#Central Yosemite Sierra

[thorsenmark]

Beyond the Trees (Yosemite National Park) by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: While taking in a setting of nearby trees and a mountainside backdrop in the Swinging Bridge Picnic area in Yosemite National Park with a view to the northwest.

[mapsontheweb]

Mountains in the Contiguous U.S. by Rise Above Surroundings / Jut

by u/Gigitoe

Jut is an indicator I developed to quantify how sharply/impressively a mountain rises above its surroundings, factoring in both height and steepness. A mountain with a jut of X rises as sharply/impressively as a vertical cliff of height X. Roughly speaking, the higher the jut, the "bigger" and more imposing a mountain appears.

Some things to note:

Jut hotspots (places with the most impressive mountains) include the Cascade Range, North Cascades, Glacier National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Yosemite National Park & Central/Southern Sierra, and Mount San Jacinto. The highest jut in the lower 48 is measured atop Mount Rainier (jut = 1312 m), a massive stratovolcano in the Cascade Range of Washington.

Even though the Colorado Rockies have a high elevation, they have a lower jut than some other mountain ranges in the West, as they rise from a high plateau. The Grand Canyon in Arizona has similar local rise as the highest peaks of the Colorado Rockies, despite having a much lower elevation.

A point with a jut of 10 – 100 m is perhaps more aptly described as a hill. Points with a jut below 10 m do not rise significantly above their surroundings, so they were not included.

Mountains in the rest of the world can have a significantly higher jut. The Matterhorn in the Swiss Alps has a jut of 1451 m. Aconcagua in the Andes of Argentina has a jut of 1827 m. Mount Everest has a jut of 2211 m. The North Peak of Denali in Alaska has a jut of 2549 m. Annapurna Fang in Nepal, the apex of the biggest mountain face on the planet, has a jut of 3395 m, the highest in the world.

This visualization was made possible with Google Earth Engine, MERIT DEM, GeoNames, and QGIS.

[rabbitcruiser]

Yosemite National Park, CA (No. 6)

Yosemite National Park is located in the central Sierra Nevada. Three wilderness areas are adjacent to Yosemite: the Ansel Adams Wilderness to the southeast, the Hoover Wilderness to the northeast, and the Emigrant Wilderness to the north.

The 1,189 sq mi (3,080 km2) park contains thousands of lakes and ponds, 1,600 miles (2,600 km) of streams, 800 miles (1,300 km) of hiking trails, and 350 miles (560 km) of roads. Two federally designated Wild and Scenic Rivers, the Merced and the Tuolumne, begin within Yosemite's borders and flow westward through the Sierra foothills into the Central Valley of California.

Almost all of the landforms are cut from the granitic rock of the Sierra Nevada Batholith (a batholith is a large mass of intrusive igneous rock that formed deep below the surface). About five percent of the park's landforms (mostly in its eastern margin near Mount Dana) are metamorphosedvolcanic and sedimentary rocks. These roof pendants once formed the roof over the underlying granitic magma.

Source: Wikipedia

[feverinfeveroutfic]

”pebble beach”

The escarpment of the Sierra Nevada Mountains hung within my sidelong view as we made our way along the watershed towards Mono Lake. It had been forever and a day since I had come up this way, especially whenever I came up to Yosemite with my parents and my brother, it was on the other side of the valley coming in from the Central Valley. I leaned back in the faded leather backseat with one arm up on the top, and I let my curls dangle down over my shoulder like one of the waterfalls over in the other valley. Eric and Lou were huddled down in the front seats as if they were a couple of bobsleigh pilots, even though it was a beautiful day there in the eastern Sierras.

“Have you even been on this road before?” Lou asked him at one point.

“What, Tioga Road?” Eric replied. “Yeah, a couple of times before. It’s a a rare occurrence, though, because it’s closed ten months out of the year.”

I hadn’t been on there since I was a kid, and back then, from what I recalled, things were pushing it. The middle of June and there were still pockets of snow around the cliffs, and Sonora was still closed to top it off as well.

All I told Lou was to not look down once we neared the peak of the pass. And it made better sense to me to be behind Eric all the way up. I was so relieved to be in that car with them, although I knew I would have to go back with Chuck as well as Joey

It was the middle of the day, with the sun beating down on my head and shoulders, and yet I could feel the cold of the mountains right before us like this gigantic wall of iron.

The highway wound down to a tight bend and we found ourselves in the small town of Lee Vining, complete with a view of Mono Lake: all I recalled of that lake was Mark Twain had written about it and I had no desire to head on down to the shoreline after that.

Eric took to the next left turn and we were headed up Tioga Road. Those cold mountains stared down at us as if we were facing some kind of gods who were about to judge us; the brick lodge right after the turn-off felt like the last bit of comfort for a while.

The trees were thick and lush, and the hills guided us up along that road as if we were ascending into the sky above. I swore that I was the one climbing and not Eric, and it was times like that I wished that I was better at photography. We were passing by the Ansel Adams Wilderness in all its rugged glory: how I wished to look beyond the high spires of peaks and down into the glassy lake and that vast valley as well. Everything about that initial stint of the road only made me want to explore more.

Explore more, and of myself as well.

We made our way upwards, and all I could think about was what we could do once we got into Yosemite. All I knew was those three boys who called themselves Green Day were supposed to meet us there at the campground for the next week. I hoped that I wouldn’t have to sleep in the same tent with Chuck because I was enjoying the sun on my face and the views before me. Everything was so rugged and rough as if it had been left untouched this whole entire time.

I gazed out to the drop below the other side of the railing and I spotted the glassy lake at the very bottom. Even with the royalty in place and with the ring on my finger, I vowed to always be as soft as that water. As soft and tender as that glassy water.

My ears popped and Chuck from Florida burst into my mind. I wished he was there in the backseat with me and we could relish in the view together. Indeed, I peered over to the seat next to me and I pictured him there, those thick lush curls sprawled around his shoulders as if he had dunked his head into those lake waters down below and let the cool mountain air dry him off. Those eyes, as blue as the granite walls that surrounded us as we continued to ascend into the heavens.

I really believed that we were headed straight for another world, one that chilled down with each passing mile. Lou peered out the window to the cliffs on the other side of the road: I saw him visually swallow, and I knew that we must have been high up.

I shivered at the sight of everything outside of the car; Lou breathed on the window and made a peace sign in the condensation.

“Jesus,” Eric muttered as he switched on the heater. Our sweatshirts were packed in the trunk given it was warm down in the valley before we left, and yet something told me that I was going to be cuddled down in the safety of my own for the entire trip. I hunkered down in the seat: how I wished to be held close in a warm blanket right then.

The road kept going up into the mountains, and something ran through my mind that told me we were about to drive off the edge of the road at any given moment.

Now I understood as to why the pass was closed out of most of the year.

I peered out the window to the view down below us, the final glimpse out to the valley before we ducked away into the mountains themselves, the last glimpse back to that glassy oasis down below and the final moment of paradise before we persisted into the craggy mountains before us.

I rubbed my upper arms with my hands. If nothing else, I hoped that Eric would have a horse blanket there in the backseat, not just for myself but for him and Lou, too, and the three of us could huddle down together.

Eric himself glimpsed into the rear-view mirror for a look at me.

“You warm enough back there, Alex?” he called back to me.

“I have got this persistent chill up my spine right now,” I told him.

“Yeah, we do, too. I hope we level out here soon—”

We rounded a bend and beheld the view of the vast canyon, still capped with snow from the blizzards of the winter before. The trees decorated the landscape as if they were made of chocolate and powdered sugar; on my side of the road was a steep drop into the abyss. My head spun and my ears popped; I turned my attention to Eric right as he rubbed his temple with one hand.

We passed a sign that read eleven thousand feet, and I could feel my fingers and toes tingling. Lou ran his fingers through his hair and breathed a bit harder than usual. I peered out the window to the towering peak on the right side of the road.

The road peaked at a crest and then dipped down a bit: I spotted what appeared to be a toll booth for the entrance fee into Yosemite up ahead, complete with three other cars in line there. I was just eager to be on the other side of the pass down in the valley again. We must have reached the top at some point if we hadn’t already. The mountain peaks surrounded us like a series of meringue peaks: for a moment, I believed that we had entered the land of all things sweet and decadent.

When we reached the booth, I took off my sunglasses and rubbed my eyes.

“Ninety-nine hundred feet, just shy of the century-century mark,” Lou remarked. “And I swore we were there just a few minutes ago.”

“I feel it,” Eric told him as he continuously massaged his temple.

“Yeah, I do, too,” I added; my head would not stop spinning. “Helps that we’re basically coming up from sea level.” All I wanted to do was lay down and cuddle, and it didn’t help matters that the line seemed to inch along the pavement. I leaned forward and rested my elbows on either top of the seat before me; Eric leaned over the rim of the steering wheel and kept his fingers on his temple. He peered over his sunglasses at me.

“I can’t remember the last time I had vertigo like this,” I confessed.

“My head is just pounding,” he told me.

“You know, I’ve heard Viagra helps with altitude sickness,” Lou informed us, who looked to be the only one not affected by it, but his skin had washed out to the same color as a sheet. He let out a low whistle, and he turned his attention back to the road before us.

“I’ve heard that, too,” I said with a few quick breaths. “Let’s ask the ranger about it.”

We inched ahead and Eric rolled down the window: the cold swept over us, and all I wanted was my sweater and a blanket. I held still as I tried to not think about my head spinning. The first thing I would do, once we reached the valley floor, was find something to eat and then feel the spray from the waterfall on my face.

We inched ahead to the toll booth where we were greeted by the ranger, an older gentleman with these big black leather gloves much like the ones Lou wore sometimes for his drumming.

“Do you have anything for altitude sickness?” Eric asked him as he paid the fee; it was right then I noticed he sounded more out of breath than usual. “All three of us aren’t doing too well.”

“Uh, yeah! I’ve got some pain pills in here with me, and things to help with blood pressure. I’ll suggest drinking more water and eating more, too, especially if you’re going to come back this way or hang around the mountain peaks here for a while.”

“Can do,” I said with a shake of my head, and my head spun even more.

“Keep the window rolled up until you reach the valley floor, too,” he advised us. “Staying warm will keep your blood flowing. But if you boys are desperate—” And he turned back into the booth for something.

“Yeah, I worry especially because I’m driving,” Eric told him, and the man handed him a small bottle of aspirin and a little white box, and I could already see those little blue pills inside.

“You fellas be safe up here for us all, okay?”

“Always,” Lou assured him.

“Yeah, thank you,” I called out to him.

“Thank you so much,” Eric added as he held the bottle and the box in his lap: he darted ahead to the first bend in the road just so we could take our medicine.

“Alex, you got any water?” he asked me as he rolled up the window; almost immediately, it warmed up again in there.

“Plenty.”

Eric opened the box for us, although I had a feeling that the pain pills would help us just as easy. But the next thing I knew, I was taking a blue pill. Eric and Lou did as well.

We drank our water down, and then Eric ran his fingers through his jet-black hair.

“Okay, where’s our campground at?” he asked us.

“It’s coming up here, isn’t it?” Lou recalled, still out of breath.

“I wrote it down…” Eric reached over to the glove box for something, and I peered back into the very back of the car for anything to keep myself warm.

“Yeah, Tuolomne Meadows,” he informed us. “I think it’s coming up here in a few minutes.” He closed the door, and I caught the sound of hesitation up there in the front seat. “What’re you looking for, brother?”

“Me?” I asked him as I turned back around, and my head spun some more. “Do you have a blanket in here or something?”

“In the trunk, yeah. Would you like it?”

“Please. I am just freezing back here.”

Eric kindly picked out the big heavy horse blanket for me, to which I wrapped it around my body once we got moving again. The spinning in my head persisted a bit as we made our way along the road more towards the meadow in question. The trees were so thick and lush, and most of them still blanketed with snow. I spotted the hulking silhouette of Half Dome off in the distance, and I knew that once we got down into the valley floor, our heads wouldn’t be hammering so much.

I thought about what the ranger had told us in that we had to eat more to keep the feeling of the altitude in check. Indeed, I was feeling hungry as the road dipped down and gently meandered with the coldest-looking river I had ever seen in my life. In fact, something told me that I could eat enough for three people right then.

I wanted to eat once we reached our campsite, and I hoped that those three boys had beat us to the punchline there because it was all I could think about. I had no idea if it was the altitude or not but for a moment, I believed I was seeing things. The fact the mountains resembled to meringue, the chocolate look of the trees, the fact that I was hungry… this was a far more potent high than any joint that I had ever touched in seventh grade.

The trees thinned out and we were met with the vast meadow in question, with the thick, lush grass interspersed with such cold, glassy waters. The sun shone down on us without a cloud to obscure anything: even with it being cold, the sunshine made everything so bright and crystal clear.

Billie Joe, Mike, and Tré had already checked into their reservation and pitched a tent for themselves at a spot, one nestled between the trees and near a small waterfall. I peered behind us to the towering mountain which bestowed the waterfall: my head proceeded to spin once again, but at least I had something to balance me.

The spray from the waterfall touched me on the side of the face: it made me think of all the heat waves over the Bay Area as a kid, and I would stand in front of a swamp cooler; this was the damp feeling of that on steroids.

The smell of pine surrounded the three of us like a veil, and I tilted my head back to feel the afternoon sun and the spray of the falls on my face. All I knew was we had to return to camp soon enough to put up our tents and then eat a bunch of food to keep the sickness away, that is if we saw those three boys up at the top of the waterfall.

And then I realized we had taken Viagra once we had entered the park.

“Alex?” Eric breathed right into my ear over the noise of the waterfall. I turned to face him and the hooded look to his eyes. I really believed that I was hallucinating right then, hallucinating from the hunger, the altitude, and the rush of blood straight to my head.

“You wanna take a walk with me?” he offered me. “Take a walk and look for something to eat?”

“Isn’t there a pie stand or two right on the other side of the trees here?” I asked him.

“There’s a pie stand and a market,” he added as he nudged a lock of hair behind my ear. “We’ll come back and surprise those three dudes with all the goods we’ve picked up.”

“Let’s get two blackberry, two pecan, two apple, three cherry, three blueberry, a chocolate, a lemon, and a peach,” I suggested. “I dunno about you but I could literally eat a pie and a cake right now.”

“A pie and a cake, and you wouldn’t be able to fit into the sleeping bag,” he quipped as he ran his hand down my belly. I peered up to the scraggly dogwood trees and pearly white birches that surrounded us: I had no memory of how we got there to that particular spot in the trees, right by the river and the waterfall, but he was touching me, and he was coming close to me, and I was leaning my back to the birch behind me.

“Eric… are you feeling what I’m feeling right now?” I asked him with a rubbing of my forehead with my temples. It reminded me of the times I would get high and I had the strangest euphoria every time the paper hit my tongue.

“Headache and vertigo from being so high up and intense hunger from that and the fact we haven’t eaten since we left this morning? You bet your booty that’s what it is.”

“No, I mean… the fact the ranger gave us Viagra for the altitude.”

He showed me his tongue before he crammed it into my mouth.

We were hallucinating and horny, and I had no idea about him but I had no restraint whatsoever. I put my arms up over my head as he reached down my pants to feel me. I could feel that I was already hard, harder than I had ever been, as hard as the cold stony mountains all around us.

“Eric—” I gasped from the feeling. “Eric—what if they hear us?”

“They won’t hear us,” he assured me with a breath of a whisper right into my ear. “They won’t hear us here down by the waterfall.”

“What if they see us?” I choked out again.

“We’re way down here, and they’re way up there,” he assured me again, that time with a grasp onto my fat one. He held onto me for a brief moment before he rubbed up against me. He was as big as I had ever felt before, and I had nothing to hold me back, either.

We were doing it outside, and I had not a care in the world about it. We were doing it outside, and I could feel everything. I could feel everything even with my head lost in the realm of the altitude. We were going to have a bunch of pie and curl up under the blanket and the sleeping bag afterwards, but we had the blue pills to take care of at first. Blue pills like little pebbles that led us to that nook in the trees.

I ran my fingers through his black hair, and I treated him to a tongue lashing and a groan right into his ear. His lips on my neck. His tongue in my ear. Our flesh against itself. One of us was going to come first.

The spray from the waterfall and the veil of the birches protected us from any onlookers. I leaned my head back against the tree trunk again as he sank in deep, as deep as he could go with me. I realized he was getting me right in the prostate as well as grinding up against me.

I parted my lips and let out a low moan, one that buried itself under the roar of the waterfall. Those three boys were going to be in for a treat of sorts should they descend from the towers behind us. But Eric twirled his fingers around the locks of hair at the back of my head and slithered his tongue into my mouth to finish the job.

“Let’s get down to it again when we get the tent set up,” I whispered into his ear right then.

“You got it, big boy,” Eric whispered to me; he reached down and touched me again, and he showed me a little smirk. “You wanna get down with Lou, too?”

“May as well,” I said in a broken voice. “You’re still hard as stone, too.”

[nuagederose]

kinktober 2022 // day twenty-four: cosa del pantano prompt: outdoor sex + passionate sex (courtesy of @the-purity-pen) pairings: eric/florence + eric/alex (flowers for alexander) also on ao3 💋

*based on the first and only time i ever got to go to yosemite, too, way back in 2005. i’m definitely due for another visit 😉

A light rain had just rolled into the hills that surrounded Yosemite Valley as the three of them rolled in from the western side. La Grange was only a mile up, while Coulterville only stood about another fourteen miles up the road through those thick dark trees that reached up towards the sky as nature’s skyscrapers, but the sheer number of switchbacks with the definite elevation changes up the road before them made Alex wonder if it was even further away from there. Eric was driving, while Florence stayed upright in the passenger seat and Alex lounged in the middle of the back seat; she was seven and a half months pregnant, and her sweater had grown slightly snug against her bump. Both men were hungry and tired from the amount of driving they had done from the heart of the Bay Area; at the same time, they had gone out so as to escape from everything that had been going down back over there.

Eric had been reluctant to leave the Bay Area for the mountains so soon before Florence’s due date, and with it still being well inside of the thick of winter as well: at least they weren’t about to drive in from the northeastern side of the valley and along that narrow two-lane road over there. But she had insisted, especially with Yosemite being one of the few places left in California that lacked the steam power as well as any signs of civilization. Every so often, he glanced over at her and showed her a little smile.

“How are you holding up?” he asked her as they passed through La Grange.

“We’re doing alright,” Florence told him with a gentle caress of her bump.

Even though he only had a slight view of her from the side, Alex swallowed at the sight of her. To think that they had once been a couple, and yet he didn’t want to think about it, especially with her being pregnant with Eric’s baby and the invasion on their doorstep. He had to be with them there in Yosemite lest one of the animatrons take him and tie him up to the nearest boiler only for him to turn to metal and steam himself.

Eric took a glimpse into the rear-view mirror over his head.

“How ‘bout you, Alex?” he called back to him. “How are you doing? Getting enough heat back there?”

“Oh, yes, I am quite comfortable back here,” Alex assured him with a gentle nod of his head and a nervous smile on his face.

Though it was still the middle of February, the chill of winter seemed to linger away from the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains before them. There had to have been only a few inches of snow on the ground outside of the car, sparse piles that lined the sides of the road like little white puddles embedded in pockets of the earth. The sun fought to break through the swift-moving clouds overhead, and as a result, Alex knew that more snow was upon them, especially with the graze of light rain on the roof and on the windows. He shivered and brought his arms closer to his little body from the chilled feeling through the glass.

If anything, he was more tired and hungry than feeling cold. They had left the Bay Area at the first peek of dawn over the eastern side of the Central Valley, and yet, they had managed to reach the hills at after twelve in the afternoon; the fact they had a pregnant woman in the front seat only added more onto the time, not that Florence was to blame however. He was eager to pitch the tent at the campground underneath the sheer vertical drop of El Capitan and then crawl underneath his sleeping bag after a hearty dinner. But then again, he was unsure if that would even happen, given they knew that the road rose high up into the mountains before them once they had cleared the hills and the snow was upon them at the end of it all.

They passed the two Don Pedro Lakes on either side of the road: those glassy black waters sent even more chills down Alex’s spine and down his arms. Though the heater blasted the car with rich warm air, he carried a deep chill inside of him at the mere sight of the water out there. He knew the snow was upon them all from the wisps of steam off of the surfaces of the lakes, as if it beckoned the very beginning of the lake effect.

The road swept through the low foothills all around them like the blackest snake in the thick of the trees. Alex kept his arms knitted close to his body and his knees pressed close together from that deep chill. He divided his attention between the side of Eric’s head and the vast stretches of cold wilderness out there beyond either side of the road. That smooth blanket of black hair down around the curvature of Eric’s shoulder and over his upper arm like a smooth wash of ink. There had been plenty of moments abound in which Alex would run his fingers through that smooth black hair all for a whiff of it at the roots, and he had done the same unto Francine at one point, but he nonetheless always came back to Eric.

Every time that Eric flipped his hair back and he returned his attention to the road before them, Alex kept a close watch on the side of his head as well as that smooth, slightly thick neck of his: where Alex had that fine, slender neck and skin as silken as porcelain, Eric looked as though he worked out hard enough for a fine sculpting of his neck, and Alex often thought of planting the softest of nibbles there, especially on the base.

He was growing hungrier with each and every passing mile, especially since he hadn’t eaten anything since well before they left the Bay Area: Modesto was rationing food and thus, there was no way that he could do anything about that. About a mile before they reached the proverbial dent in the road that was Coulterville, he rested his hands on his stomach. Add to this, not only was he hungry but Florence had made the mistake of packing the water in the cooler in the way back part of the car.

A turn to the left and a straight shot up to the next turn off, which in turn would take them into the northern side of Yosemite Valley. Though this particular part of the mountains remained down low against the actual mountains, Alex shivered even more. The rain picked up once the signs for Yosemite Junction as well as the way up to Sonora entered their view, and thus was their cue to hang that next right to that infamous winding highway to the northern side of the valley: infamous in a sense that it rose higher and higher over on the northeastern side of the park, until it became the highest road in the state of California.

But at the moment, it was nothing more than a series of annoying coils and turns in the road before them. It didn’t help matters that Florence held onto the handle over her head with her right hand and the dashboard before her with her left hand as if she was about to go flying off of the seat. Eric slowed to a crawl at one point and she gritted her teeth and knitted her knees together, even though their unborn child still had plenty of time to go in the meantime.

“Why did we have to go this way?” Florence groaned out as she gripped onto the handle once again with both hands. “We should’ve kept going up the turn off until we reached Yosemite Junction again and then looped around.”

“And go over Sonora Pass?” Eric gaped at her. “I don’t think so.”

“Sonora and then Tioga Pass, too,” Alex added; he flashed on them getting stuck over on the northeastern side of the park, and they would have to huddle to keep warm all the while. “Tioga’s probably not even open, either.”

“I guarantee it’s closed,” Eric said with a clearing of his throat. “It’s high up enough and we got a lot of snow this year.”

Florence let out a low whistle as they rounded another hard curve in the road, one lined with a high and vast rock wall to the left. Alex craned his neck a bit in time to see her set her free hand on her bump as if she was trying to steady herself from the pull of the car against the corner.

“Are you okay?” Eric asked her as the road straightened out again. Another curve around the bend, that time to the left, and she let out a low moan from the pull of the gravity against her.

“I think that was the last one,” Alex told him.

“I hope so, too,” Eric replied as he drummed his fingers on the rim of the steering wheel. Florence groaned from the pain.

“What is it?” Eric asked her out of concern. “Where’s the pain?”

“It’s my back and my hips,” she said. “The baby’s fine, but the car going around the corners is putting so much pressure on my back and my hipbones, though.” She shifted her weight from the pain; Alex nibbled on his bottom lip and he lifted up his arms and rested them onto the back of the seats. Florence breathed harder from the aches and pains in her body; she shifted her weight again, that time to put her back into the actual seat part, and she rested her knee against the inside of the dashboard. She let out a low whistle and hitched herself up into the seat. She tried to lean back in the seat and the car slowed down a bit.

“What are you doing?” Florence asked him with a soft moan and groan from the back of her throat.

“Let’s pull over here,” Eric quipped right then. “I’m worried you’re going to pass out or something.”

They reached the thick stripe of dark dirt on the side of the road, underneath a long line of trees at the base of the next row of rising mountaintops before them. Florence raised her hands up to the ceiling over her head and tilted her head back against the headrest. She closed her eyes and let out a low whistle from the feeling in her body.

“It’s going to be some time before the road reaches the park, too,” Eric told her. “Like it descends down into the valley and then around the base of El Capitan. It's going to be some time before we reach the campground and pitch up the tent.”

Florence groaned from the pain in her back and she relaxed the muscles in her back as well as her legs. She let out a low whistle again. Eric folded his arms over the top of the steering wheel and kept his gaze fixed upon her.

Alex peered out the window to the left, just as the clouds swirled across the sky over them. A thick dark patch over them caught his attention in particular: as soon as he saw it, a few drops of rain fell down over the driver’s side of the car again.

“It’s raining,” Alex decreed.

“What?” Florence asked him, taken aback.

“It’s raining—and it’s starting to feel really cold, too,” he replied with a shiver.

“Oh, no,” she blurted out. “Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, no.”

“No, no, it’s okay,” Eric ensured her.

“No, it’s not. When it starts raining and it’s this cold, it usually means it’s going to snow soon, you guys. We can’t afford snow!”

“Well, we can’t afford you having this baby prematurely when the closest major town from here is Sonora,” Eric pointed out, “and we have to go back down those curves just to get there.”

“I’m not having the baby!” Florence exclaimed. “I’m just in pain because the car was pulling on me whenever we went around a corner back there.” She whistled again and she sat upright that time. She never moved a muscle there in the seat for a whole minute. The rain pattered down on the car rooftop in quiet succession: Alex shivered again and he knew that, through the hormones that ran through her body, there was in fact a bit of truth to what Florence had said right then.

“Are you feeling alright?” Eric asked her.

“Yes,” she replied in a low voice, and she shifted her weight yet again. “Let’s get moving.”

Eric drummed his fingers along the rim of the steering wheel and he brought the car back to the road before them. Alex relaxed there in the backseat, still with his arms over the very tops of the seats on either side of him. He let his hair sprawl down over his shoulders like the fine sides of a lion’s mane and his legs extended out before him as far as they could go there in the backseat. There was a part of him that wanted to come on closer to Eric once they had pitched up their tents underneath the towering monolith of El Capitan: their own little room with the view, as Alex ran his fingers down Eric’s chest all while Florence was sound asleep.

Soon, even with the hard pain which persisted in Florence’s body as they rose higher along the roof of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Alex caught the view of North Dome as well as the sheer drop at the face of Half Dome. The last bit of paradise against a world gone so horribly wrong beyond the border of the highway and the foothills that surrounded Yosemite.

The road led them over the crown of the ridge, and then dropped down towards the valley floor: Eric nodded as the signs for the upcoming Yosemite Village entered their view.

“The campground should be coming up here pretty soon,” he muttered aloud as the highway wound down past El Capitan and down to the floor beneath them. A usual twenty minutes had been elongated out to a whole hour all because of her condition, but it was the only choice that they had on hand.   Florence herself, meanwhile, stayed still there in the passenger seat with her hands still rested upon her bump. It was in fact nothing more than the curves in the road that perturbed her, and thus, Eric rested a single hand on the top of her thigh, all to Alex’s chagrin. He ran his tongue along his bottom lip and it was right then he could feel the thirst from the very moment they left the Bay Area as it caught up with him.

The literal thirst inside of him, as well as the thirst of flesh against his own, against the pad of his tongue.

The campground resided in a spot of the valley floor near the base of the gigantic monolith surrounded by a series of lush, tall ponderosa pines and evergreens. The first thing that Alex noticed upon their rolling into the grounds was the sign on the side of the driveway that told them to keep everything locked up in the metal boxes right at the edge of their slot on the grounds, otherwise anything aromatic would attract bears.

The rain persisted all around them as the three of them all pitched in to pitching their separate tents, a small one for Alex to have all to himself, and a slightly bigger one for Florence and Eric, right underneath the thickest ponderosa right at the center of the campground.

Once Alex had set up his tent and lay his sleeping bag inside of there, he gazed up at the view of El Capitan as it towered high over their heads, the biggest and thickest monolith that he had ever seen. Indeed, the sheer drop of it as it faced them there sent a shiver down his spine, and yet there was something about the sight of that cold granite before him that made him drop his gaze down to his own waist.

The thirst for flesh against his own as well as the firm feeling between his own legs: he stood there before his tent with his hands pressed to his hips, and he returned his gaze up to the top of El Capitan right as it disappeared into the incoming rain clouds. It was right then that he wished he had brought his camera with him: he knew that with the morning hours, the monolith would be out in the clear, complete with the crisp feeling of the cold having left itself behind, all to accentuate everything. There was also Half Dome and North Dome right behind them, the Three Sisters as well as the town of Wawona off to the southern end of the park, as well as the tall wispy waterfalls that lined the rims of the valley, and the myriad of creatures that roamed throughout the park as well as the valley floor before them.

And yet, more rain was upon them, as he sighed through his nose and he turned back to the entrance of his tent; he bowed inside of there, down on his hands and knees, and his long black curls dangled down to his hands. The hard ground made his kneecaps and his hands ache a bit: a part of him wished to be back in the city, and yet, the aroma of the pine in the rainfall as well as the sight of El Capitan right from the tent doors, as well as the realization that the rain would leave Yosemite refreshed and silent come the morning hours made him question his own thoughts.

He smoothed out the head of his sleeping bag and he set up the bottle of water as well as the little black iron hurricane lantern right next to the pillow, and then he doubled back out of there to help Eric and Florence and to have a round of early dinner given it was already the middle of the afternoon.

“Maybe when the rain clears out tomorrow, we’ll go up to Yosemite Falls and Bridalveil Falls,” Eric was suggesting to her as she unfolded the chairs for all three of them.

“Eric, don’t tell me you’re going to make your wife sleep on the hard ground,” Alex declared, stunned. “I was down on my hands and knees just now and the ground hurt me.”

“Oh, no, no, no,” Eric assured him with a shake of his head; his smooth black hair spread down over his shoulder like the actual Yosemite Falls not too far from there. He had this bright twinkle in his brown eyes as well, especially at the mention of Alex being down on his hands and knees. “Remember that blow-up mattress that I asked you to pack?”

“Oh, yeah. Want me to get that?”

“Please. The cooler and the rest of the water, too.” Though it was fleeting, Alex caught yet another little twinkle in Eric’s eye as he walked on over to the car parked right next to the big square brown bear box.

There was something about being on that sprawling valley floor surrounded by the vast stretches of nature and the high stone walls that seemed to extend high up into the darkening sky overhead. The feeling that they were down inside of a hole, and the sheer extent of the monolith and the accompanying rock wall made him feel less than mighty. Francine was also back in the Bay Area and with nothing else to do as well other than the strumming of his own guitar there in the way back part of the car. There wasn’t much to do anyway, not with Florence there with them. He knew that there wasn’t much choice to go about with him as he doubled back to Eric and Florence.

The rain accentuated the pine aroma as well as the feeling that Alex was about to play with fire for the duration of their stay within the campgrounds. He took the blow-up mattress out of the back of the car, still rolled up and with the accompanying pump, and the feeling of it made him think of the feeling of latex against his own skin. Latex to protect from the rain as well as another feeling once he and Eric got alone there, that is if they got alone at any given point.

He was beginning the kindling for a campfire as well as the preparations for dinner. Eric held a long thin campfire match in between his fingers. Though the rain was steady all around them, the small flame rose up over the matchhead.

The dance of fire and water.

He brought the matchhead down to the kindling in the fire pit and the wood smoldered even against the cold of the rain and the cold earth all around them.

Florence nestled down in her folding chair with her windbreaker wrapped around her body and her hands folded over the rise of her bump.

Alex set the mattress down on the ground right next to her.

“How’re you feeling?” he asked her with a slight smile on his face.

“I’m feeling better,” she replied with a wistful sigh. “Hungry, but I'm not in pain so much, though.”

Eric padded over to the picnic table for some more kindling and then Alex leaned in closer to his ex-girlfriend's face.

“You know, if it’s any comfort, I'm in a bit of pain myself,” he whispered into her ear, to which Florence scoffed at him.

“You’re not growing a baby in your belly, big boy,” she taunted him.

“Yeah, but—I'm still in pain, too.” Florence rolled her eyes at that.

“Whatever you say, Alex,” she teased him.

But he told the truth, though: the hard ground underneath his hands and knees left a slight ache in there, plus there was the proverbial pain within him as a result of not having been touched in quite some time. It wasn’t that long of a drive but it had been quite some time since he and Francine had been together, and even more time since he and Eric had had an encounter as well. It was a type of pain, and one that Florence had completely dismissed all on a matter of biology.

Eric returned to them with another small batch of kindling from the little box there under the table, and he added it onto the burgeoning campfire. With a sigh through his nose, Alex doubled back to the car for the cooler full of food: the centerpiece of it all for that night was a box of fried chicken that needed to be heated up through the heat of the fire. As long as it was warm, given the rain picked up all around them: he shivered from the cold wet feeling of the rain upon his hair.

“Make a fire, and you can make life,” Eric declared as the flames began to rise up through the wood down there in the pit.

“Make life as it goes into the pit?” Alex asked him as he set the cooler down on the ground next to him.

“As it goes into the pit, exactly!” Eric burst out laughing at that. He dropped down next to Alex all to fetch the fried chicken and the mashed potatoes out of there and into the open fire. Florence, meanwhile, stayed put as those two young men made dinner for her as the rain came down in droves all around them. Every so often, stray droplets sifted through the branches of the tree overhead, but they were dry for the most part, and the fire helped keep the three of them dry, even if Florence seemed a little less than helpful to them. But Alex sat there at the picnic table right next to Eric, and he watched those spindly hands stick the chicken onto a slender silver skewer for the new round of heat inside: the potatoes would have to be reheated through the base of the small metal pot at the bottom of the cooler, but it was nothing too extreme.

Alex thought of the warmth of Eric’s body against his own, especially as rain water dripped down the sides of his head through the roots of his hair: though he would have the pleasure of a tent all to himself, there was something about the whole thing the more he thought about it.

And it took Alex a second to realize that the rain had completely drenched Florence’s feet, all the way up to her knees. Eric took notice and frowned at the sight of her.

“Babe, you’re soaked,” he declared.

“Yeah, you gotta be freezing,” Alex added. “I’ve been moving around and I'm getting cold.”

“Because you keep moving in and out from under the tree,” Florence told him.

“I’m not that wet, I promise you,” Alex insisted as he nudged a dry lock of hair behind his ear. “Besides, you’re sitting right in front of the fire.” The flames lapped higher inside of the pit there between the two of them.

“But you’re still moving in and out from under the tree,” she pointed out.

“You’re sitting in front of the fire,” he insisted. “Besides, you would think that moving in and out from under the tree would warm me up but I assure you, it isn’t.”

“And I can tell that it isn’t,” she said.

To which Alex frowned at that. Eric even raised an eyebrow at that. An otherwise brilliant woman who worked under the apprenticeship of mechanics and yet her mind was out to lunch from the hormones in her body.

“You can get wet or you can help us out, Florence,” was all Alex could say to that.

“Hey, if you and I were the ones who had gotten married instead, we probably wouldn’t be having this conversation right now,” she pointed out with a wag of his finger. Eric gaped at that, but rather than object, he brought the skewers and the potatoes over to the fire pit to cook it under the wash of rain all around them. Alex put his jacket on over his body and then he took his seat in the folding chair across the pit from Florence, all by his lonesome there.

The smell of fried chicken and potatoes swept over them, such that Alex found himself clutching onto his stomach from hunger. Between the bickering between him and Florence and the fact that he hadn’t eaten since that morning, he was eager to eat something and eat something hearty and warming.

His eyes wandered back to the rock wall beyond the campground. He had run into a wall himself, the feeling that nothing he did was good enough or enough to satisfy even himself. His own hunger, his own thirst, plus the thirst that he felt for some more flesh right next to him, all of it left at the top of El Capitan and it came in the form of his ex-girlfriend seated right across of the fire from him. A primarily shy girl who knew a thing or two about fixing cars as well as airships and she seemed to be the Florence whom he used to know through only her name. Maybe it was the change that struck him sideways, but he itched at the feeling of flesh next to him the more time went on, and the more that the smells of the chicken and the potatoes washed over him and left him feeling hungrier and hungrier.

It was driving him insane, until finally Eric reached for a trio of plates on the picnic table. He served Florence first, and she finally shifted her weight there in the chair. She gasped from the cold feeling on her legs, and Alex refrained from saying anything to her.

And then he remembered as to why he and Florence broke up in the first place. Too much ego there, such that it clashed with his own and it resulted in rather heated arguments. He wanted to let it go, especially since she was obviously in a better place with Eric and they were away from the horrors of what was happening to the Bay Area at the moment, but there was so much that she still had to learn and there was so much that he had to learn as well.

And at the same time, he had a tiny sliver of sympathy for Eric, in that he had clicked with her in their meeting together and yet she seemed so nitpicky towards him and the food that he had made up for her. She wrinkled her nose at the sight of the fried chicken.

“Here,” Eric told her with a smile on his face. She rested her hands upon the top of her belly as he brought her a plate full of food.

Alex shifted his weight in the seat as he rested his eyes on the seat of Eric’s pants. All of his desires fusing together to where it all itched at him. Florence was reluctant to take the plate for herself.

“What’s the matter?” Eric asked her.

“Nothing, it’s just—the smell is all,” she replied. Eric sighed through his nose as he turned back to the other side of the fire pit and he reached for the next plate for Alex. Indeed, when he served him two pieces of chicken with those potatoes.

“I’m absolutely starving,” Alex said with a gentle stroke of his stomach. Eric treated him to a warm smile at that. Alex helped himself to the first bite of chicken: though it had been reheated over a campfire, it was juicy and delicious to him. He closed his eyes and cracked a smile at the taste of the salt and the fried part of the chicken.

He paid no attention to Eric and Florence as he delved into it all. If anything, he was the one who had been eating for two rather than her.

Though she finally picked up the fork and she scooped up a bite of potatoes, Alex was eager to help himself to a second helping of chicken and potatoes. He was feeling better almost immediately, especially when Eric took seconds for himself.

Florence picked at her fried chicken, and as a result, Alex and Eric flashed fleeting glimpses at one another. The former showed the latter a little smile, and Eric kept his attention fixed on him. Alex couldn’t say anything about it, especially with Florence right across the lapping flames from them.

But he knew that there had to be a moment later on during their stay in Yosemite. There had to be a moment in which Florence paid no attention to those two guys.

Once Alex and Eric had finished their second helpings, the rain persisted all around them, but the sky darkened with the incoming nightfall. Nightfall came forth, and they were quite a way away from the Village, to boot as well. Unless the rain continued, there was the possibility of bears coming out to graze.

Alex stood up and stretched his arms over his head. Feeling warm and soft inside, he wanted nothing more than to lay down to sleep next to Eric there in that solo tent.

“C’mon, Alex, help me clean up,” Eric advised Alex right then. The two of them picked up their plates to dispose of them; Eric closed the top of the garbage bag and Alex took the rest of the food to the bear box at the edge of their campsite.

Florence, meanwhile, went lay down in the tent closest to the tree once she had barely finished her food. The rain continued over them, although the cold breeze from the sheer drop at the face of El Capitan told them that the snow wasn’t too far away: she was right about one thing, that was for certain.

The fire continued to burn there in the pit before the barren picnic table and Alex and Eric stood before each other. Before he could get a word into him, Eric then rubbed his hands together.

“Shall we turn in for the evening?” he suggested.

“It’s only six o’clock,” Alex pointed out.

“There’s not much we can do, though, Alex,” Eric replied with a shrug. “I could give you the keys and you could drive over to the village, but I don’t know what there is to do over there.” He adjusted the hem of his shirt and he doubled back to the car for his suitcase: after that, he would climb into the tent to be with Florence for the night. Alex watched him take the suitcase out of the trunk of the car, which in turn left him alone there.

He turned his attention to El Capitan far beyond the edge of the campground. The clouds over the crown of the monolith made the stone appear darker than ever.

Maybe he could in fact climb into the car and drive over to the village for a quick walk before the rains iced over and became snow. Maybe he could do something over there to relieve himself in a way. It wasn’t a city but it was a piece of civilization.

He shivered as Eric returned to their campsite, dressed in his pajamas and with his jacket over the top shirt.

“Can you come with me over to the village?” Alex asked him in a hushed voice. Eric raised his eyebrows at that.

“I’m in my pajamas, Alex,” he flatly replied as he put his suitcase back into the trunk.

“That’s... kind of the point,” Alex insisted with a little tilt of his head. Eric hesitated for a second, and then he pressed his hands to his hips.

“Alex, I’m not going to cheat on my seven-and-a-half-month pregnant wife with you,” he scoffed at that.

“But you have, though,” he insisted. “You have in the middle of the night.”

“Yes, we both couldn’t sleep worth shit,” Eric pointed out, and he reached into his jacket pocket for the car keys. Alex then sighed through his nose, but even through the flickering flames off to the left of them, he could see the fire in his own eyes. Only a few feet away from them was Florence, already lain down in the sleeping bag there.

Alex sighed again and Eric handed him the keys.

“I’ll be right back,” the former told him in a low voice; and he swore that Eric flashed him a wink. He went back to the tent and Alex climbed into the driver’s seat.

He headed out of the campground and he followed the signs over to the village.

Indeed, there wasn’t much to go about with the village, rather than some restaurants that all appeared to be closed for the night as well as the incoming snow and upscale rustic houses that made the blue-collar kid in him see stars in his own eyes. He pulled over before the lodge as he spotted the coffee maker in the front window; he bowed in there for a little cup of it as well as some chocolate for himself.

He stood there before the window as he watched the rain fizzle down from the blackened sky: through the light over the top of the window, he noticed the rain beginning to drift.

It was right then he knew that he was a city person.

It was also right then that Alex knew that he had boogie on back to home base and the campground. He thanked the park ranger in there before he headed on out again. Through the winds through the trees beyond the village came the chill of the snow. The northeastern side of the park had already taken the hit of the snow and ice, and more came his way. He bowed into the car again and he returned the way that he came, back to the comfort of Eric and the tent of his own.

Lucky for Alex, he returned to the campground well before the rain became snow. He climbed out of the car with his coffee and his chocolate, and he was quick to take his pajamas out of the suitcase over in the bathrooms and return again for the safety of his tent and a book to read.

He sat upright in his sleeping bag with the door closed, his book in hand, the lantern lit up right behind him, and the coffee and chocolate to his right. Though it wasn’t late, it certainly felt that way as he propped himself up on his pillow and began to read himself to sleep. Blackness crossed the sky overhead. His eyes drooped closed a couple of times and yet it wasn’t in him to fall asleep as of yet, especially when he knew that if he was back home in the Bay Area, he would still be wide awake.

Add to this, he had his flannel pajamas on, but he was still cold. The trees protected the campground from the extra harsh winds from that sheer front of El Capitan, and yet his sleeping bag and the blanket inside only did so much for him.

The coffee was rich and hot, and yet he missed something else right next to him. The feeling of another body next to him. Through the filmy fabric of the tent, he noticed the light of the hurricane lantern emerge from the neighboring tent. There was a slight gasp and he knew that it was Florence. Heavily pregnant, and therefore having to climb out of bed to use the bathroom every couple of hours.

He was surprised that she kept it in this whole trip over from the Bay Area as they had only stopped a couple of, granted, rather prolonged, times on the way.

But as he bit into the chocolate and sipped on the chocolate some more, it dawned on him that that was it.

The chance to be next to Eric out there in the open.

Alex downed the rest of the coffee and then he tucked the bookmark into the pages. He climbed out of the sleeping bag, and he climbed out of the tent. The fire still burned, albeit with smaller, colder flames, but it gave him enough light to work with. He crept over to the tent doors and he knelt down at the base.

“Eric?” Alex called out to him with a clearing of his throat. “Are you awake?”

“I’ve been awake,” Eric flatly replied. “We accidentally pitched the tent over a pine cone, and naturally, I'm lying on top of it. She's also just—in a shitty mood, too. Right after you went over to the village, she and I got into an argument about s’mores. S'mores, Alex. Of all things on Earth right now. We bickered over making s’mores.”

“Well, I can’t sleep,” Alex whispered to him.

“What would you like me to do?” he asked him, also in a whisper.

“I need some relief,” Alex told him.

“What do you mean?”

“No, I mean... I need some relief. I need the feeling of your body against mine, the feeling of everything and nothing against my own skin while we’re out here in the cold.”

A loud zipping noise sliced its way up through the darkness before him: through the dim glow of the fire, Alex was face to face with Eric’s pale round one and those dark brown eyes.

“I need it,” he whispered to him. “I need it. It's good for me. It's good for you, too.”

“Alex, please, I’m married. Plus, she’s literally right over here, dude, and she’s going to be coming back in like a couple of minutes. What if we wake her up?”

“Oh, please,” Alex scoffed, and rolled his eyes. “Have you seen her when she’s kicked back a bunch of food before?”

“I have, yes. And—” Eric sniffled. “Do I smell coffee?”

“Yes, you do,” Alex told him. “I’m all out of whack being over here. It feels so late so I can’t seem to stay awake, but I also can’t fall asleep because it’s still early and now I’ve got a cup of coffee in me. It's like being out on tour in a different time zone but worse because there’s not much to do in the meantime, either. It’s probably the most bizarre gray area ever to be in...” His voice trailed off a bit. “Also, I still have your keys. Here, tell her that you came over to my tent to talk to me about—I dunno, a new album or something. Come over to my tent—come over to my place, I have coffee and chocolate.”

“I do like chocolate,” Eric proclaimed with a shrug of his shoulders. “I was wanting s’mores, too.”

“Hopefully tomorrow we’ll have s’mores,” Alex assured him as he lent him a hand.

“Nah, I’ve got it—” Eric slithered out of the bag sleeping bag pressed up against Florence’s bag, and he closed the doors so no rainwater made its way inside of there. With the light of the fire at their backs, the two of them made their way over to Alex’s tent, and almost immediately, Eric set a hand on the seat of Alex’s flannel pajama bottoms.

“Whoa,” he blurted out.

His grin accentuated by the golden light of the hurricane lantern in the corner of the tent, Eric stooped down through those filmy doors as Alex climbed into his sleeping bag first; he moved the chocolate bar out of the way for Eric to lay down himself right next to him.

Once they were both cuddled up next to each other, Eric slid his hand down the small of Alex’s back and onto the seat of his pajamas once again.

“This is nice,” Eric remarked in a low voice.

“This is quite nice, actually,” Alex added. “I’m a lot warmer, now.”

“Yeah, me, too. I love Flo to death, but the tent over there was so cold, though. I was just thinking about s’mores and how we didn’t pack any of the makings because—” He shrugged his shoulders, albeit in a stunted way because of the snug sleeping bag wrapped around their bodies.

“Oh, right,” Alex replied in a flat tone of voice. “She can’t have chocolate.”

“No. You know, I'm getting a little depressed about her being pregnant.”

“Why?” Alex knitted his eyebrows at that.

“Well, you know her, Alex. You went out with her before she and I got hitched. She used to be really fun and cute and now—she just mopes around all the time now. I have to repeat myself several times to her, too—like the little conversation the two of you had earlier was just one example. I feel terrible saying that because there’s nothing neither of us can do about it.”

“True,” Alex said; his fingers wandered their way down to the waist of Eric’s pajama bottoms.

“I mean, she was genuinely excited to come here to Yosemite for a bit, especially since it’s been a while since it had snowed over here, too.”

“Right, right...” His fingers made their way inside: those fast fingers that played such rapid-fire solos on Testament’s songs, and they managed to slither into Eric’s shorts without his knowing.

“And... well. I don’t—really know, now. You know, I think about that comment she made earlier.”

“What, the ‘if you and I got married instead’ remark?” Alex recalled.

“Yeah, that one. You saw me—she said that as I was standing right there right behind you. So—to be perfectly honest—Alex?”

“Hm?”

Alex’s fingers caressed down the shaft to the head: the warmest skin and the warmest spot in an otherwise cold, wet place. They locked eyes for a moment, Alex’s ocean-blue ones to Eric’s soft earthy brown ones, but it was long enough for them to bring their faces closer to one another for the most passionate kiss yet.

They were outside, in the wilderness, under the foreboding power of El Capitan and Half Dome in the heart of Yosemite Valley, surrounded by nature. The earth took the two of them in her arms and cradled them both as she would the highest point on the northeastern side of the park as well as the little prehistoric rivulets on the valley floor.

Eric ran his hand down Alex’s ass onto the back of his thigh. It took Alex a second to realize that he was helping him take his pants off right there, right inside of the sleeping bag. Alex did the same for Eric, with his pajama bottoms down his legs, too.

“Do not make a sound,” Eric whispered to him.

“What are you guys doing!” Florence declared, and they both froze right inside of the sleeping bag.

Alex cleared his throat. “Chatting,” he quipped.

Florence scoffed and she continued onto the tent. Alex and Eric looked into each other’s eyes again.

“Make this quick?” the former offered him in a hushed whisper.

“May as well,” Eric said with a crestfallen look upon his face. Alex sighed through his nose again.

They were out there in the wilderness, and by the power of the wilderness as well as the impending snow, the slow, glacial passion returned again. He closed his eyes and Eric brought his lips to the side of his neck: Alex curled his toes to the feeling. He gripped harder on Eric’s dick for a better job at handling.

Meanwhile, Eric brought his hand back to the full shape of Alex’s ass for a bit of a tickling there. Next thing that Alex knew, he could feel Eric’s hard dick against his own.

Though they would have to move at the pace of one of the many waterfalls around the valley, not even Florence’s quips could stop the burgeoning fire between them. Skin on skin. Warmth against warmth, away from the cold rain and the incoming snow.

Alex ran his fingers down Eric’s bare thigh and back up to his hip. Eric caressed Alex’s ass and the back of his thigh as if it was the softest thing in the world. Alex parted his lips and treated him to a soft moan: the coffee and the chocolate had done their job in having him jump the gun of arousal, and all he needed was the feeling of Eric’s skin against his own.

Alex could feel something liquid on the front of his thigh.

“Oh, shit,” Eric muttered.

“No, no, it’s okay,” Alex assured him. “I’m more worried about my own getting on the inside here.”

But Eric still opened the sleeping bag so he could ejaculate outside of there. He then returned to Alex, who gasped at the cold feeling against his warm skin.

“Yeah, you like that, big boy?” Eric teased him. Alex pinched his eyes shut as the feeling welled up inside of him. He was rising higher and higher, up the sheer side of El Capitan, all the way to the snow-capped top. The wind picked up outside of the tent, and yet they were safe inside of that little bundle that was the sleeping bag.

He parted his little cherry lips and let out the softest moan, so soft that it may as well have come in on the back of Yosemite Falls. Eric kissed him on the side of the neck.

“This was a good call, baby doll,” he whispered into Alex’s ear.

Maybe it was the illusion that it was so late because once the two of them had come for one another right then, they had fallen asleep in the sleeping bag together. So much for a quick round, as not even a nascent family with Florence in the other tent could put a cap on their passion.

But nevertheless, Alex awoke to a worried look on Eric’s face through the cold darkness.

“Alex,” Eric whispered. “Alex, there’s a bear outside.”

Alex froze in place.

“What,” he declared.

“There—is—a—bear—outside,” Eric repeated. “I really have to go pee, too. And I have to go back to the other tent, too.”

Alex swallowed and he held still. Indeed, a rustling noise outside of the tent caught his attention. It sounded like a bear rummaging through the garbage can. It made no sense, however, especially since Eric closed the garbage bag and Alex had put everything in the bear box after dinner. He then thought about his cup of coffee as well as the chocolate bar underneath the sleeping bag.

But then again, he wondered as to why the bear hadn’t come into the tent if that was the case.

He swallowed and he sat up in the sleeping bag. He reached for the hurricane lantern to the right of his head. Eric lingered right next to him as he switched it back on and, once his eyes adjusted to the light, he very slowly opened the doors. He held his breath as he expected to see a big grizzly bear out there but the golden light spread over the fine white plumage of a barn owl rested upon a little pile of snow on the bear box. Alex peered up to the sky, which had changed from jet-black to a pale pink with snow.

“Is it?” Eric asked as he leaned his head into the doorway.

“Oh, no. Just an owl.” He returned to the sleeping bag. “Where’s that chocolate bar, I’m not taking any chances.”

“You know, chocolate’s an aphrodisiac,” Eric pointed out as he picked up the lantern for himself.

“That was the point.” Alex winked at him, and Eric showed him the tip of his tongue at that.

“How’s the village, by the way?” Eric asked him.

“Cozy,” Alex told him. “It’s what you would expect, too. Maybe in the morning, we can go on over there for some breakfast and then maybe a little more—you know—” He flashed him a wink. “When Florence isn’t looking.”

“A little roll in the snow,” Eric declared with a smirk.

“Exactly!”

[thechembow]

Fog and Failing Crafts as the Energy Shifts Again

Mar. 4, 2023

Another big snow storm is coming to California, and this storm will also bring several inches of rain to the Bay Area and other parts of central and northern California. The Sierras are already buried in snow, with over 12 feet reported, and in Yosemite, 15 feet of snow fell over the last week!

This weekend’s storm will bring another 1 to 5 feet of snow for the Sierras. The precipitation will cover most of California.

The craft that were flying today became weaker and weaker as the day progressed and OR increased. A rolling fog by late afternoon indicated the OR transmutation leading up to the storm. Craft were thrown off course and curved in the OR vortex. Trails broke up an the craft had a holographic and bright look by early evening as they hurried to get out of the atmosphere before the shift.

The precipitation forecast for the next 24 hours is significant:

And in the next week, California and the west will continue to receive huge amounts of precipitation:

The jet stream is moving in a natural west to east motion, bringing ample precipitation to all.

[lesliehardison13]

Discover The Glistening Gold Coast

It has bigger spikes, is more aggressive and displays its beard action more in general. But everything their website said during this place was absolutely . This flower is the floral emblem of Western australia. There a wide range of other sights and sounds to experience during your stay. From your bed and breakfast in Sydney that the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge Walk, a tour of the Opera House, a scenic seaplane flight, plus quite a few other activities. View More: topkhanhhoaaz.com - Top Khanh Hoa AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Khanh Hoa AZ: Bùi Quốc Bảo - Bui Quoc Bao It is the state flower of South Australia. It grows on a creeping plant and could be found in various shades of red. The bottom of the flower is either purple or schokohrrutige. It can be seen in Central Australia too as South Australia. Now area we might start in is Boston in Massachusetts. Grab your car hire from manchester airport and the off! There many museums in Boston that you'll be able to visit, such as the Boston Fire Museum, The J.F.K Presidential Library and Museum along with the Museum of Science, are usually just among other things. There are countless restaurants and cafe's to actually just relax and enjoy some amount of time in Boston, you will never get bored and several always have something strive and do such for the reason that Freedom Trail which will you via a tour of Boston's development.

View More: topkhanhhoaaz.com - Top Khanh Hoa AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Khanh Hoa AZ: Bùi Quốc Bảo - Bui Quoc Bao Clovis people are on the look-out choosing family-friendly measures. Luckily Clovis is lower two hours from the Bay Area, Central Coast, Yosemite, as well as the Sequoia National Park. The closest, family friendly day trip is just east of Clovis in the Sierra Nevada mountains, to Grant Grove on Highway 180. And, when you prefer to drive, numerous spanking new highways this also take you there within five hours from Costa Rica's capitol, San Jose. Should you drive, your adventure will almost certainly take of which you Jaco, just a little city near the central district. Jaco is a famous party town in Costa Rica, a favorite among college kids, surfers, and partiers. And, may fishing outfitters, as well, if determine to stay there. Head northward, and you'll encounter a lot of sandy and rocky beaches perfect for playtime. Drive about 12 miles and you will find the ritzy resort town of Cannon Ocean front. Near a famed Lewis & Clark landmark, Fultano's Pizza sits and emits wonderful smells of Italian cuisine. A good outdoor patio here, could still see some for the sights offered at the end of Second Street, and watch exceptional - even gourmet quality - cuisine during a family pizza joint outlay. From this central location, there are several activities within ten kilometers. Top Khanh Hoa AZ 247 A few miles to north of manchester is the famous Sea Lion Caves which may at least one come by. This is the largest cave involving world where Sea Lions live and breed. Sydney's Central Business District is an outstanding choice for your specific Sydney college dorm. There you have everything. Top Khánh Hòa AZ You have towering skyscrapers 1 hand side and merely a short walk off you can sip a cappuccino at a harborside restaurant's. The range of accommodation in the CBD varies from backpacker to 5 star. 1) Take a hike! You many Khanh Hoa Province well maintained nature trails around th Lincoln City and Newport, Oregon counties. The hike up Cascade Head just North of Lincoln City on Three Rocks Road is fantastic. It's a steep climb through forest until you reach the meadow part of the upper headland. This is protected for cars Silverspot Butterfly so please be courteous and also on the trail. The views from up guidelines breathtaking. Tin Top Khánh Hòa AZ News Foods high in protein continue hiking up a very steep, narrow trail for the top for the headland or even just beyond through more forest to the forest service road to acquire total of 6.6 miles roundtrip.

Shoulder season in other areas can deemed a great time for go. Shoulder season in Europe a person a beneficial chance for nice weather, and you can avoid the crowds that stream there in summer season. Fiordland - Established in 1952, this park houses rivers of ice, deep lakes, unbroken forests and tussock grasslands. Located near the far southwestern corner from the South Island, the nearest town is Te Anau.

Having spent a decade living on the Gold Coast, I have most of favourite places. The best by far are exciting world of class beaches sweeping the length of the coast. Imagine driving the beach strip in your own home on wheels, and because have found a stretch you love, the freedom to set up as long as you you must. The Gold Coast has so much to offer, and a campervan is the ideal way to travel and see the sights. Slidell is bordered to the east along with West Pearl River, which flows from it's headwaters in find out what of the Nanih Waiya Indian Mounds in central Mississippi and drains into the Rigolets Khanh Hoa Province and finally into the Gulf of Mexico. The Pearl is home to the Honey Island Swamp, one on the most beautiful and least-altered river swamps in usa. It takes it's name from tales of abundant wild honey done by renegade bees that had escaped their beekeepers. When regardless of whether look to the resort to book for your forthcoming MB vacation, there are some key questions that you will need to respond to ensure either the best vacation experience achieveable. Let's take a look at those questions here here. The country central coast is considered one of the wonders of entire world. In the central coast of California, you understand the attractive Big Sur with its charm, the pure pristine sand of Camel and the elegance of Hearst Adventure. This is the particular ideal destination for pampering, camping, a position for wine and the wildlife. It also has Monterey Bay coming from the south of California, through Santa Barbara and Ventura. Actually Cocos Island on top of the South Pacific Coast is regarded as the top ten scuba diving places ever! This island is uninhabited is about 310 miles have a scenic coast. Here you can still see many sharks, tuna and rays. Tin Top Khánh Hòa AZ News Maui itself can be a national park and that come below not such a lot tourists as experienced scuba. The Rodman Reservoir, located east on the Gainesville in addition to in the south of Palatka, covers a place of about 9,500 acres of prime largemouth bass ground. The scooter also was established in 1968, Rodman Reservoir has been known for your trophy striped bass. The state's largest bass of 2000, 15 pounds and 17 pounds, came belonging to the reservoir during March. Eat the largemouth bass fishery's success is due to the fact abundant habitat in the type stumps and aquatic vegetation and periodic drawdowns. You don't really need to take a lot of stuff with you but sun tan lotion, prolonged sleeve shirt (for sunlight!), and a cap are great ideas. And, find out if your outfitter includes food and beverages. Some boats provide refreshments and snacks but lots do not! 3) Possess a campfire. Obtain a bundle of wood and some matches, and your folding chairs and take off for one of the day use picnic areas. A large couple of firepits at the South Beach Campground and Picnic area just South of Newport. In Lincoln City, take SE Devils Lake Road east from Hwy 101 (at the opening mall) and drive to East Devil's lake state park. For this parking area, there is often a trail the hill to some more secluded picnicking area having a firepit having a view within the lake. In case you have a canoe, kayak and other small boat, there is a public dock you can set out from. Slidell is really a New Orleans suburb that lies under a canopy of loblolly pine on the northeast shore of Lake Pontchartrain. It's an area saturated with rivers and bayous, where small gravel roads lead to stilted home neighborhoods deep in the marshes an individual wouldn't think neighborhoods would or could be. It's a lowland so low (3 feet, to be exact) that the term "terra firma" doesn't really apply. And in contrast to most places in the country, here one can simultaneously be deep associated with wilderness together stone's throw from a Waffle Household. View More: topkhanhhoaaz.com - Top Khanh Hoa AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Khanh Hoa AZ: Bùi Quốc Bảo - Bui Quoc Bao Written By Author in topkhanhhoaaz.com: Bùi Hữu Bảo - Bui Huu Bao Written By Author in topkhanhhoaaz.com: Đỗ Thị Thùy My - Do Thi Thuy My

[bruceabernathy43]

A Simple Guide To Salmon Fishing

The beach can be accessed by a trail inside campground. Located as central a part of South Island, Twizel will be the nearest the community. If you want a ski vacation, you want to schedule it in a bitter winter. In someplace sunny and warm waters of Costa Rica, the prominent centers are Barra del Colorado and Tortuguero, the famous sea turtle refuge. These waters can often be extremely turbulent together with the outcomes should be generally avoided during rainy season. This lasts from January to March. Tin tuc Top Binh Dinh AZ However, on flat days, this region make available some on the best angling around. Really seriously . where perform find the massive and spectacular tarpon fish easily from May to November. These waters likewise one of this very few places a lucky fisherman might catch the rare Atlantic cruise. Snook (some really big) are abundant at this juncture. You could also bring in a Jack Crevalle, tripletail, giant grouper, or guapote. View More: topbinhdinhaz.com - Top Binh Dinh AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Binh Dinh AZ: Lương Ngọc Nam Khang - Luong Ngoc Nam Khang Limekiln State Park - This 716 acre park is located about 56 miles south of Carmel and offers 33 developed campsites using a small camp store. The park features breathtaking views of and also the Sur Coast, spectacular Redwoods, and other magnificent view. You can't say you've experienced the coast until you've visited the Theme park strip at Oxenford. With so many to select from you purchase a pass and visit them all, or whatever. Dreamworld offers something for everyone, with rides galore, amazing wildlife experiences at Tiger Island and cuddly animal farm, a water park and plenty of attractions. Wet and Wild is just down the road, and the perfect choice for those long summer weeks. We recently piled the kids in the car for the day here experiencing and enjoying the rides, wave pool and Buccaneer Bay for young kids. It's a great destination for any age, including us big kids at heart!

View More: topbinhdinhaz.com - Top Binh Dinh AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Binh Dinh AZ: Lương Ngọc Nam Khang - Luong Ngoc Nam Khang Clovis families are on the look-out for new family-friendly happenings. Tin tổng hợp Top Bình Định AZ Luckily Clovis is less than two hours from the Bay Area, Central Coast, Yosemite, and the Sequoia National Park. The closest, warm and friendly day trip is just east of Clovis in the Sierra Nevada mountains, to Grant Grove on Highway 180. Hidden among dense woods are pretty villages like Peaslake, Friday Street, Abinger and Holmbury St Betty. These placeas are joined together by a maze of narrow lanes, sunk deep into the soft sandstone. Large trees join overhead and provide natural, safe habitats for foxes, badgers and squirrels. To the Northeast of Dorking, the downs rise, most notably at Box Hill, then stretch towards Kent. This is a land of winding lanes and ancient country inns. The following are an accumulation some really notable villages and visitor attractions regarding South East of Great britain. The best part we like about this park could be the beautiful sandy beach is actually why protected by towering sea cliffs. Actual easy access for beach-combing, fishing, swimming and marining. Sunset bay is located next to Shore Acres which had been the home of a lumber baron named Louis Simpson. The gardens are spectacular! Essential want to overlook this web site. The Rodman Reservoir, located east among the Gainesville plus Binh Dinh in Viet Nam the south of Palatka, covers a spot of about 9,500 acres of prime largemouth bass ground. While it was established in 1968, Rodman Reservoir has been known for your trophy bass sounds. The state's largest bass of 2000, 15 pounds and 17 pounds, came from the reservoir during August. Much of the largemouth bass fishery's success is being a result abundant habitat in an important of stumps and aquatic vegetation and periodic drawdowns. Right nearby is a must see for every Australian and visitor alike, the famous Australian Outback Spectacular. We recently experienced the show and left feeling proud to be living the amazing own country. The visual experience is indescribable therefore many much jampacked into a period of time. Make sure you arrive early nevertheless there is a lot to see and do before the show. You do not have to take almost everything with you but tan lotion, a hard sleeve shirt (for the sun!), and a cap are outstanding ideas. And, find out if your outfitter includes food and beverages. Some boats provide refreshments and snacks but lots don't!

In times where a involving us have a much tighter budget it's good to remember all of the wonderful things in life that are free or low cost to may.The Oregon Coast has such beautiful scenery you can literally only spend money on food and gas and have a great time. 1) Have a hike! The numbers of many well-maintained nature trails around th Lincoln City and Newport, Oregon portions. The hike up Cascade Head just North of Lincoln City on Three Rocks Road is delightful. It's a steep climb through forest until you reach the meadow a part of the upper headland. Bradenton is protected for cars Silverspot Butterfly so please be courteous and also be on the trail. The views from up allow me to share breathtaking. Many continue hiking up a very steep, narrow trail on the top of the headland properly as beyond through more forest to the forest service road at a total of 6.6 miles roundtrip. Andrew Molera State Park - Located 20 miles south of Carmel along Highway 1, this park is still pretty much undeveloped and offers great hiking, fishing and beachcombing opportunities for visitors. This park has 24 campsites offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Large Sur River runs along with the park presently there are miles of trails that wind through beaches, meadows, and hilltops how the whole family will participate Binh Dinh in Viet Nam. But, back to Costa Rica fishing associated with South Ocean. Like any other place where fishing charters go out, the outfitters provide all the device most fishermen want. However, if you're one of those guys who wishes to try flyfishing from sailfish or roosterfish, you should bring your rod and reel. Do not forget to take along your camera to persuade your envious friends back home that seriously landed The big One because these are catch and release waters! Golden Wattle has been the national flower of Australia since 1988. Moreover, in 1992, September 1st was declared as the nation's Wattle Day in Questions. Top Bình Định AZ 24h The flower is yellow colored and quite fluffy. The flower represents patriotism around australia and could be found in a good many parts of that particular country including western Victoria and Nsw. Tin Top Binh Dinh AZ 247 "It was my first time back the actual planet swamp in the event the storm," Neil tells me over the phone two years later on the second anniversary of Katrina's landfall. "It was heart breaking. I am an emotional person, nevertheless i have to tell you I've been in tears." A couple hours on a spead boat with Captain Neil reveals his zeal for this place. Top Binh Dinh AZ News I forged on and basically had the place to myself, passing only about 5 people total a good hour. Gulls circled and soared, a lizard scurried by and a squirrel eyed me of a nearby jewel. I spotted what looked like a heron, still as a statue looking out to water. 1) Have a hike! There are many well-maintained nature trails around th Lincoln City and Newport, Oregon suites. The hike up Cascade Head just North of Lincoln City on Three Rocks Road is beautiful. It's a steep climb through forest until you reach the meadow a part of the upper headland. Bradenton is protected for the oregon Silverspot Butterfly so be courteous and on the trail. The views from up allow me to share breathtaking. Many continue hiking up a very steep, narrow trail to your top belonging to the headland even beyond through more forest to the forest service road to obtain a total of 6.6 miles roundtrip. Sikinos lies to the E of Folegandros. Ormos Skala could be the only harbour on this island. Yachts can go alongside the quay or anchor off. Lot tavernas ashore and some provisions is offered. The setting speaks and desirable to Greek tourist alike. View More: topbinhdinhaz.com - Top Binh Dinh AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Binh Dinh AZ: Lương Ngọc Nam Khang - Luong Ngoc Nam Khang Written By Author in topbinhdinhaz.com: Nguyễn Mỹ Dung - Nguyen My Dung Written By Author in topbinhdinhaz.com: Nguyễn Mỹ Trang - Nguyen My Trang

[high-heels-and-high-weights]

Miss California Class of 2023

Bay AreaCaitlyn Vergara Berkley 1Sabrina Lewis Central CaliforniaPazio Lor Merced CountyAnanya Veerapaneni Yosemite ValleyMackenzie Starnes Sierra NevadaEmma Gerson AnaheimMary Kohaut Anaheim Hills 2Asha Bhattacharya Canyon HillsOlivia Olmstead PlacentiaPaige Williams Yorba LindaChloe Adler San DiegoDiondraya Taylor San Diego CountyLove Bradley San Jocquin CountyAngela Adade Greater…

[thorsenmark]

The GIft of Going to Yosemite National Park by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: While along the bike riding trail next to the Southside Dr with a view looking to the east across a nearby grassy meadow to an evergreen forest and then the distant peaks of North and Half Dome. While I could have angled my Nikon SLR camera slightly downward and captured a more sweeping view across that grassy meadow, I also wanted to have much of the blue skies and clouds above with its different shapes and patterns present. A little bit of the grassy meadow would be in the image leading up to the forest, but the focus would be on the two distinctive peaks off in the distance.

[ubaid214]

California Condor and Bald Eagle: Majestic Birds in Flight

California, California, also known as the Golden State, is renowned for its stunning landscapes with diverse ecosystems and a wealth of opportunities for outdoor fans. From imposing mountains to sun-kissed beaches, expansive forests to deserts, California offers a wealth of outdoor activities and natural wonders that you can explore. Whether you're an avid hiker, a water sports enthusiast, or simply seeking tranquility in nature, California's outdoors offer something for everyone. Biker Journals

Majestic National Parks California is the home of an impressive array of National Parks, each providing unique outdoor and landscape experiences.

Yosemite National Park: With its iconic granite rock formations, thundering waterfalls and ancient sequoia groves, Yosemite is a must-see destination for those who love nature. Joshua Tree National Park: This park is famous for its eerie desert scenery and the twisted Joshua trees that offer opportunities for rock climbing, hiking, and stargazing. Redwood National and State Parks Visit the breathtaking beauty of the most majestic trees in the world. They are located in these parks and explore through the ancient redwood forests. Channel Islands National Park The Channel Islands National Park of stunning islands on along the California coast, renowned for their unique ecosystems as well as abundant marine life. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Discover majestic sequoia trees and stunning canyons within this wilderness paradise.

Coastal Beauty California boasts over 800 miles of breathtaking coastline, providing endless opportunities for beach enthusiasts and water sports lovers.

Southern California Beaches: Malibu, Venice Beach as well as Laguna Beach are popular destinations to go surfing, swimming and sunbathing. Central Coast: Discover scenic places like Big Sur, with its breathtaking cliffs and stunning beaches as well as the quaint coastal charm of towns like Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo. Northern California: Experience the rugged beauty of the coast in locations such as Point Reyes National Seashore and the majestic Mendocino County.

Outdoor Recreation California's varied landscapes accommodate many outdoor activities.

Sierra Nevada Mountains Hike along the breathtaking Sierra Nevada mountain range, with trails like the John Muir Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail offering breathtaking views and difficult terrain. Lake Tahoe: Nestled in the Sierra Nevada, Lake Tahoe is a popular destination for water sports like paddling, kayaking and sailing. Eastern Sierra: Explore world-class rock climbing areas within Yosemite Valley and Joshua Tree that offer thrilling experiences for climbers of all skill levels.

Watching birds and wildlife Watching California's diverse ecosystems provide an array of species of wildlife.

California Condor and Bald Eagle You can spot these magnificent creatures in their native habitats, particularly in areas such as Central Coast and Sierra Nevada. Marine Life: Visit Point Reyes National Seashore and the Farallon Islands for opportunities to observe gray whales, seals, sea lions, and other marine mammals. Bird-watching: Salton Sea Salton Sea, an important stopover for migratory birds across the Pacific Flyway, offers exceptional bird-watching opportunities.

Conclusion California's natural beauty is a treasure trove of those who love nature. Whether you're exploring the awe-inspiring national parks, soaking up the sun's rays on gorgeous beaches, participating in thrilling outdoors activities, or watching the diverse wildlife, California offers an unforgettable outdoor experience. So pack your gear and hit the trails and begin a journey exploring the Golden State's natural amazing landscapes.

[rabbitcruiser]

Mono County, CA (No. 2)

Mono County is a county located in the east central portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,195, making it the fourth-least populous county in California. The county seat is Bridgeport. The county is located east of the Sierra Nevada between Yosemite National Park and Nevada. The only incorporated town in the county is Mammoth Lakes, which is located at the foot of Mammoth Mountain. Other locations, such as June Lake, are also famous as skiing and fishing resorts. Located in the middle of the county is Mono Lake, a vital habitat for millions of migratory and nesting birds. The lake is located in a wild natural setting, with pinnacles of tufa arising out of the salty and alkaline lake. Also located in Mono County is Bodie, the official state gold rushghost town, which is now a California State Historic Park.

Source: Wikipedia

[boissonsaumiel]

Project Log:

Equipment Capacity:1gal🫙: 1 of 4 in use ½gal🫙: 3 of 7 in use 47oz🫙: 1 of 2 in use . In Progress: Batch No.070823 | ½gal🫙 1¾lb🐝 Honey: Sierra Wildflower Source: Sierra Nevada Mountains Brand: Kingsburg Honey Stg. 1: D-47 sub water for brewed Hōjicha (Numi) Stg. 2: TBD Batch No.071823 | 1gal🫙 4lb🐝 Honey: Yosemite Wildflower Source: Yosemite Brand: Yosemite Honey Co. Stg. 1: Day 1: K1-V1116 D-47 立山小種 (Stash) 3lb🐝 10☕ IG 1.130 Day 7: 1☕ Day 15: 1lb🐝 ½☕ Stg. 2: split into 1L bottle w. roses (4/28 pasteurized), 750ml bottle Batch No.090123 | 1gal🫙 3⅛lb🐝 Honey: Black Button Sage Source: Glendale, California Brand: Lili Honey Stg. 1: K1-V1116, gall nut tannin Stg. 2: ½gal root beer spices Batch No.092423 | 1gal🫙 3⅛lb🐝 Honey: Cactus Flower, gall nut tannin Source: Mexico/Arizona Brand: Topanga Quality Honey Stg. 1: K1-V1116, gall nut tannin Stg. 2: split into 2 bottles, 1 sarsparilla bottle, one blended with forbidden rice 103123 Batch No.103123 | 1gal🫙 16cup饭 Rice: Forbidden Rice Source: Northeast China (东北) Brand: ??? Stg. 1: Shanghai yeast balls w/ kōji, cooked rice Stg. 2: split into one 1L two 16oz bottles, remainder blended with Cactus No.092423 Batch No.110523 | ½gal🫙 +⅓cup⚪ Juice: Pomegranate Source: Clovis, CA Brand: n/a -> home grown, harvested & pressed Stg. 1: D47, pectic enzyme, white sugar Stg. 2: bottled in 16 oz bottles, + 1l blended w/ blackberry 011324

Batch No.112423 | 1gal🫙 + 3lb麦 Carbs: Oat Flour, Maca Powder, Molasses Source: Canada, Peru, tba Brand: PuroRaw, Nuts.com, tba Stg. 1: Shanghai yeast balls w/ kōji, 11cups Teeccino brand Chaga Ashwagandha Butterscotch Cream Mushroom Herbal "Coffee" Stg. 2: racked into milk bottle, remainder dumped

Batch No.122023 | 1gal🫙 3lb🐝 Honey: Sierra Wildflower Source: Sierra Nevada Mountains Brand: Kingsburg Honey Stg. 1: Bourgovin RC212; sub water for brewed Hōjicha (Numi) Batch No.011324 | 1🫙 3lb🐝 Honey: Blackberry Source: California Brand: Topanga Quality Honey Stg. 1: D-47, red wine tannin Stg. 2: split into ½gal (4/28 pasteurized); ½gal pomegranate 110523 blend (pom blend bottled in 1L bottle & 750ml bottle) Batch No.020124 | ⅓gal🫙 1lb🐝 Honey: Sierra Wildflower Source: Sierra Nevada Mountains Brand: Kingsburg Honey Stg. 1: EC-1118, 金师尊(光敏) Stg. 2: 4/28 bottled, pasteurized Batch No.032324 | 1gal🫙 3lb🐝 Honey: Cactus Flower(~2.5lb) + Manuka (~0.3lb) + Wildflower (~0.2lb) Source: Mexico/Arizona, New Zealand, Uraguay Brand: Topanga Quality Honey, PRI, Trader Joe's Stg. 1: D-47; sub water for silver needle white tea, gall nut tannin + red wine tannin Stg. 2: TBD .

Finished batches:

Batch No.052123 | 1gal🫙 3lb🐝 Honey: Desert Wildflower Source: Arizona Brand: Crockett’s Honey Stg. 1 Ferm.: EC-1118 mulling spice blend* Stg. 2 Ferm.: n/a Batch No.060123 | ½gal🫙 1½lb🐝 Honey: 2:1 Sainfoin, White (Wildflower) Source: Central Asia (天山) Brand: Arashan Stg. 1 Ferm.: EC-1118 ~2 cup fresh rose petals v Stg. 2 Ferm.: n/a Batch No.060323 | 1gal🫙 3lb🐝 Honey: Avocado Source: California Brand: Topanga Quality Honey Stg. 1 Ferm.: EC-1118 Stg. 2 Ferm.: sur lie (no racking) Batch No.061023 | ⅓gal🫙 1½lb🐝 Honey: Organic (multi-floral) Source: unspecified Brand: Nature Nate's Stg. 1: EC-1118 sub water for fresh coconut water Stg. 2: 1oz root beer spice blend steeped 2.5 days** Batch No.061123 | ½gal🫙 1½lb🐝 Honey: 1:2 Sainfoin, White (Wildflower) Source: Central Asia (天山) Brand: Arashan Stg. 1 Ferm.: EC-1118 cardamom 2 days Stg. 2 Ferm.: 1g saffron Batch No.061223 | ⅓gal🫙 1lb🐝 Honey: White (Wildflower) Source: Central Asia (天山) Brand: Arashan Stg. 1: EC-1118 Stg. 2: add to batch No. 061623 🫗Batch No.061623 | 750ml🫙 ⅔lb🐝 Honey: 2:1 Sainfoin, White (Wildflower) Source: Central Asia (天山) Brand: Arashan Stg. 1: EC-1118 Stg. 2: lavender & rosemary | absinthe 🫗Batch No.070523 | ½gal🫙 8cup饭 Rice: Short Grain Sushi Rice Source: California Brand: Lundberg Stg. 1: Shanghai yeast balls w/ kōji, cooked rice Stg. 2: ½cup crepe myrtle flowers ½cup allulose Batch No.070723 | 1gal🫙 3lb🐝 Honey: Yosemite Wildflower Source: Yosemite Brand: Yosemite Honey Co. Stg. 1: D-47 Stg. 2: gall nut tannin; aryuvedic spice blend

Batch No.110623 | ½gal🫙 +1.5lb🍁 Syrup: Last Run Maple Syrup Source: Putney, VT Brand: Hidden Springs Stg. 1: K1-V1116, 1L coconut water, ⅛tsp balsamic vinegar, ⅛tsp red wine tannin

*cardamom, cloves, star anise, mauby & cinnamon bark, orange peel **A&J's Root Beer Spice Blend by Nelson's Tea: sarsaparilla, burdock root, birch bark, star anise, fennel seed, cinnamon chips, licorice root, coriander, dandelion root, chicory root, cloves, ginger root, juniper berries, unspecified "natural flavors" ***coriander, fennel, cumin

[yosemiteweddingphotographers]

Love Amongst the Peaks: Yosemite Engagement Photographers

Nestled amidst the peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains lies a breathtaking natural wonderland - Yosemite National Park. With its soaring granite cliffs, cascading waterfalls, and lush meadows, it's no surprise that Yosemite has captured the hearts of countless couples seeking to immortalize their love in this stunning setting. That's where Yosemite engagement photographers come in! In this blog post, we'll explore some tips for capturing romantic photos in one of America's most beloved national parks and highlight why choosing a skilled photographer can make all the difference when it comes to preserving your special moments amongst these awe-inspiring peaks.

What is Yosemite?

Yosemite National Park, located in the central Sierra Nevada of California, covers an area of nearly 1,200 square miles. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and attracts millions of visitors each year with its stunning array of natural wonders.

One of Yosemite's most famous features is the granite cliffs that rise up to over 3,000 feet above the valley floor. These majestic peaks are home to some of the world's most iconic rock formations such as Half Dome and El Capitan.

The park also boasts numerous cascading waterfalls including Yosemite Falls which stands at a staggering height of 2,425 feet. In addition to its dramatic landscapes, Yosemite is also home to diverse wildlife including black bears, mountain lions and bighorn sheep.

Beyond its natural beauty, Yosemite has played an important role in American history as well. Native Americans have called this land home for thousands of years while it was later discovered by European settlers during California’s gold rush era.

Today visitors flock from all around the world for hiking trails that lead through meadows filled with wildflowers or to witness breathtaking sunsets against a backdrop like no other – making it one unforgettable destination!

Tips for Engagement Photos in Yosemite

Capturing engagement photos in Yosemite can be an incredible and memorable experience, given the breathtaking scenery. However, it is important to ensure that you are fully prepared for your photo session to achieve the desired results.

Firstly, make sure that you have appropriate clothing for the shoot. Dress comfortably while also considering the weather conditions in Yosemite during your visit.

Next, scout the location before taking pictures on your actual day. This will help you identify perfect spots for capturing beautiful shots of love amidst nature's glory.

Consider shooting at different times of day so as to capture varied lighting and backgrounds depending on what type of mood you want to convey through your photographs.

It’s also essential to find a professional photographer who has experience working with natural light photography and outdoor settings such as Yosemite National Park - they'll know how best to bring out those unforgettable moments between two people in love amongst stunning mountain ranges!

Don’t forget about bringing along props or accessories which add a personal touch making the photos even more special!

How to Shoot a Romantic Photo in Yosemite

Capturing a romantic photo in Yosemite is not such a daunting task. With its scenic beauty and breathtaking landscapes, the park provides plenty of opportunities to capture memorable moments with your loved one.

Firstly, it's important to choose the right time of day for your photoshoot. The soft light during sunrise or sunset creates an alluring atmosphere that can make even the simplest shot look truly magical.

Secondly, try incorporating natural elements into your photoshoot. Whether it's holding hands while walking through a wooded area or sitting on top of a large rock overlooking an expansive valley, these natural backdrops can add depth and interest to your photographs.

Thirdly, play around with different angles and perspectives. Experimenting with unique camera angles can create interesting visual effects that will set your photographs apart from others.

Don't forget about body language! Encourage genuine interactions between you and your partner to evoke authentic emotions that will translate beautifully through the lens of your photographer.

By following these tips, you'll be able to capture stunning romantic photos in Yosemite that tell the story of love amongst the peaks.

The Final Product

After a wonderful day spent among the stunning peaks and breathtaking landscapes of Yosemite, it's time to see the final product of your engagement photoshoot. This is where all the hard work comes together in a beautiful collection of images that capture your love story perfectly.

One thing that sets Yosemite engagement photographers apart is their ability to use natural light to create stunning and romantic images. From soft golden hour sunlight filtering through trees to dramatic sunsets over granite cliffs, these photographers know how to make the most out of every moment.

Another key aspect of the final product is post-processing. Skilled editing can make colors pop, add depth and dimensionality, or even remove unwanted distractions from an image without losing its essence. Yosemite engagement photographers understand this process well and can deliver polished photos that are as gorgeous as they are meaningful.

Working with a talented photographer in Yosemite guarantees you'll have treasured memories captured forever in pictures. The final product will be something you can cherish for years to come - a testament not only to your love but also to the beauty of one of America's most awe-inspiring national parks.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Yosemite wedding photographer offers a remarkable and awe-inspiring experience for couples seeking to capture their love amidst the stunning beauty of Yosemite National Park. Their expertise in capturing the perfect moments of love and commitment shines through their breathtaking engagement photographs. However, to extend their services and cater to a wider audience, it is recommended that they also promote themselves as "Yosemite Wedding Photographers." This expansion would allow them to capture the magical moments of couples' special days in Yosemite, showcasing their exceptional skills and further establishing themselves as the go-to photographers for couples seeking unforgettable wedding memories in this remarkable natural wonder.

To achieve the perfect shot, preparation is key. Whether you're hiring a professional photographer or taking photos on your own, consider factors such as lighting and time of day to ensure your images are breathtakingly romantic.

Remember that the most important thing is to have fun and enjoy each other's company. The natural beauty of Yosemite will do the rest!

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California Dreaming: Exploring The Best River Rafting In The State

Are you looking for an adrenaline-filled adventure in California? Look no further than whitewater rafting! With its abundance of rivers and diverse terrain, California offers some of the best whitewater rafting experiences in the country. In this article, we will explore the top river rafting destinations in California, with a focus on the American River.

The American River is one of California's most popular river rafting destinations. Located in the central part of the state, it offers three different sections for rafting: the South Fork, the Middle Fork, and the North Fork. Each section has its own unique characteristics and difficulty levels, making it accessible for everyone from beginners to experienced rafters.

The South Fork of the American River is the most popular section for rafting, offering Class III rapids that are perfect for families and beginners. The Middle Fork is more challenging, with Class IV rapids that require some previous experience. Finally, the North Fork is the most difficult section, with Class V rapids that are only suitable for experienced rafters.

But the American River is not the only option for whitewater rafting in California. The state also offers many other great rivers, including the Tuolumne River, the Kaweah River, and the Merced River.

The Tuolumne River is another popular destination for whitewater rafting in California. Located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, this river offers Class IV and V rapids, making it a great option for experienced rafters. The Kaweah River, located in Sequoia National Park, is also a popular destination, with Class III and IV rapids that are perfect for families and beginners. And the Merced River, located in Yosemite National Park, offers Class III and IV rapids with stunning views of the park's famous granite cliffs.

When planning your California whitewater rafting adventure, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, make sure to choose a reputable outfitter who can provide you with all the necessary equipment and safety information. Second, be prepared for changing weather conditions, as California's rivers can be affected by seasonal changes and snowmelt. And finally, remember to have fun and enjoy the beautiful scenery that California has to offer.

In conclusion, California is a mecca for whitewater rafting enthusiasts, offering a wide range of rivers and difficulty levels for everyone to enjoy. The American River, with its three different sections, is a top destination for river rafting in California. However, there are many other great options to choose from, including the Tuolumne River, Kaweah River, and Merced River. So, pack your bags, grab your paddles, and get ready for an adventure of a lifetime!