Andi’s Journal – Yosemite 1

Find more of Andi’s Journal in Andi’s Attic >>

July 2, 1886

I wonder why I ever thought being married would be boring! It’s brought some of the most interesting adventures I’ve had yet, starting with getting lost in the high Sierra. Even now, I sometimes wake up with a start, thinking I’m back in the Yosemite wilderness, counting the remaining bullets in Riley’s six-shooter and wondering if we’ll get out of here before he runs out. Good thing he’s a crack shot at getting those large Sierra jackrabbits. I could have eaten a whole one by myself, but of course we shared.

Before we lost our way (due to a sudden summer thunderstorm), Riley and I saw the most astonishing sight ever! It’s called a “firefall” and yes, fire literally flows over the mountain cliff just like lava pouring over a mountain.

It cost two bits each to watch it, and I was skeptical, but it was worth it. How does it work? Well, the McCauley brothers start a huge bonfire on the top of the Glacier Point, a cliff overlooking the valley, where our hotel was. When it’s big enough, one of the brothers calls from the valley “Let the fire fall!” and it’s a miracle, but the other fellow can hear him all the way up there. It’s 3,000 feet higher than our valley (which is 4,000 feet). Then burning logs and embers cascade over the edge in a blazing river of fire! That was the good part of our trip. Then we got lost, and stayed lost for four days.

Can you imagine how tired and dirty and hungry Riley and I were when we finally reached Vernal Falls? We could see this waterfall from high up but when we looked for a trail we just got lost more. It was really scary! But with God’s help, we found it. We knew tourists would be there with their horses, and they were. Never was I so thankful to see other people! Poor Riley looked worse than I did, on account he got a dozen stings when he tried to get us some honey earlier. I won’t laugh, but he looked funny.

That’s enough journal writing for one day. I need to keep up this journal so I don’t forget even one exiting event from our honeymoon.