Coarsegold, CA

Delight-ful Treasures antique shop in Coarsegold

If you blink, you might pass Coarsegold's little shopping area on your way to Yosemite National Park. We didn't blink, so we stopped to see what was in town.  Some great little shops to see...a beautiful antique store called Delight-ful Treasures, (the owner's name was Delight Dugovic),  there were little clothing boutiques, a drive through coffee shop, a little ice cream sandwich shop, a small market and just some interesting little places to see. There was a little flea market going as well, but everybody had a very relaxed attitude about selling anything, as about half the little flea market shops were closed. If you want a little more excitement, you could go to the casino called Chukchansi on your way into town. That's an interesting looking casino. They have shrouds of netting over the entire casino at the top floors due to problems with swarming swallows building their mud nests in the eaves and nooks and crannies everywhere you look. The birds are a protected species, so they are making themselves at home at the casino. Despite their best efforts to discourage the nesting, the owners are losing the battle with the birds!

The proprietor taking a nap, no customers!

Spring is really here in Coarsegold. All the trees are blossoming, the bushes are budding and blooming. It's a beautiful drive from the SKP park to town...the day we went to town, more than half the stores were closed but we still enjoyed the wisteria vines that grew over archways, the cute sign by a little shop that expressed a little attitude, and the smallest floral shop I've ever seen.....There was a neat little thrift shop I stopped in to see and ended up buying a little woolen cap to use for felting for fifty cents.

Back to Yosemite tomorrow to see some more falls and maybe bike around a bit, we'll see....Thanks for all of you who enjoy the blog enough to follow us and thanks for the compliments we get sometimes for our photos and blog. We'd also like to thank those of you who may not be followers but read us from time to time and send us interesting comments and occasional advice! Thanks for being part of the blogging community in one way or another. We really appreciate everybody's interest...Sparky and Eldo

Coarsegold, CA-25 Miles from Yosemite!

Snow on the mountains in the Sierra Nevadas in the distance

We had a relatively easy drive today from Bakersfield to Coarsegold, CA. California 58 to California 99 to California 41, and the only thing difficult about it was some of the highway was in extremely rough condition...I hate that...When you stop, you have to SLO-O-O-OWLY open the fridge as everything has tumbled around inside and fallen everywhere but where it's supposed to be. I've resisted getting baskets to hold things--and the extension bars we used to use in the old RV don't fit the extremely wide double door residential fridge we have now. But I just may have to get something to hold things more securely!

our site at Park of the Sierras

We are staying at the Escapees (SKP) Park in Coarsegold, CA., Park of the Sierras. It is 26 miles from the south entrance of Yosemite National Park. We are staying for a weekly rate of $96.00. WOW! Can't beat that unless you are boondocking somewhere. The SKP park is beautiful...rustic, natural, not as landscaped as the last Escapees Park in Aguanga...very hilly, but we didn't have any trouble getting into our site. It's beautiful here--spring is in full swing, all the trees are fresh with new leaves, the honeysuckle is in full bloom and it is all over the park. The trees are mature and huge. There are a ton of beautiful birds here as well. I might be doing some bird watching!

We're looking forward to spending some time here. We haven't had a chance to explore the town of Coarsegold, yet, but it looks interesting from a trip we took to the grocery store....next two days we will be checking out literature, doing research about the park, and deciding what plans to make.

dusk in the park

Eldy has already found out that some of Yosemite is closed off to visitors because of snow, and that you are required to have chains to be in some areas of the park. Chains? I haven't heard of those since my dad used to put them on our cars for Chicago area winters in the 50's! I guess out west they are a necessity still!

That's it for today...weather is supposed to be great this week...no rain, temps gradually climbing from the seventies to the high eighties. Perfect for hiking and exploring a great national park! See you tomorrow....