HalfDome Hyjinx II

[Red neff Barchetta]

Sal -
Thanks for the great info.!  
I printed it out for my BIL.  He'll appreciate the info. regarding Priest Grade considering he's driving a behemoth MH pulling a Yukon!   :yikes:
You can bet I'll be IN FRONT of him before we hit the Grade.  Should arrive 1/2 an hour ahead of him then.  

Dianne -
You trouble maker you!  
Can't wait to hang out with you.  

[6Quigs]

Sal -
Thanks for the great info.!  
I printed it out for my BIL.  He'll appreciate the info. regarding Priest Grade considering he's driving a behemoth MH pulling a Yukon!   :yikes:
You can bet I'll be IN FRONT of him before we hit the Grade.  Should arrive 1/2 an hour ahead of him then.

Jeff, Tell your BIL that when he reaches Priest Grade, have his DW jump out and get in the Yukon, and leaving it hitched up behind the MH, she can start the engine and drive it up the grade, giving the MH a little push as they go along.
Should be able to make good time

Actually, if I remember from last year, it was the sharp turns that dictated the 20mph speed going up hill rather than the steepness of the hill.

[6Quigs]

Sactocamper

Old Priests grade = 1575 ft rise/10560 (2 miles) run = 15% grade!

Priests grade (hwy-120) = 1575 ft rise/26400 (5 miles) run = 6% grade. Not bad, but slow and winding.

Ha, I found this in the thread from last year.
Thanks Sacto

[calstate360]

Actually, if I remember from last year, it was the sharp turns that dictated the 20mph speed going up hill rather than the steepness of the hill.

Yup it's the turns that kill you. Last year I thought I would be smart and ignore the speed limits. Bad idea, half of the cabnets opened up and spilled their contents, Buddy and Killer were extremely unhappy with the shower of equipment falling on them and let me know it as soon as I let them out of the camper shell.
Sal

[Calstate361]

Just wanted to add a bit in addition to Sal's note about the fruit stands, the gas, etc.

 
The fruit stand on the corner of 120 and Jack Tone Road is one of the easiest to get in and out of and has a large enough parking area for TV and Trailer or PU.  Not only do they have a very good selection of olives, but they have flavored honey, salsa, chutney, nuts, candy, an of course the fruits and vegies.  It has been a long time since we have stopped at any of the other stands because this one has such a nice selection.
 
As for the gas, it is almost out of town (Oakdale).  It is an ARCO station and will be on the right side of the road.  If you watch for a large shoping mall on the left, the ARCO is on the right at the stop light.  If you see the A&W (on the left in the Mall parking lot) you have just passed the ARCO station.
 
When you get to the Ranger Station the Ranger will come out to register you.  Tell them you are with the Superhost Group, under Lutz-Vasquez.  Last year they had it under Lutz, so if you say both, they will find it.   I will also do what I did last year and watch for you to come in and help tell the Ranger what group you are with and then direct you to where we will be.  The groups with the Superhost are supposed to camp in the Sun Valley loop, but last year, because they were not busy, they let us camp in Pine Circle which is the opposite side and closer to the playground, basketball, shuttleboard, horseshoe, and mini golf areas.  It worked out really nice because we were parked back to back and congregated down the strip between the backs of the PUs and trailers.  We will be arriving on Wednesday (8/4) so we will check with the Superhost Manager and see if he will let us camp in Pine Circle again.  It would be much easier on the parents because they can watch the kids play at the playground without leaving camp (ask the Quigs!) and the kids/adults would not have to walk all the way up to the ranger station to cross the road to get to the playground from Sun Valley.   We will try our best to make this happen, but we won't know until we get there.  If you look at the campground map that is linked in the first post, you can get your bearings and understand what I'm talking about.
 
Now, for the potluck(s).  Do we want to gather Saturday morning and just bring what each family has to one area and share?  If so, just list what you might be bringing.  It doesn't look like Larry (Sammy Slave) will be coming so Nick and I will have to take over the cooking!  :yikes:    Then there is Saturday night.  Last year we kind of winged it because people went to Yosemite that day and we didn't know when they would return.  We had planned for 6:00 p.m., but due to some returning late, we stalled until 7:00.  So what do you want to do this year?  The same thing?   It would get kind of late for the kids.  Anyway, post what you plan to bring for breakfast and dinner so we don't end up with duplicates.  THANKS
 
Joan

[calstate360]

For those of you who might have heard of the current fires in the park,
more info can be found here.
http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/8855040p-9743567c.html
 
It does not look like a major concern and should be out by the time we arrive.
Joan will be calling the campground Monday to give them the list and she will ask about the situiation. Be aware this is no where around the campground and only affects the view of Half Dome from a distance.
Sal

[calstate360]

Here is the latest list we have. If you are not on it and think you should be contact me or post a reply. We still have 13 sites available.
Sal
 
The Calstates
A friend of Sal's
6Quigs
Red Neff Barchetta
Nef's Bil
Otter
Mustang
Champ521
Gwenzilla
Nick
Mysticomet &
Diego, Jessica, & Brian
Darcamps

[calstate360]

Once again I need someone to take a phone call and post to the board if there are any last minuite changes after I get there. I haven't had the time to fix my laptop so I can't do it myself.
Any volunteers? This would be on Wed. the 4th.
Thanks
Sal

[Red neff Barchetta]

Sal -
I will be around home all day on Wed., 8/4.  So call my voice mail # (bus. line) on the NNC contact list and then I'll post any info. (cg loop changes, etc...) here.  I'll get your message pretty quickly.  E-mail me if you need to confirm that #.  Don't bother with my cell phone as it doesn't have voice mail (I hate having too many places to check messages at) & I won't hear it ring due to noise (see below).

We are having our backyard completely re-done and I'll be out back doing some of the grunt work (tearing down decks, making a clear path for the tree guys to come in, & general demolition type fun stuff   )  Mon., Tues., & Wed. before the pro's come in the next week and create a shiny new backyard (& deplete my wallet     ) for us.  I even get to use a jack-hammer to tear-up a small section of concrete - should be fun (only because it is a small section).    

Wed. afternoon I'll be in camping mode as we load the food, clothes, & bikes for Thursday morning.

[6Quigs]

Jeff,
thanks for offering to update us with Sal's phone call.
I would do it, but will be away from my office all day.

Good luck with the yard work, and I hope it is not too hot that day.

Only 18 days to go to Yosemite!!  

[calstate360]

Sal -
I will be around home all day on Wed., 8/4. So call my voice mail # (bus. line) on the NNC contact list and then I'll post any info. (cg loop changes, etc...) here. I'll get your message pretty quickly. E-mail me if you need to confirm that #. Don't bother with my cell phone as it doesn't have voice mail (I hate having too many places to check messages at) & I won't hear it ring due to noise.

Thanks Jeff
I have the number, check your e-mail and see if mine are getting through. I need your Bil's names for the campground.
Sal

[Red neff Barchetta]

No problem at all Sal.  

I just returned your e-mail (which did get sent to my spam account, but I was able to retrieve it) with my phone # & their names.

17 days to go!  

[Calstate361]

I just finished talking with my contact at Yosemite Lakes and faxed him my list of attendees. According to the computer it looks like they will be full before and after that weekend so we may not be able to camp where we were last year, in Pine Circle. However he said that when we (the Calstates) arrive on 8/4 we will check in with him and he may move people around so we can park in Pine Circle. So, I guess we will be calling Jeff/Red Neff and letting him know where we are on the evening of 8/4 so he can post it for all of you.
 
No one has answered me about what we want to do with the Saturday Morning breakfast and Saturday Night Potluck??
 
Joan

[Nick]

I just finished talking with my contact at Yosemite Lakes and faxed him my list of attendees. According to the computer it looks like they will be full before and after that weekend so we may not be able to camp where we were last year, in Pine Circle. However he said that when we (the Calstates) arrive on 8/4 we will check in with him and he may move people around so we can park in Pine Circle. So, I guess we will be calling Jeff/Red Neff and letting him know where we are on the evening of 8/4 so he can post it for all of you.
 
No one has answered me about what we want to do with the Saturday Morning breakfast and Saturday Night Potluck??
 
Joan

Hey Joan,
Look at the NNC website for the definition of Potluck.

[Calstate361]

:rolleyes: SSSSHHHHHUSH, Nick, most of the people coming to this rally are newbies and I was just trying to find out from them if we wanted to gather for Saturday breakfast and what time for Saturday night pot-luck, since a lot of them will be doing the tourist thing in Yosemite. NOT what they are bringing. AND, what is on the NNC web page IS NOT an official by-law, so there! :p
 
 
Joan