Mariposa California

After leaving lovely San Francisco on a Friday afternoon we were met with a little traffic.

We navigated through it and made it safely out of the city.
Our next leg on this journey takes us to Mariposa, Ca. to visit Yosemite National Park.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariposa,_California
Mariposa is a quaint little western town with lots of shops on the main drag!
http://www.visitmariposa.net/

I booked us a night at the Best Western 

so we will be close to Yosemite in the morning!

http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwestern/US/CA/Mariposa-hotels/BEST-WESTERN-PLUS-Yosemite-Way-Station-Motel/Hotel-Overview.do?propertyCode=05440

This is the only hotel I could find with a vacancy
near the west entrance closest to the giant redwoods!
http://www.yosemiteexperience.com/

I really wanted to get lodging in the park but everything is reserved a year in advance, bummer.

So, we checked in our room and headed out to search for something to eat! 

We found a great pizza place and it was packed!

http://pizzafactory.com/locations/mariposa/

Some of the best pizza we have had on our epic journey! lol,

and we had no idea it burned to the ground a few years prior.

http://www.modbee.com/2012/05/13/2196971/fire-burning-entire-block-of-downtown.html

After our pizza we decided to take a little walk. 

So much traffic, crazy!

We talked to a shop keeper who said that the fires were spreading 

and that there were calls for more evacuations. 

http://goldrushcam.com/sierrasuntimes/index.php/news/local-news/613-bridge-fire-in-mariposa-county-on-friday-september-5-2014

A bridge is burned out in oakhurst and roads are closed.
We knew there were fires in the area but the TV stations had reported them being under control.
We saw fire trucks earlier but didn't know where they were heading. 

Now we know... there's a fire blocking the road leading to the Yosemite entrance near 

Mariposa Grove where the giant redwoods are...oh no!

When we returned to our hotel it was packed with evacuees. 

All the rooms were sold out so they just camped out in the lobby and parking lot.
I overheard one of them saying that they stay packed up and ready to go
 since they are called to evacuate all the time!
I guess that is just part of the life while living in the dry forest.

Now to re evaluate our plan for navigating the park in the morning, lol.
Just part of the adventure... Yosemite Part 1 tomorrow!