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I’m usually curious about the origins of names of places whenever they spark my curiosity. So naturally, I was curious why this lake is called Convict Lake. It sounds like the story behind it would be truly interesting. It did not disappoint…
So I went ahead and did a bit of research (OK, so I just typed in “Convict Lake,” and went straight to the Wikipedia entry) and this is what it says:
Convict Lake is a lake in the Sherwin Range of the Sierra Nevada in California, United States. It is known for its fishing and the dramatic mountains (including Mount Morrison) that surround it. Its surface lies at an elevation of 7,850 ft (2,393 m).
Convict Lake has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names. The lake, known to the Paiute as Wit-sa-nap, was renamed by settlers after an incident on September 23, 1871, wherein a group of convicts escaped from prison in Carson City, Nevada. A posse from Benton, California, led by Deputy Sheriff George Hightower, encountered the convicts near the head of what is now Convict Creek. Posse member Robert Morrison, a Benton merchant and Wells Fargo agent, was killed in the encounter, and Mount Morrison was named after him. A Native American guide/posse member, Mono Jim, was also killed in the gunfight, and nearby Mono Jim Peak was subsequently named in his honor. The convicts were captured the following day, two of whom were tried and executed in a makeshift court preceding. The rest were returned to the Nevada State Penitentiary in Carson City.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convict_Lake
Nevertheless, the whole place was quite refreshing mentally, physically, and spiritually, as it’s another outdoor destination which truly shows God’s majesty in His perfect creation; and to be able to share the experience with the family. ✝️
The day after our impromptu family tour at Sacramento we head to Yosemite; again for another day trip.
Yosemite Valley has been inhabited for nearly 3,000 years, although humans may have first visited the area as long as 8,000 to 10,000 years ago. The indigenous natives called themselves the Ahwahnechee, meaning “dwellers in Ahwahnee.” (cont.)
The California Gold Rush in the mid-19th century dramatically increased travel by European-Americans in the area, causing competition for resources between the regional Paiute and Miwok and the miners and hangers on. (cont.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yosemite_National_Park#History
It being a day trip, we made the best of our limited time and took in a much of the sights as we can. Sure, I with we could have stayed a few more nights, even maybe camp, but not this time.
There are still quite a lot of areas good for day trips and pray for another opportunity to visit and stay longer. I did.
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Photos inside
On a whim, a pit stop at Sacramento before going to Yosemite was added to the itinerary.
We justified it by saying since Monica is away from home studying a short visit from us would be much appreciated because we know she misses us so much. We also thought of bringing some things from home (us/our presence) to cure her a little bit of her homesickness. 😂
We wanted to surprise her and call when we get to her apartment. Then we thought, what if she has plans and won’t be able to see us? So a message was sent and the time, date, and place were set.
Breakfast ended up being brunch because of the long waiting line at Bacon & Butter, but the meal was good and the company was better.
After brunch, we jokingly said Monica should bring us around and show us some sights. Turns out she had a free day and she happily agreed. So our impromptu tour guide gave us an impromptu tour around the State Capitol Building/Museum.
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Photos inside
When the family’s complete because the eldest son came to visit on his school break and you can’t take a leave from work you take advantage of nearby places to minimize travel time and will allow you do to a day trip.
One such place for us is the Joshua Tree National Park (aka JTNP.) With the abundance of open space, trails of all difficulty levels and lengths, and surrounded by awe-inspiring rock formations, a day trip is just not enough. But we’ll take what we can get with the time we have.
Joshua Tree National Park is an American national park in southeastern California, east of Los Angeles, near San Bernardino and Palm Springs. The park is named for the Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) native to the Mojave Desert.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua_Tree_National_Park
We hiked. We climbed. We watched. We learned. We explored. We talked. We laughed. We posed. We took photos. We ate. We played games.
Our hearts were full, being in the middle of another one of God’s breathtaking creations and in the middle of our own little loving family.
✝️
More photos inside
Waterslide falls. That’s the description of the ranger at the Visitor Center said when she was recommending us to visit.
The splendor of both the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks reminds me of the verse in Psalm 19:1 which reads, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.”
Though looking at the bodies of water we passed by and went to (raging rivers by the roadside, uniquely majestic waterfalls at the end of the trail), it all also points to God’s glory, to His creativeness, to His perfect handiwork as we all took it all in in awe.
More details about the trip soon.
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My son (using ProTecGamer as his handle) created his first vlog when we went hiking at the Joshua Tree National Park (JTNP) with our church’s youth ministry, CCF Elevate LA. It’s his first vlog so please be gracious, haha!
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Video inside