Sarah Palin and Hurricane Ike weren’t widely broadcasted, talked about or thought about along the Mist Trail at the base of the 317-foot Vernal Fall in Yosemite National Park Saturday.

The crowds gathered to see the great waterfall were talking only about a few things — the strenuous hike, the beautiful site and the much-needed water fountain nearby.

Tourists in the heart of Yosemite — a park surrounded entirely by giant mountains, woods and bears — didn’t have much connection at all with the real world.

And they didn’t care.

Nature’s wonders were enough to keep everyone occupied, physically and mentally.

But much like a computer battery left unplugged from the wall, a news junkie cut off from the world needs some time to recharge.

My honeymoon took me to Yosemite and the California coastline. It’s beautiful country, a mix of craggy mountainside and gorgeous Pacific Ocean waters.

My new husband and I — both newspaper folks — intentionally unplugged from the world.

We didn’t talk on our cell phones. We didn’t check e-mail. And for much of the trip we didn’t have access to a TV.

We did read a few local newspapers and occasionally listened to satellite radio in the car — but for the most part, we were clueless about the world.

It’s an odd feeling. We’d left Natchez in the wake of Hurricane Gustav and knew Ike was barreling into the Gulf. But it was Friday before we heard anything else about the hurricanes.

On the last leg of our trip, we were driving from a place with no TV to a place with TV, and we were both eager to plug in to the world again.

Now, back at home again, news is all around us. But I can’t quite keep up yet. I’m not charged up.

Life moves slower along the California coast. It takes an hour to drive 30 miles around the mountains. And you don’t hurry when you are staring at a beautiful ocean sunset.

Small mountain towns with only three restaurants move at their own pace, not the world’s pace.

If you read the instructions that came with your laptop’s battery, or even your cell phone, you know it’s best to occasionally let the battery run completely out before recharging.

Doing so allows your computer or cell phone to drain, then fully recharge later when you plug it back into an outlet. It increases the overall life of the product.

After a week in California, I’m convinced the human battery needs the same kind of treatment.

Most of the time, your battery needs to be powered up and in use. But occasionally — once a year or so — people need to unplug too.

Get away from the go-go-go society, the FOX News anchors and the constant barrage of life’s news.

Your trusty newspaper will be there when you get back if you’d like to catch up.

The time away will allow your system to drain a bit, then, hopefully be ready for a full charge upon return.

Strap on a backpack, grab a pair of hiking boots and drink plenty of water if you’d like to view some spectacular waterfalls in Yosemite. If you go during the right time of year, you can stand more than 317 feet away from Vernal Fall and still get wet.

Julie Cooper is the managing editor of The Natchez Democrat. She can be reached at julie.cooper@natchezdemocrat.com.