The Turner Family

Yosemite reservations can be made 30 days in advance, or promptly @ 7 A.M. Pacific time two days prior to your intended visit. I missed out on the opportunity the weekend prior, but was able to secure reservations on my birthday for a 7-day pass beginning with Sunday, August 30. Seamus was keen to surpass Nick's solo Lembert Dome  2011 ascent, but he was a few years too late, since Nick was entering 7th grade during his attempt. After Lembert, we drove west beyond Tuolumne to Tenaya Lake  -- a delightful alpine lake walled to the south by a sheer granite wall -- to check the water temperature and see whether there were bathers. The lake was surprisingly inviting. We didn't feel like we were done climbing and hiking, so heading back ease on the Tioga Road we stopped at Pothole Dome for one last scramble. On the way out east of the park beyond Tioga Pass is some of the sheerest cliffside driving you'll encounter, so it offered a final cheesy selfie opportunity.

This weekend, our fifth in Reno, also coincided around Tiffani and my birthdays. Cake and gifts on Friday, a Saturday morning jog-hike through the hills surrounding our house, followed by Sophia's senior photos. There were studio shots and wardrobe changes, but really this entry is just an excuse for posting photos. The studio session was followed by a location change to the pre-scouted Rancho San Rafael Regional Park , just down the hill from our neighborhood.