Listening to a ranger talk this morning at the General Sherman tree got me thinking. He was talking about the feeling he gets when he comes to the park and sees the trees. That all those people walking beneath their boughs are insignificant in the scheme of a sequoia life. He talked about how he loves to just stop and listen to the sounds of the forest and I had to agree that these majestic beings are so close to grandeur - they were around long before us and will be here well past us.
Today I hopped the shuttle to Moro Point where I climbed over 350 stairs to get to the top of a huge granite outcrop that stretches out across the valley. I won’t say it was easy, I took the ascent very slowly, stopping regularly to catch my breath and slow my heart rate. It was tough, it was hot, it was thin oxygen level air but I made it to the top to be rewarded with 360 degree views around the valley. I even got some nice pics of me thanks to a friendly family.
Back on the shuttle I walked the Giant Trees Trail again in the hopes of seeing bears again. No luck this time but I wasn’t surprised as it was early morning and they would be sleeping.
Onto the shuttle again to the General Sherman tree - the largest of the sequoias in the forest by wood volume. There are taller ones but not with the same thickening of the trunk that occurs once they stop growing up. I like to think I was a sequoia in a previous life!
Back at camp just after lunch I had to buy a new hat as I lost my cap on the shuttle so I now have a Sequoia National Park bucket hat which I think will do me much better than the old cap I had. I also bought a new book as I imagine some of my time at Joshua Tree will be spent in the shade trying to beat the midday heat.
I’m currently reading “Mark of the Grizzlies” by Scott McMillion, which I picked up in my hostel in Seattle. It’s a collection of stories about Grizzly attacks and a really insightful read. My next book is “The Last Season” by Eric Blehm - a story about a High Sierra rescuer who one day goes missing himself. I also have “Bears I Have Known” by Bob Murphy on my to-buy list.
It started to rain this afternoon so I made my way back to the car, snuggled in for an afternoon nap and then a short hike toward a waterfall before changing my mind and heading back to camp. Bears and solo walkers don’t mix and there weren’t any people on the trail for me to pace with so I made the safe choice and returned to camp to read again.
There has been some thunder rolling late this afternoon so we may get some spectacular light shows later tonight.
Last night here, I will miss the beauty of the high country but will be happy not to have to completely clear my car out each day and put things into good lockers. To show you how seriously they take it, my neighbours here left some stuff out before going for a walk. The rangers drove past and saw it and issued them with a fine.
At least at my next few nights I just have to worry about coyotes, scorpions and rattlesnakes - so not too different from home!
Next stop - Lake Mead and the Boulder Beach Campground.
Loving reading about your adventures
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