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The Logger’s Retreat is a Treat You Can’t Beat–Yosemite

We’re back from Yosemite, exhausted and tired, but could not wait to sit down and share a note. The Logger’s Retreat, the house we rented at the south end of Yosemite is the most incredible house on the planet. Well, the most incredible place one could want to stay with children, or without them, and be close enough to the park, but also have enough things to do in the area if you never wanted to leave the house at all. For you honeymooners, that’s a HINT.

The Web site hosted by the owners is an exact representation of what you shall find at The Logger’s Retreat. It has three good sized bedrooms with views all to die for. There is a large living room, large family room with additional sleeping spaces, a kitchen filled with every kind of pot, pan or utensil you could ever want to use, and a pantry that you add to and leave stuff behind for the next lucky visitors.

Out behind the house is an area for a campfire. Next time we go, we will no doubt also take a tent so the kids can sleep outside if they should like. Buy lots of Hershey’s bars, Graham Crackers, and marshmellows if the fire warnings are not bad. We were lucky, they were moderate when we got there, but by the time we left, it had gotten extreme and campfires were no longer allowed.

The water pressure in the house is something we don’t have here in Texas what with all the Codes and Ordinances governing water usage, so you can enjoy a shower, you can enjoy cooking, you can make for a bath and the water will be hot and fill fast.

Outside you can be treated to some of the most breath taking views you could hope for. There is not a curtain to be found in any room of the house and you won’t want it for all the views you shall have. I was surprised to find no AC in the place, but we never needed it because we followed directions about keeping cross venting going. And trust me, I don’t like being in a hot house. We never had this problem and slept with the windows open every night in late June.

We had a great trip with all seven of the kids. There even is a crib for the youngest one. And the laundry room. Well, take half the clothes you would have had to take to a hotel, and you will need it. I’ve never seen any of my three girls as dirt-covered as they were for those wonderful days we were in Yosemite and by noon of each day, their clothes were just caked in dirt.

I’ve posted here before that I had had best days of being dad, but the five days and four nights we spent living out of The Logger’s Retreat were by far, by far, by far the best of anything I could have imagined. I saw each one of my children, remember, we have seven of them, do a lot of growing up and learning about themselves while we were in Yosemite. We did a Southern Style breakfast that only Grandma Claxton could have better cooked one morning and it was just the quintensential, Norman Rockwell of times sitting there looking at all those kids sucking in food because they were so hungry from the activites of the day before.

Speaking of the days before, warm the hot tub up and go sit in it each morning before the kids get up to loosen up muscles you forgot you had, then drive back into the park and climb to the highest point with them you can. We got up to the water breaking points of Bridalveil Fall and even Lower Yosemite Fall, something we could not do last year because the snow level was down, way down this year.

And if you run out of food, don’t worry, Oakhurst is just down the road 15 minutes, and there also is the General Store in Fish Camp, where you will get nothing but the best of kind service, a warm smile, and encouragement to come back again.

The only thing I didn’t care for about the trip was the attitude of the lady who runs the Sugar Pine Railroad across the road from The Logger’s Retreat. We have seven kids. Kari and I road the train on Saturday night last year after eating a small piece of gristle-laden steak and we paid almost $90 to do that. When I explained to the owner of the railroad that we’d like to do it again, could possibly even feed the kids before coming down to the train, but we wanted them to have the experience and $250 was going to be too much, she suggested that we “save up our money.” I don’t think she understood me. Her train, while it sounds great and the atmosphere is good, will never be worth $250 for nine people.

So, I went to Raley’s in Oakhurst, bought us $40 in steaks, stuff for Smors, and we had our own fire, told our own stories in the backyard behind the house, and listened to the train’s whistle while saving more than $200.

Train lady, if you ever read this, what you offer still will never be worth $250. She’s got a perfect understanding of how to run a railroad….. (Funny, I’m told the brother of one of the guys who owns the train now, built The Logger’s Retreat.)
But Mr. David from The Logger’s Retreat, you shall find no kinder. The Logger’s Retreat is a treat you can’t beat.

Thanks, David and Suzanne. You gave us memories for which we shall never be able to repay you, all for a low rate and first rate accomodations.

DC

Dads Center What I Want Most of Father’s Day

What I want most for this coming Father’s Day is just some special time with my kids.  We’re taking a trip soon to Yosemite.  That’s going to be my rich reward for being a father this year.  Getting the kids in tune with nature, the likes of which they have never seen.

Matt Wixon of TDMN’s 10 tips to dads

Pretty good stuff here.  Worth following the link.

I see green, dad’s doing something

Well, much has happened since the last posting.  They put in the deck Tuesday.  They finished the plastering on Friday.  We began filling the pool with water at 11:29 a.m. Friday. As of 6:30 on Saturday morning, it’s still not even up to the top of the first of three steps in the shallow end.  Apparently, our pool is that big.

Yesterday I laid down 80 pieces of sod and planted the first of five bamboo plants and put them in a line in front of the shed at the rear of the yard.  The hope is that one day we won’t see the shed any more.  Kari was gone when I began planting.  She said she saw green sticking up over the fence as they came down the alley.  She told the boys, “I see green.  Dad’s doing someting.”   Trying to cover up the dirt as much as possible so neither of the dogs are continuing to track mud into the house.  I think we’ve endured enough mud and  dogs going inside the house to last a lifetime.

I put a lone green plastic chair on the decking area at the deep end of the pool.  In the morning, it faces the sunrise.  In the p.m. it faces the west.  It looks as though Grandpa put it there and had been on a visit to the house.  Kinda gives a familiarity to the whole thing.  I remember when mom and dad put their pool in in Montgomery in the 80s.  Grandma sat at the edge with her feet dangling in the water and relaxed.  Arthritis already had begun to take its toll on her by then so I guess it was a comfort to just sit there.  Wish they were here today to share in this new adventure.

Off to the back porch now.  We got a three-person swing for Kari to enjoy.  A lot of assembly required.

Oh, and pecurliar as it is, we noted there was a LARGE black spider sitting on the edge wall just above the water’s line yesterday afternoon.  Today, he’s taking to skimming across the water’s top.  Didn’t know a spider could float or walk on the water, but this one can.  Fascinating creature.

Sure was nice to sit in grandpa’s chair and hear the wind rustling through the bamboo leaves….

Trip Prepping, Pool Sanding

In a few weeks, we load up all the kids to take them to Yosemite National Park in CA. Yes, all the kids. Hopefully, we can begin to instill an appreciation in them for the things of the wild and the beauty of mountains, the likes of which none of them ever has seen. My mom and dad took us to Yosemite a bunch when I was a kid, now it is my turn to carry on the tradition. I told Kari last year when we were there that it was odd to be in the park without my parents. The dozen or so times before I’d been there it had always been with them. Funny how those voices and experiences of the past seemed so prevalent. Now I cannot wait to see the expressions on the faces of the kids as they see the steep drop offs, the raging Merced River full of melting snow, the thundering of the waterfalls, and the majesty of El Capitan and Half Dome. And not to forget the sequoias. They just have no idea. We’ve tried to get each of them to read a little about different aspects of the park so they’ll have some idea of what they’re seeing when they get there, but nothing will take the place of actually being there.

And then there is the Sugar Pine Railroad. Kari and I rode it into the woods last year for a special campfire singing in the mountains at night. Never shall I forget the sounds of that engine and the whistle sounding into the moonlight night air. The singers even sung Wabash Cannonball for me. “Here’s to Daddy Claxton…” Absolutely splendid.

We’re also going to get to go by our old house in Atwater, and eat at a Mexican restaurant in Merced called The La Nita Cafe, where we ate all the time when I was a child. And not to forget Round Table Pizza in Oakhurst. YUM. There is no better pizza anywhere.

After our days in the mountains, we’re going to also take in Fisherman’s Warf in San Fran. Dad reminded me mom got sick once when we went there from bad seafood.

I read a column the other day from a guy who said that trips without things going wrong are boring trips. His point was how many stories do you remember about trips when everything went as planned? He has a point, such as the fact that last year we’d booked a convertible for our car, and cussed every time we drove past someone in one because the views would have been stupendous. Well, different airport this year and we’re trying for two of them. Keep your fingers crossed. I hope we have a good trip with few unplanned adventures.
I thought the day on the boat was the best day of being a dad. I’m hoping and praying that the nights we take the kids to Glacier Point for sunset, the days along the Merced, the hikes to the foot of Yosemite Falls where you shiver from the cold mist of the spray from water falling a thousand feet onto hard rock, through the rocks and trees to Bridalveil Fall, and climbing this huge steep granite rock on Tioga Road, and maybe, just maybe, if the stars are right, a ride on the Sugar Pine RR on a Saturday night, all amount to a string of the best days as a dad. Not that we have to be doing the extraordinary for it to be a great day, but for the specialty of the moments, I can hope for nothing less.

Black cloud

I used to think that the only person who I knew who really had a black cloud following them around was my ex.  Now, it appears that our decking crew literally has black clouds following them around.  They came early Sunday morning with sand to cover up the mud and to do rebar.  Well, they got 90 percent of the sand in place and then — wait for it — the thunderstorms hit.  They’re now coming back in the morning to rebar, hopefully, before the inspectors get here.  Argh.  Then we have to wait for some dry weather so they can pour concrete.

We’re so deseperate to get this phase of work done, I even got out there with a shovel myself to help move things along before the rains came.

I must say, the yard looks a lot better with the sand covering up the dirt that once was mud.  So close now, and still so far away.

Decking anyone? Really. Anyone.

Well, we were told yesterday the workers would be here, Saturday, before noon.   We kinda lingered this morning in hopes of a miracle.  One that never came.  Along with the workers who said Wednesday they’d be back the next day.  It’s Saturday now.  We were fined $50 Friday because the city came out to inspect because the decking was supposed to be ready for inspect Friday morning.  The fine was paid, now, well, looks like a call has to be made early Monday morning to get them to not come out Monday a.m. or it’ll be another fine.  I’m so disgusted with the whole deal right now.

We went and looked at plants for the backyard.  Have found some great possibilities.  Problem is, we can’t get fokes here to finish the project so we can move forward.

Chances for rain Sunday and Monday–now 50 percent.  We’re going in the wrong direction.  Again.  My guess  twho weeks ago was that the concrete would finally get done yesterday.  Who ever would have expected there to have been this much rain?

Who’ll Stop The Rain?????

I’ve actually played that in the past week as it so eqlloquently sums up my feelings.   Day 33 of pool construction and of the past 24 days now, two hours of work has been done to get our deck done, and it still isn’t.  Wednesday night, I even got a bucket and a shovel and went out and drained the decking areas of standing water so that when the workers came back Thursday, they wouldn’t have an excuse to not work.  Well, they didn’t need the wet ground here.  The sand lots in Dallas had closed and they couldn’t buy any and so, no work.  Friday?  Same deal.  They word late yesterday was that they’d be here before noon today with dry sand.  Well, guess what happened at 1 a.m.?  It came a flood.  Pretty cool thunderstorm with tons of rain.  And yes, now the low spots where the concrete is to be poured have nine inches of standing water again.

I’m seriously to the point of where even if the pool was done, 1, we couldn’t swim in it cos it’d be too cold.  And 2, I’m so frustrated with the whole deal, I don’t want to even think about swimming in it.   Kari and I’ve cleaned up so much dog poop it’s not even funny.  The dogs can’t go out back for all the mud.  We’ve pleaded and pleaded with the pool company to just get the deck poured so all the mud will be covered up…

So please, get out your CCR albums or download the files off ITunes if you don’t have it already and play, Who’ll Stop The Rain.  Maybe that will work.  Sunday and Monday’s forecasts at this point?  Forty percent chance of more rain.  And a 100 percent chance of having to clean up more dog poop cos the dogs went before we could get them to go outside………