Yosemite #1

I drove to Yosemite on Sunday, left at 6:30 am, returned at 12:20 am. I didn't write down the directions well enough and had to use the android GPS to get me there around 11am.  On the way there a friend called me and reminded me to hydrate myself, so I did, bought a 15oz Green Naked. Finally found the trail to lower Yosemite Falls and while walking that saw the sign to the upper falls, decided to walk to that. Of course I have no daypack and it is already 12:30 so I  ignored two rules already; start early, carry lots of water. By the time I started it was in the upper 80s already.

Saw the sign for a 3.5 mile trail and said to myself, that's nothing, I did 17 miles in Barcelona with lots of hills. The switchbacks were brutal and rough rocks were everywhere.

These look like steps and they are but not flat ones and lots of sand over them.

Lots of rocks to lift your feet over or you really strengthen your ankle muscles

A flat section

 In 20 minutes I had to stop and rest, when I started up again I knew that without a little extra support from a walking stick that this wasn't going to end well. So I picked up a Marty Feldman sized stick in 'Young Frankenstein' when he tells Dr. Frankenstein to 'walk this way'. That lasted about 3 switchbacks before I found a 5 foot tall one, too heavy and splintery but I needed it. In one hour I had climbed 87 floors according to Fitbit and 3500 steps. At 3 hours still had not reached the area where the trail levels out. After resting at this vantage point I realized that I was getting the light-headed feeling that signals imminent disaster by requiring my body to assume the horizontal position 'Right now!'  I had probably climbed 950 feet from the valley. Started at 4200 feet. I could see the top overlook about 5 switchbacks and 50 feet above me.So I found a much lighter weight 4 foot walking stick and started down. Got down in about an hour with several rest stops.  Without the walking stick for support I might have taken 2+ hours to get down. The legs were getting pretty jelly like by this time.  Finally made it to the car and headed directly for the Village store and bought a liter of water and a 15 oz. Red Naked. Sat outside the store and guzzled both down with no stomach problems. Drove to Glacier point and hiked for another hour. Totals for the day:
116 floors - ok Fitbit only counts going up, not down because it senses 10 foot altitude gains along with movement.
14,922 steps
7.14 miles
Someday I might actually listen to the women that give me advice.
Do not follow in my footsteps, I'm only alive because of my extreme physical condition which is a carryover from pre-stroke.