Tioga Pass and li'l Lone Pine!

Another good early start today (though slightly later than intended as I managed to catch up with Aaron and we had a good chat).

We packed up (again)) and set off back the way we went yesterday to Yosemite only this time we were going to cut across and take the Tioga Road onto Tioga Pass, which cuts across through the overall Yosemite National Park.We've heard nothing but great things about this route and knew that today was just going to be all about the driving and the views despite it being a good 250+miles.

Oh not forgetting of course that we stopped at Sugar Pine cafe - a good old American Diner - in Mariposa for a proper breakfast.

We were served by the girl that works in Prospectors Brewing co which is where we drank on our first night in Mariposa.

This was a proper breakfast with grits and everything. Only they didn't bloody have any left which i was gutted about. I might have hated them but I at least wanted to try.

So we ate a lovely big eggs and the trimmings brekkers with unlimited coffed in a red, white and chrome decorated diner surrounded by white bearded men wearing stetsons or baseball caps. I mean, its all that you want isn't it really??!

so yeah, back on the journey we had no issue with our route again and were both just astounded by the views. You just don't think it can get any better and then you come around another bend and you find you were wrong!

What constantly blows my mind is the sheer size of the landscape. I tried and tried to capture it on my camera but I doubt that I have. Its quite intimidating in many ways, quite exciting otherwise. And there you are winding along this long, long road with hardly anyone else around. It's just wild!!

There is nothing I can even begin to compare it to in the UK that is for sure..

There were some beautiful lakes on the way too and we tried out the water at one.. with our hands, not like a full dip!  It was really warm and given we ourselves had been bloody freezing just 5 miles earlier (we were approx 9000ft up) it was mad! 

I think D would have been in for a swim if he could have gotten away with it!!!

So more views, more seemingly never ending roads snaking through the landscape and we arrive in Lone Pine. Took us approx 5hours incl stops.

Now this place is tiny. Like, you could drive through it and miss it!!  Just in the Motel now (proper, drive up to the door job, one storey motel. We got upgraded as well.. Seriously we got upgraded in a 1* Motel!!)  

We will head out now and check out what this place has to offer...............