This and several upcoming blog posts are about my recent month long visit to California and experiences in Yosemite National Park, where I served as a park volunteer.
July 7, 2015
View east from Parsons Lodge
Only nine more days before I leave for home. Today, I headed to Parsons Lodge, a very pleasant stone and lodgepole pine structure built by the Sierra Club in 1915 near Soda Springs. However, the number of visitors is usually small compared to the other volunteer stations, so the day sometimes drags there.
Today was quite different. With almost 200 visitors, I found myself answering questions almost all day long. Visitors included a family from Charlotte, NC. It’s always good to see people who remind me of home. I encountered my first visitors from Israel and South Africa. They were a pleasant treat.
The highlight of the day came with a family that included a very young Junior Ranger. He was excited about almost everything, including a toad that had managed to hop on a window shutter and a marmot on a nearby stack of rocks. But the young Ranger’s really big moment came when a Ranger (Fred) rode up the trail on his horse King. The child was truly star struck as Ranger Fred took 10 minutes to engage the young Ranger. I’m sure the child will enjoy the memory for quite some time.
Another view from Parsons Lodge
After closing up shop, I returned to the campground where four of us decided to head to the Lee Vining Mobil for dinner. As we shared our fare, we all commented on how rapidly our service is coming to a close. While we will miss each other, I think all of us are ready to return to our homes.
Another day in Tuolumne. The temperatures are dropping, with highs in the 60’s today and lows in the 30’s expected tonight. It’s now time to bundle up, slip into the sleeping bag, and hope to ward off the chill. The time here has been wonderful, but I look forward to returning to the comforts of home.
Beyond the History Textbooks 