To celebrate her birthday, Laura invited some of her friends to join her in Yosemite for a weekend.
Left to right, Derrick, Melissa, Laura and Dawn. Bert and Amy joined us later.
Our first stop was Bridal Veil falls, where the mist is so thick that rainbows are visible right on the trail, and unprepared visitors return drenched to the skin.
Melissa is Laura's running buddy, and the casual listener might mistake them for sisters from the way they talk and joke with each other.
Derrick and I carpooled to Yosemite and back. A big football fan, he works at a pharmecutical testing company and has a great sense of humor.
Laura took this shot of me in front of Yosemite Falls.
The Merced river.
I'm not sure which peak this is, but I liked the picture too much to leave it out.
Once we got settled in our apartment at Yosemite West (a private development off Highway 41), we played a little pool.
The next day, most of us hiked up to Vernal Falls. Laura took this picture of me on the way. Unfortunately, I deleted the original -- one of the hazards of digital photography....
Me, Laura, Dawn, Amy, Bert, and Derrick in front of Vernal Falls.
Laura and Dawn worked together at her old law firm.
Vernal Falls, full of Spring snowmelt.
One of the rainbows we saw along the Mist Trail, which had just been opened for our visit, it seemed.
Learning from our visit to Bridal Veil Falls, most of us remembered to bring rain gear so we didn't get as soaked this time.
Bert and Amy on the last few steps at the top of the falls.
Against all warnings, Laura crossed over to get her picture standing near the falls' edge.
A fellow hiker took our picture on the safe side of the railing.
Laura and Amy admiring the view.
After visiting Vernal, we decided to take the short walk to the base of Yosemite Falls.
Me and Laura in front of the Lower Yosemite Falls.
Back at the apartment, a few of us enjoyed the jacuzzi.
For dinner, Laura made reservations at the Awanhee Hotel. Melissa bought a pearl necklace for Laura's birthday, which seemed to put her in an even better mood....
At toast at the bar before dinner.
Sitting down to dinner.
Bert is Swedish, and Amy is Oregonian. Bert is with the Concord DA's office, where Laura used to work.
Laura makes a wish.
On Sunday, most folks returned to the Bay Area, but Derrick and I decided to hike around Mirror Lake. (This is Half Dome, for those of you who are downloading my web pages from Pluto.)
Mirror Lake lives up to its name.
We had to cross Snowy Creek by log, since the bridge was out.