It was time to take a little break from hiking. So I drove down into Yosemite Valley and rented a bike for a 1/2 day! A clunky, heavy, awkward baby blue beach cruiser I’ve lovingly named Petal (like “pedal”, lol). She’s a bit of a diva, coasts easily downhill but is stubborn about doing any incline at all. It definitely wasn’t a break from exercise but it was still a brilliant day.

The bike path circles almost the whole valley in a set on interconnecting loops, extending much further eastward than even cars can go so the only way to see sights such as Mirror Lake one has to bike or walk and it was far too hot today to walk!

It was quite hot, about 98°F, when I returned my bike at 1:30pm. Once again the sky clouded over and a few booms of thunder rang out but unfortunately no rain arrived to cool things off. Time to head back to camp.

Just beyond the bike loop, driving out of the valley, one passes the legendary El Capitan. There were lots of cars parked on the roadside with their occupants staring up at it, trying to spot climbers, but I couldn’t see any. Looking at the sheer magnitude of vertical face of it, I have to think anyone attempting to climb it is insane!

Back to my campground by 4pm so with plenty of time for a dip in the creek and to relax at my little site before darkness falls.