This week we have a special podcast, brought to you from Yosemite National Park. It's more of a multimedia podcast than normal, as we made 3 separate videos and these are linked below: 2 scenic, and 1 with Greg in front of the camera explaining a few things (with Simon chiming in at times)....all recorded in 720 HD so best watched like that on YouTube, and full screen too. Do we look after our listeners or what! The podcast itself was recorded on the portable digital recorder and the room sound qualities led to far more reverb than is usual, so please excuse the "not in the studio" sound...but, hey, it's in the field.
But first of all, a BIG congratulations to one of our listeners and friends, Wendy, who had her first food review published in the LA Examiner. It can be found here.
We also discuss the chaos currently unfolding in Egypt. For those of you who are regular listeners, you'll know that Simon has spent a great deal of time out there.
So, back to the plot.....Greg and Simon drove up to Yosemite, and followed the tradition of stopping in Oakdale, a farming town in the Central Valley, and ate at the Oakdale Cafe, a definite local food joint. Because of time requirements to get back on Sunday we also stopped at one of the best tea shops in California on the way to Yosemite, not on the way back, as is our custom. Dori's Tea Cottage is a delightful place, with very friendly owners (Hi to Dori and Greg!), a great selection of teas, some traditional and some definitely not. They have their own web site of course but they also have a store on Ebay. While driving TO Yosemite, as you go through Groveland, Dori's is on the left, at the end of the main street. Don't miss it if you ever go through. Last time we visited there, we were mixing our teas and experimenting with flavors. Dori took note and when we went in this time, they had a couple of new blends based upon some ideas we were experimenting with....how cool is that! "Peppermint Patti" and "Milkie Way".
When we got to Yosemite, and checked into the Yosemite Lodge Hotel, it felt like Spring. The waterfalls were in full flow, the sun was out and it was quite warm. Saturday night we ate in the Yosemite Lodge Mountain Restaurant, as they do incredible prime rib at the weekends. You have to try this. It's not on the menu so you have to ask. The secret is to get into the restaurant by 6pm though. We sat in the Mountain Bar after dinner, as we couldn't waddle back to the room yet, and chilled, talking to one of the staff members, Sarah, who'd been there for 35 years. She said the money sucked, but could you ask for a better place to live and work? "Nope." In the info video, linked below, you'll see Sarah briefly as she puts Greg's beer on the table.
The next day it was bright and sunny, so we drove up to one of the best viewing spots in Yosemite, overlooking the whole valley. Last year we parked at the same spot, to the day, and recorded this video. It's astounding. Again, it's in HD, so best to select that and watch it full screen.
We had to endure an inane talk by a hike leader. It was ridiculous, to the point of being farcical, but Greg got a good chuckle out of it, afterwards. We should have recorded it. At least we now know how to poop in bags so as not to spoil a stream! Ewwwww.
We then went to Curry Village and recorded a bunch of video to explain a few back stories that regular listeners will have heard, about sex starved rangers....yeh, you heard that right....and other such adventures. We grabbed a spot of tea while there, and one of the staff members had a little bit of a freudian slip, as when listen the types of tea they had, instead of saying "Camomile", he said "Camel Toe"...no kidding. That's what he said. Naturally, Simon could hardly contain his amusement at the time.
Back at the Lodge, we had another great dinner (Trout) and another fine time in the bar. We finished up the podcast so we could mix it and get it ready for uploading Sunday, not realizing that the weather was going to be so wild the next day.
Sunday morning, we were at the Ahwahnee for it's famous Sunday Brunch. It's sooo good.
As a result of the heavy snowfall, we recorded more video and that's why there are 2 scenic videos on YouTube this time. It was bloody amazing, and thank God for Land Rovers. The drive back was interesting up at 6000 feet, and the road was more like a half pipe than an actual road, and we were on it before the snow plows in places. It was fuuuuuun.
So, onto the videos.
Video 1, scenic Friday and Saturday.
Video 2, scenic, Sunday, and lots of snow.
