Grand Canyon, North Rim

Much less busy than South Rim.

camping area at 2400m...     one morning we got up and our gallon water jugs were half frozen (10 october)...   

Amazing plunging views looking down eons of geological history.  

(Click on  Photo for large view)

Yosemite NP

The famed Yosemite -  where John Muir worked and went camping with the President, Teddy Roosevelt for 3 days.... which president is down to earth enough to do such a thing nowadays ? 

Did a 2 day hike into the high country near "half dome"  very awesome walls of granite.  We were very lucky to get a camping spot up in the valley, even though it was late October, there is no real low season.  The best way to see US Nt Parks is to have a big pack and arrive on foot, do through hikes ... car camping can be frustrating.  State parks and State forests just outside NPs are far less busy.

We had a day and night of solid rain which made the waterfalls go from dry to massive.

 El Capitan

 Half Dome

 Bridal Veil Falls

 Bear or Coyote

San Francisco walkthrough

Went on Foot through the steep streets of San Fran. Saw a part of the city.  
Lots of different trams - art eco 60s ones,  old 1900 style ones - variety and diversity of people and lifestyles, far more than in Australia.  Lots of characters on Market street.

We stayed in a YHA in the state park just the other side of the Golden Gate bridge.  Great ocean, with seals,  sea lions, dolphins and great whites.
Suprised to see "Drake bay", as Sir Francis Drake, who helped defeat the Spanish Armada,  sailed around South America and as far as San Fran... repaired his ship and then sailed to Asia and back to England .... they were much tougher and more intrepid than we are... 

 Board at REI, the USA's big chain Outdoor store

(Click on a Photo for large version)