Yosemite Friday, and after a short stint
at work we head off in blazing sunshine towards Yosemite National Park. It's
about a five hour drive so it takes most of the afternoon but the drive is absolutely
fantastic - through orchards in blossom the road begins a long steady climb
towards the park. Once through it's amazing. The views are fantastic, the air
feels clear and clean and the sense of power tangible. What a place.
We stayed in a small condo up near Badger Pass.
Everywhere was buried under a few feet of snow but we got see a great sunset.
Saturday was fantastic, snow everywhere but brilliant sunshine. We hiked in
the morning and then went on a photographic walk in the afternoon with a guy
who worked with Ansel Adams. He talked about taking black and white
photography in the valley and had some really interesting comments on digital
vs analogue pictures. I've been thinking a lot about this at the moment, and
hope to put up some notes on the subject real soon. You can see some spectacular
Ansel Adams photos by clicking here.
Saturday evening the storm started to gather,
first the sky went from blue to white and then to black and the snow started.
Sunday we woke to a huge snow fall and had to
practically dig the car out. The drive down from the pass to the valley floor
took for ever and we got to try out our new type chains. What fun !
Check out the photos that go with this story on
the photo page and see some of Ansel Adams photos by clicking here.
Nige.
DMV Today I had to go back to my least favorite
place: the DMV. I dutiful took some time off work and drove down to take my
written test for a motorbike. I queued and queued (yes, of course I had an
appointment - God alone knows what it would have been like if I hadn't) ! When
I got to the front I was told by the man at the counter that I couldn't take
my bike test today. In fact, I couldn't take it until my full car license
arrived. Since this has to through INS the delay could be months. OMIGOD. No
bike. I was absolutely livid, esp since I'd checked several times that I could
take the bike test with only a temporary car license. Still, the guy was very
confident and simply sent me away.
Back at work, and really, really fed up. Then I
get a phone call from Jayne at home. She'd phoned up the DMV and checked on
this guy's story. It was a crock - I could take the test ! Fantastic. Filled
with joy (and rage at the waste of time of course) we head off back to the
DMV. I explain what has happened to the nice woman at the reception counter
and she tells me to go to the front of the queue and explain the problem to
the clerk. They would resolve the problem straight away. Taking my life in my
hands I push past the people in the queue and, OMIGOD, it's the same bloke. Oh
well, I explain that he has got the rule wrong and that I can take the test
with my temporary license. Is he apologetic ? Is he understanding ? I'll never
know because he simply refuses to talk to me because I have missed my
appointment. When I explain that I arrived for my appointment and that he sent
me away he simply shrugs and tells me to make another appointment. OMIGOD.
Blood. That's what I wanted. Still, I head off
to see his supervisor and she is brilliant. Says the guy is wrong and arranges
for me to do the test there and then. What fun - I got 100%. As she's filling
in the forms I ask her about the clerk who bugged me so much. Oh, he does
that, is the reply. Bah humbug - it's a good job he doesn't get paid by tips.
Nige.
