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 challenge seeker, bagless sleeper, bare bones, trail trooper
Abbotsford, BC
Canada
1957 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2007 : 10:49 AM
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Our original plan for the Memorial Day weekend is to take a trip to Alberta but after hearing about the recent snowfall in Calgary, my husband decides we should go south instead. So south it is for another *quickie* three day road trip to California.
Right after work, Friday afternoon, we are on our way and drive until 4 am. Too tired for either of us to drive, we pull over and take a nap. Before 7 we are back on the I-5 heading for our destination – Yosemite National Park. After a long day of travel, on a Saturday afternoon on a long weekend in the USA, we arrive in a very busy Yosemite. Remember this was a spontaneous trip, so not a lot of no thought and planning went into the trip before we left.
We spend a few hours in the park but it is so busy there and we find out very quickly that there is no space to park our little tent within the park tonight.
Just a little of Yosemite:
Bridalveil Fall (620 feet)
El Capitan is a favorite for experienced rock climbers. Rising more than 3,000 feet above the Valley floor, it is the largest monolith of granite in the world.
Yosemite Falls (2,425 ft), one of the world's tallest, is actually made up of three separate falls: Upper Yosemite Fall (1,430 feet), the middle cascades (675 feet), and Lower Yosemite Fall (320 feet).
Lower Yosemite Falls:
We leave Yosemite and Fernando is quite disappointed as from all that he had heard about this park, he expected much more. The *wow* factor, just wasn’t there. He tells me about a national park with very large sequoia trees south of Yosemite that he had been to around 20 years ago and he remembered that being very impressive. We decide to give that a try tomorrow. But for tonight, as camping is not an option and we are both really tired, we head to Fresno to find a motel …… NOT!  Would you believe there is not a single room to be found for us? Everything is booked solid. Okay, now we are getting very discouraged, extremely tired and just a wee bit testy. We don’t feel like sleeping another night in the car and we were really looking forward to sleeping in a bed tonight. We’re thinking that this trip is going to go down as our worst vacation ever.
What else to do but start driving south to the next national park - Kings Canyon and Sequoia. Just a few miles before the park entrance at a turnout at the side of the road, at 2 in the morning, we pull over, set up our tent and get a very solid 4 ½ hours of sleep before waking up to another beautiful, sunny day. Okay, not a really long sleep, but better than the night before and we are optimistically looking forward to a rewarding day.
Well, not only is this a rewarding day, but a spectacular highlight of our trip and I am in heaven as I experience the glory of the land of the giant trees! Now this is more like it! Fernando is visibly pleased at my excitement and I think more than a little relieved at having salvaged our trip in such a spectacular way.
 
The General Sherman Tree - the world's largest tree. There are other taller trees, but in volume of wood, the Sherman has no equal. It is as tall as a 27 story building, a thirteen story building would barely touch its first huge branch. If the trunk of this tree were laid horizontally on a football field and the roots were on one goal line, the top of the tree would be 91 yards away on the opposite 9 yard line.
 
Fernando standing in the centre of a brick layout representing the circumference of the General Sherman.
The Moro Rock is a steep 1/4 mile staircase climbing over 300' to the summit of this granite dome where you get spectacular views on a clear day.
 
Another very impressive giant
 
Uprooted tree
The largest pinecones I've ever seen - bigger than Fernando's feet!
In the end, it was a highly successful, memorable trip. Although Fresno was a disappointment, I had the best chicken ever! If you're ever in the area, eat at El Pollo Loco ... delicious! 
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 Trail running, bike hucking, fast packing, beer drinking collector of pine cones on a day pass
AKA
Dances with Trees
Forest Gnome Cabin
Canada
13090 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2007 : 1:33 PM
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Wow ! Nothing matches the sequoia for pure grandeur !
Thanks for this post, it's been about 20 years since I was there, great to see it again
(You're looking happy too ! ) |
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Fleetwood not Surrey, bc
Canada
1125 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2007 : 1:50 PM
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| Your report made a great read and those are some big ass trees!Looks like a gotta see those things in person for some real perspective! |
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 Best grilled cheese maker ever
Whitehorse, YUKON
Canada
2159 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2007 : 2:10 PM
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| How old is that beast of a tree??? |
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Fungi Filmin', Wine Drinkin', 'Shroom Eatin', Early Risin', Deer Whisperin', Curry Cookin', Macro Maniac
Chilliwack + Osoyoos
3620 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2007 : 4:41 PM
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Wow !!! Great trip Trilli...
Been years since I was down there...
Thanks a lot...
C'Jack... |
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Popkum, BC
Canada
5902 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2007 : 5:44 PM
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Those trees are grand aren't they, so glad you were able to salvage your trip. Looks like smiles were in order once you reached those giants.
Happy trails,
Lynn |
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Alberta-based choss climbin', flame throwin', rappel lovin', ass talkin' hater who doesn't like "Gumby" for a descriptor
6302 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2007 : 6:16 PM
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| Very nice. |
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ass wigglin, cheese lovin, 4x4 drivin, apostrophe hatin, hiking chick who loves camping on snow
spaceship..
Canada
7209 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2007 : 6:28 PM
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Very nice.
I went there with my late hubby about 15 years ago, I remember that tree, Just beautiful. I have old pictures kicking around somewhere. Wow indeed.
Our trip came complete with an earthquake after an overnight in a quaint little motel! We were just ordering breakfast in the restaurant when the whole parking lot shook the cars about. The waitress grabbed my arm, never thought I could feel fingernails through two thick sweatshirts!
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surrey, bc
Canada
1389 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2007 : 7:44 PM
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very nice anita!!:) and hey, i didn't know u were married! :) when did this happen or did i just miss something on our last hike together? ;) anyhow,congrats! 
re: the pinecones, they are huge! i remember seeing them on our roadtrip down to disneyland - i thought, 'wow, i can just imagine the money i'd get for pickin' those cones!' (way back when i was younger i used to pick cones for the Ministry in nw ontario).. sure coulda filled the bags alot quicker with those! hahah!! :) |
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 | DW2
Senior Member
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West Coast, B.C.
1396 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2007 : 8:53 PM
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| Sounds like quite the whirl wind adventure Trillium. Glad it turned out and the pics are great. Have not been there before. |
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Langley, BC
Canada
1699 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2007 : 10:35 PM
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| Cool report! I also only heard about your 'new' hubby recently..congrats from me as well! |
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challenge seeker, bagless sleeper, bare bones, trail trooper
Abbotsford, BC
Canada
1957 Posts |
Posted - 06/04/2007 : 07:00 AM
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quote:
mick range Posted - 06/03/2007 : 1:33:32 PM
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Wow ! Nothing matches the sequoia for pure grandeur !
Thanks for this post, it's been about 20 years since I was there, great to see it again.
Glad you enjoyed it, Mick. Funny thing is I can't admire trees anymore without thinking, wow, Mick sure would love this! 
quote:
mick range Posted - 06/03/2007 : 1:33:32 PM
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(You're looking happy too ! )
Extremely happy (my mom told me he's a keeper).   |
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challenge seeker, bagless sleeper, bare bones, trail trooper
Abbotsford, BC
Canada
1957 Posts |
Posted - 06/04/2007 : 07:01 AM
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quote:
darren Posted - 06/03/2007 : 2:10:59 PM
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How old is that beast of a tree???
From the information I read, Darren, this beast is around 2,500 years old. |
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challenge seeker, bagless sleeper, bare bones, trail trooper
Abbotsford, BC
Canada
1957 Posts |
Posted - 06/04/2007 : 07:06 AM
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quote:
calixtomoon Posted - 06/03/2007 : 10:35:05 PM
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Cool report! I also only heard about your 'new' hubby recently..congrats from me as well!
quote:
canuckgurl Posted - 06/03/2007 : 7:44:00 PM
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very nice anita!!:) and hey, i didn't know u were married! :) when did this happen or did i just miss something on our last hike together? ;) anyhow,congrats!
Thanks ladies. We actually just celebrated our first anniversary the weekend we were in California. He's a runner, but I do manage to get him to slow down for hikes once in a while, so maybe you'll meet us on the trails one of these days.  |
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in the valley, BC
Canada
1466 Posts |
Posted - 06/04/2007 : 10:20 AM
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Those pinecones and trees are amazing! Thanks for sharing.
Cheers! |
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Cycling guru, Wig wearing, James Bond wannabe, answers to the call of "Eurobabe"
Langley
Canada
1231 Posts |
Posted - 06/04/2007 : 10:21 AM
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Some pics of the 'quickie'
3 day trip... I think you guys are nuts
Wow, those are some awesome trees.
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Cycling guru, Wig wearing, James Bond wannabe, answers to the call of "Eurobabe"
Langley
Canada
1231 Posts |
Posted - 06/04/2007 : 10:24 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by trillium
quote:
calixtomoon Posted - 06/03/2007 : 10:35:05 PM
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Cool report! I also only heard about your 'new' hubby recently..congrats from me as well!
quote:
canuckgurl Posted - 06/03/2007 : 7:44:00 PM
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very nice anita!!:) and hey, i didn't know u were married! :) when did this happen or did i just miss something on our last hike together? ;) anyhow,congrats!
Thanks ladies. We actually just celebrated our first anniversary the weekend we were in California. He's a runner, but I do manage to get him to slow down for hikes once in a while, so maybe you'll meet us on the trails one of these days.
He's a damn fine cook too |
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ass wigglin, cheese lovin, 4x4 drivin, apostrophe hatin, hiking chick who loves camping on snow
spaceship..
Canada
7209 Posts |
Posted - 06/04/2007 : 6:17 PM
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Happy Anniversary Trillium!
My trip down there was an anniversary trip too, but I forget which number!  |
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challenge seeker, bagless sleeper, bare bones, trail trooper
Abbotsford, BC
Canada
1957 Posts |
Posted - 06/04/2007 : 9:01 PM
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| Thanks |
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 original SteinPaloozer, card-carrying member of Team Cougar, fruit roll-up carrying absentee hiker
Langley, BC
Canada
413 Posts |
Posted - 06/04/2007 : 9:30 PM
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Wonderful trip report Anita, beautiful pictures. Quite the adventure for your 1st anniversary - many more to come.
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In the Land of the Giant Trees
