Yosemite Via Trains, Buses and Bikes-

Northern California Pair Make the Journey Using Only Public Transportation

Russ and Paula Sunn are waiting for their northbound Amtrak at the Merced train station. Photo: Steve Newvine

It has been said the journey is often more important than the destination.

A married couple from Chico traveled to Merced and then on to Yosemite National Park recently.

Their story is unique because of how they got there.

Russ and Paula Sunn took their four-day vacation to Yosemite using only public transportation and their bicycles.

The journey started with a three-a.m. wake-up alarm in their northern California home. From Chico, they took a bus to Sacramento. Later in the day, they were on a train from the capital city to Merced.

From there, they took the YARTS bus (Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System) straight into the Park, where they camped for a few days before heading back using public transportation.

Russ Sunn in front of a pristine view inside Yosemite Park. Photo: Russ and Paula Sunn.

The Sunns have foldable bicycles and are packed creatively for their adventure.

“For us, the whole idea is to do a trip like this using only public transportation,” Paula told me as the couple waited to catch the afternoon northbound train for Sacramento.

The pair has considerable experience using public transportation to get around California.  

They pack tight and pack light.

They must not be overwhelmed moving around train stations with lots of stuff they feel they don’t need.

“We each had our bikes, a bag that attaches to the front of the bike, and a day pack that held our camping equipment, clothing, cooking equipment, and most of our food,” Paula said. “Schlepping it on and off trains and buses worked out just fine.”

Russ and Paula Sunn on a memorable vacation in Yosemite National Park. Photo: Russ and Paula Sunn

The couple was among the many families that lost their homes during the devastating wildfires that wiped out the community of Paradise in northern California a few years ago.

“After losing nearly all of our possessions in the Camp Fire, we had to rethink what we would replace,” Paula said. “We've realized that there are some things we could just rent when we needed them instead of making investments in things that we only used occasionally.”

Traveling by public transportation is common in the Sunn household. Russ says they have grown comfortable using buses and trains to get around.

“Paula takes a combination of bus and train to visit our daughter’s family in Santa Cruz every month,” Russ says. “She has the logistics down and makes the trip regularly.”

Using the YARTS bus takes a lot of frustration out of trying to get into the Park especially in the busy summer season.

The Sunns carried their bags and two foldable bikes and could sit back and enjoy the ride as passengers.

The Sunns felt a true sense of accomplishment traveling from Chico to Yosemite using nothing but public transportation and their foldable bicycles. Photo: Steve Newvine

Once inside Yosemite, the Sunns headed to the campground where a site they had reserved online was ready. Soon, the bikes came out as they saw many sites within cycling distance.

 Upon returning from their trip, the Sunns realized that making the journey this way was more satisfying than driving their car.

“Musing over our trip afterward, we realized that by not traveling by car, we met far more people in our travels.” 

The Sunns shared a sense of accomplishment over their journey to Yosemite using public transportation.

They have experienced a lot in recent years and have learned much about being reliant on too many things that families acquire over the years.  

Paula sums it up with a thought about the danger of acquiring too much.

“There's also the knowledge that you can lose everything in the blink of an eye, so there's more reluctance to get too attached to things.” 

Their destination was Yosemite, and they had a memorable visit inside the iconic national park.

But their journey, relying on public transportation and their bikes, made this vacation stand out as something special.

Steve Newvine lives in Merced.

He thanks the members of the Merced-AARP for inviting him to talk about his books and the people he meets when writing his twice-monthly column on MercedCountyEvents.

If your organization would like to have him present a program, you can reach him at SteveNewvine@sbcglobal.net. 

His new book, Beaten Paths and Back Roads, is available at the Merced County Courthouse Museum gift shop or online at https://www.lulu.com/shop/steve-newvine/beaten-paths-and-back-roads/paperback/product-emmv6r.html?q=beaten+paths+steve+newvine&page=1&pageSize=4