Giant Trees

We made it back from a weekend in the Sequoia National Forest late last night. After a much needed shower to wash off two days worth of dirt, sunscreen, and sweat, I finally made it to bed at 2:30am. These late nights are starting to be the norm instead of exception (note to self, NOT good!). My dear friend, David, was the leader of this trip. As usual, he was as thorough as can be, but most notably, had more energy than the Eveready Energizer Bunny. If left unchecked, he would try to fit a 13 mile hike with ridiculous elevation, then cave exploration, then rock climbing, then another 6 mile hike, and if we all brought headlights, a moonlight hike, all in one day! Luckily, we out numbered him and was able to force him down to only 3 activities per day and enough time to eat meals in between. Nevertheless, I was exhausted when I finally made it into my tent on Saturday night. I pulled out a book on mold making and slip casting but my eyes failed me. I must have dozed off after the first paragraph.

The Sequoia National Forest is an unbelievably beautiful and magical place. It houses the biggest trees, in terms of volume, on earth. To hike through the giant sequoia grove is like a scene straight out of Alice in Wonderland. The trees are over a thousand years old, 200 feet tall, and have a base circumference of about 100 feet. Most have visible black scars from withstanding hundreds of forest fires. I was also in awe by the many species of colorful and delicate flowers everywhere. They seem to thrive in the filtered lights coming through the trees. If you happen to be on the west coast and have some time, please consider visiting the Sequoia Forest. You won't regret it, I promise.