California's Central Valley - Part II: Merced and Yosemite

plinko · #1 Posted **May 24, 2026, 6:01 AM**

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Part I: Fresno
Second on my most recent trip through the Central Valley is Merced.

Merced is one of the more interesting cities along the 99. It’s not a super sized like some of the others, but it punches above it’s weight. Less than 300,000 in the County with just 80,000 in the city, it is home to the CV’s only UC campus, a lively downtown, some decent inner city neighborhoods, and a great air museum at the nearby old Castle AFB. I think Merced (along with Modesto) seem to be the cities that at least put the best aesthetic face forward amongst those between LA and Sacramento.

I didn’t venture out to the UC campus (it’s kind of out on its own), but I did explore downtown (which I have never done), hit up the air museum, and then venture just 2 hours into the Sierra to Yosemite, which is one of my favorite places in the entire world.

As always, I share pictures…

MER 001 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 002 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 003 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 004 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 005 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 006 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 007 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 008 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 009 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 010 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 011 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 012 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 013 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 014 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 015 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 016 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 017 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 018 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 019 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 020 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 021 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 022 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 023 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 024 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 025 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

The old Merced County Courthouse

MER 026 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

Replaced by something so lovely…

MER 027 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 028 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 029 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 030 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 031 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

Almond trees forever…

MER 032 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 033 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

MER 034 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

Castle Air Museum, a wonderful collection of planes at the old Strategic Air Command Castle AFB, now serving as Merced’s airport, in nearby Atwater…

CASTLE 027 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

CASTLE 001 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

Blackbird…bitch!

CASTLE 002 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

CASTLE 003 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

CASTLE 004 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

CASTLE 005 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

CASTLE 006 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

One of only 8 B-58 Hustler’s left, and the third that I have seen in person. My absolute favorite aircraft of all time, but it’s not in great condition…

CASTLE 007 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

CASTLE 008 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

CASTLE 009 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

CASTLE 010 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

CASTLE 011 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

The newly restored Black Bunny F-4 Phantom No. 1 (VX-4) from Pt. Mugu (near where I live). Gorgeous!

CASTLE 012 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

CASTLE 013 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

CASTLE 014 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

CASTLE 015 by Michael Stroh, on

Flickr

CASTLE 016 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

F-15C Eagle

CASTLE 017 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

CASTLE 018 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

Harrier

CASTLE 019 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

CASTLE 020 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

CASTLE 021 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

A-6 Intruder

CASTLE 022 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

F-14 Tomcat

CASTLE 023 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

F-4 Phantom Thunderbirds

CASTLE 024 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

A-8 Crusader

CASTLE 025 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

A-4 Skyhawk

CASTLE 026 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

And off into Yosemite National Park. What a special place. My grandparents live IN the park in the early 1990s while I was in high school and early college. My grandfather was a federal marshal, officially protecting the judge in the court, but unofficially being a really well paid bailiff. I spent so much time here exploring, hiking, doing mountaineering school, ride-alongs with the park rangers, and even spent a few weeks doing field surveys with the park landscape architect. It’s one of my favorite places on the planet. Amazingly I’ve only been there once since 1996. It was time to go back…

Cascade Falls. This is along Highway 140 a few miles inside the park. My grandparents lived in a cabin near the base that is no longer there (it was washed away in the floods of 1997).

YOS 001 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

This was their view…

YOS 002 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

El Cap’s nose…

YOS 003 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

YOS 004 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

Horsetail Falls

YOS 005 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

YOS 006 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

Bridalveil Falls

YOS 007 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

YOS 008 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

YOS 009 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

Yosemite Falls (this is a bitch of hike, but totally worth it)

YOS 010 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

YOS 011 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

YOS 012 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

Built by the Sierra Club a long time ago…

YOS 013 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

The magnificent Half-Dome. I hiked to the base of the dome one year, but I was alone and the cables scared me so I turned around. Someday…

YOS 014 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

YOS 015 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

The Ahwahnee Hotel

YOS 016 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

YOS 017 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

YOS 018 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

YOS 019 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

YOS 020 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

YOS 021 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

YOS 022 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

YOS 023 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

YOS 024 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

YOS 025 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr