?? Well, enter the new generation (and, surprisingly… this isn’t like it’s from a whole new technology — maps.Google has been around for quite a while now!) of games. It is a bit like GeoCache’ing … except you don’t find caches…
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Memorial Day - 2016
Memorial Day – 2016
A few cemetery visits, for the sake of tradition; sites of grave markers for ancestors remembered, grandparents and parents we knew well, but also great grandparents we may only know by their names. I am including dates, or places of birth, death, and (when we know of them) the places they lived along the way… So, first off, Wilson Cemetery is located in Lower Graniteville “Barre Town” at the top…
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Seyon Lodge State Park - Noyes Pond hike
Seyon Lodge State Park – Noyes Pond hike
May 2016 The quick hike around the small pond may be short, but the property and associated concrete damn and the “Lodge” and a handful of other buildings and surrounding forest areas, are all worth exploring at Seyon Lodge State Park. It’s not far from home for us, so we wanted to know what the place was like. It will likely take multiple seasons to fully explore. The first thing to ask: “Are…
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A Grand View, from Barre (Millstone Trails Assoc)
While climbing between the quarries, and exploring the trails and bike paths at Millstone B&B. The Millstone Trail association has a B&B, and also a bike shop and store — right in the center of Websterville. We took a few photos from the top of the hill… And, a few excellent quarries shots to highlight the picturesque surroundings: Some great carvings amongst the granite walls along the trail:…
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Berlin Pond, Irish Hill hike
From Berlin Corners (by the WallMart / Honda Dealer and Shaws supermarket) we hiked up along the ridge line trail toward a cell tower at the high point. But, even with the early spring hiking before the trees have leafed out, the vistas are pretty limited by the Vermont hardwoods which covered the landscape. The URL for Berlin conservation lands — and trails group, has a good map of the…
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