Feeling pretty re-energised after some much needed warm weather, a taste of the Californian countryside and a magnificent three day trek through Yosemite National Park, we're now on our way back to the coast towards San Francisco.

As soon as we heard the National Parks were open again after the recent government shutdown, we decided to head inland to visit Yosemite. Over the coastal mountain range we were finally able to shed the thermals and ugg boots! The weather was considerably warmer, so we decided on a slight detour through what our guidebook describes as the 'Gold Country'.

After a hot and dusty day of driving we searched for a campground somewhere near Nevada City. This proved difficult and after getting a bum steer from some locals, being denied a site at an RV only fairground then driving 10 miles out to what turned out to be a bible camp with a locked gate, we eventually settled on a quiet roadside pullover... we vowed never again to drive into a town based on the hope that there would just happen to be a campground!

After all the stress, early the next morning we drove into town and noticed at least three people blatantly sleeping in the front seats of their car on the main street! Not sure what we were so worried about the night before, we laughed it off and got on our way. We didn't get very far as the next town over, Auburn, was having a very popular Antiques fair. So to start the day we sat down to a delicious All-American breakfast overlooking the bargain-hunting masses. And it was served by some genuine, decent, country folk.

From here we really hit the gold country. Coloma is the place where gold was first discovered in the US on the morning of January 24, 1848, by a lumbermill operator called James W Marshall. Much like in Australia and other parts of the world, this historical event triggered a mass migration of fortune seekers from all over, including an ever-opportunistic Chinese community.

It was a pretty landscape too, with dusty rolling hills cut through by sparkling fresh rivers and streams. Along route 49 we stopped at lots of charming little tourist towns, complete with preserved old mills, shops and jail cells, old school ice cream parlours and costumed local actors. We even detoured for lunch at a vineyard in Plymouth, just to water our appetites for the upcoming Napa/Somoma valleys.

A little more driving and we arrived at Yosemite National Park. The road into Yosemite Valley was pretty majestic as we entered on sunset, with famous towering outcrops of rock glowing in the evening light. Compared to most of the state parks we'd camped so far, it felt pretty busy so we quickly arranged an overnight backpacking trip in an effort to get away from the crowds and really appreciate the beauty of Yosemite.

We raced around gathering permits, supplies and even a mandatory bear-proof food canister, and eventually left the car and set off for Little Yosemite Valley Campground. It was a long slog up and out of the main valley, but we were kept entertained by a series of waterfalls and breathtaking views. As we were setting up camp a coyote casually walked past, and some other campers apparently saw a 500 pound (massive) bear on the river bank after dark! After our grizzly encounter in Jasper, we weren't too worried and lay on a gigantic log to watch shooting stars before retiring to the tent.

The next morning was cold, and Aidan must have ingested a few nasty bacteria after splashing his face with creek water, because he had a wave of nausea and even fainted whilst waiting for breakfast to cook! We were both a little concerned about the 14 mile hike up to Clouds Rest and back that we were planning to do that day, but after a good warm breakfast Aidan's immune system kicked in and it was like nothing even happened. The half a bulb of garlic we had with dinner the night before probably helped.

The rest of the hike went extremely smoothly, and there really isn't much else to say except that every step was absolutely breathtaking. It's pretty hard to capture the awesomeness of this place in text, but the photos will give you a glimpse of what this place is all about. They mentioned in the visitor centre film that most people sense a spirit or greater being among the surrounding granite and thundering waterfalls, and we reckon we just might have too!