Our First Road Trip: Sequoia National Park

          We finished packing up 760 Earlham Street, Pasadena and are on our way home.  Somehow my tiny Civic can contain all the contents of our apartment that we brought with us and the new stuff we bought.  My trunk is packed so tightly only sand and water could be added now.  We made it to our hotel around 4 a.m. and slept like rocks until our alarms woke us.

Our hands weren't fun enough to play on, so he jumped onto my glassed then climbed into my hair.

          This morning we got to play with a praying mantis before it flew into the trees.  Then we made our way from the Comfort Inn & Suites into the park.  We bought the America the Beautiful Pass that lets you into all national parks for a year for $80.  It is a very windy road through the mountains to get to the visitor center.  We hear one of the workers telling a group that if they want to do the Crystal Cave tour they need to leave in the next five minutes to make it in time.  D and I really want to see this cave so we tell her that we're interested and ready to leave after a quick potty break.  She speeds us through the info sheet that makes sure we understand what we're getting into and that we aren't wearing anything that's been to another cave since 2005.  We assure her this is our first cave, buy the tickets and are on our way.  

Moro Rock on left, a future climbing destination.

          It's hard to race through windy mountain roads but D does a great job maneuvering the twists and turns and makes sure I get all the pictures of the area that I want as we drive.  We turn off onto the Crystal Cave road and notice a dramatic change in the trees.  They are suddenly three feet wide and so tall we need to lean forward to look out the windshield to see the tops.  There are plenty of regular skinny and tall pines around, too, but these new trees with red trunks are really a sight to see.  We don't want to miss the tour so I let D drive uninhibited as I just roll down the window to take all the pictures I can of these beauties.  The scent of pine fills our car, such a wonderful change from the pollution and dust of L.A. air.  

We didn't know it yet, but we were among sequoia.

          When we park at the cave lot we  hurriedly remove all scented items such as food and toiletries from our car and into the big, brown, metal bear-proof box.  One more quick potty break after this hour or so drive and we join the group listening to a similar spiel about the cave, what to expect on the hike to it, and a demonstration of how to walk across the bleach mat to make sure any white nose syndrome present is killed.  

          The hike to the bottom is beautiful with impressive views of the surrounding tree-covered mountains and a stream running across and along our path.  At the bottom our guide begins giving us information about the cave and tips on how best to enjoy it.  She notices my transition sunglasses and suggests that I put them in my pocket so they would be ready for the dark.  I'm so glad she did because the walk to the entrance is very quick and soon all is dim.  

          As we move into and through the cave she tells us the history of its formation, discovery, and transformation into an open-to-the-public cave.  She gladly answers questions for our small group and even shines her flashlight to let us get better pictures of various formations since flash photography isn't allowed as it hinders our eyesight.  The cave is gorgeous, cool, smells of wet but not any kind of wet I've smelled before, and some of the walls glitter while others slowly drip, forming stalactites.  We see the stream that is wearing away the cave bottom one inch every 560 years, what a slow change!   It's hard to fathom the millions of years needed to create the large rooms of the cave.  In all the tour covers 60% of the explored cave because all other passable parts are so narrow they just don't take up much space.  

          After the tour we head to the museum to wait to move on to the General Sherman.  Construction only lets traffic through that area on the hour.  We get out and marvel at the giant sequoias in and around the parking lot.  We each hug one of the giants, study its soft bark, then get back in the car to join the line waiting to leave the lot.  

          It isn't far to the General Sherman parking lot, and we bring a crescent roll each to begin our hike with a snack.  The path drops steadily downward with a sign indicating when we are at the same elevation as the midpoint of the tree.  There are giant sequoia all around the area as we continue and we marvel once again at the sheer size of these organisms.  It isn't until we spot the General himself that we need to come up with a better description for its size.  

          Huge, giant or enormous don't cut it, massive is the only true description.  At the bottom it is 36.5 feet across, one of its branches is over six feet in diameter, taller than D, and it is 275 feet tall.  Yet, those aren't even the most impressive numbers!  His volume is 52,500 cubic feet which is the same volume of filling 9,844 baths, and he weighs 1,385 tons!  We eat some homemade sugar cookies while staring at him.  I believe that's the largest living single organism I've ever seen and it is so hard to appreciate the enormity of it.  He's over 2000 years old and not the oldest or tallest sequoia but he takes the record for biggest tree in the world.  

          Once we finally have our eyeful and get our picture we look at a few more sequoia on our way out and head back up the path.  We reach the top feeling pleased with the events of the day, all the cute squirrels and ground squirrels we saw playing in the area, and all the massive trees.  But our day isn't done just yet.  We reach the top of the path to find a black bear foraging just 60 feet away drawing quite the crowd.  As we sit the safe distance away we watch it slowly wander and paw at the ground eating this and that.  Someone gutsy or foolish, I've already made my judgment you can make yours, ventures beyond the pavement toward the bear stopping only when the bear charges him and immediately returns to foraging as bears do to try to intimidate any who get too near.  The guy stays for a picture then returns to the pavement.  

          After a little more watching, D and I wander to the car with huge grins on our faces, pleased that today is a most successful day.  A few hours later we make it to the Miners Inn in Mariposa and are pleasantly surprised to find that we've somehow booked one of the very best rooms when we were only shopping by the lowest price.  No complaining here!  Now this is starting to feel like a true honeymoon!  No work, no cell reception to worry about calls, and no Internet.... ok, that's a downside but I'll take that for the fantastic night's sleep we got!