So, I know it's been a few weeks, but I'm finally getting through all our pictures from our trip after Christmas! Woohoo! Just in time for another trip this weekend! (With all the rain, we're going down to Joshua Tree this weekend to see the desert post-rain!)
After Christmas, the first stop on our parks tour was Sequoia National Park. For those who aren't really familiar with the area, Sequoia is located to the east of Fresno and the San Joaquin Valley, in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains. That puts it about 5 hours driving time away from us.
It was a really interesting drive up there. That area of California has a lot of agricultural property (Selma, for example, is the Raisin Capital of the World) and as we got up into the lower hills, it really reminded us of back east. There were towns and farms and fields and rolling wooded hills and a lot of karst (limestone outcrops - good caving country)... both Zach and I had the feeling that it was very similar to Appalachia - western VA, eastern TN, that sort of area. A bit steeper, and different trees and all, but it was a VERY different feel than the desert we are trapped in now. That's one thing we still haven't gotten used to, how EMPTY southern CA is between towns - just brown, empty land as far as you can see. Back east, even if the land isn't developed as a town or a farm or a field or something, it's at least wooded, not just empty dirt like in the desert. So being in an area with that sort of feel again was a very nice change.
Of course, the rolling hills at the edges of the valley quickly became very steep as they grew into the Sierra mountains. And you certainly felt it, whether hiking or driving! For example, the road up into the park (Generals Highway) was INSANE! It takes a LOT for me to feel carsick, but that road did it to me! The picture below is a view from one of the last turns, where you can see the road you just came up. Craziness!
On the plus side, it gave some awesome views over the valley. And since we had to stop regularly so that I wouldn't lose my lunch, we had plenty of chances to takes some really pretty pictures :) I loved how when you got above the fog, you were just looking out across the top of the clouds, like looking over the ocean.
The General Sherman is the big attraction there in Sequoia. Well, besides the other big trees, and scenic views and trails and such... You know what I mean! The General Sherman is the largest, single-trunked living tree on earth. Sequoias overall aren't the tallest trees on earth - the coastal redwoods beat them - but they get much bigger around then the redwoods, so if you go by actual volume, then the sequoias are the biggest. Either way, they are BIG trees! (The tree in the second picture is The Sentinel, outside of one of the visitor centers - the little figure in the corner is me!)
We also went snowshoeing for the first time! And the second! So much fun!! We tried it at first on a ranger-led hike. That's the picture with the traditional-looking snowshoes (the ones that look like big tennis rackets). We enjoyed it once we got the hang of them, so we rented a pair later at the visitor center and hit the trails!
While we were there, there was fresh snow coming down, and it was beautiful! It's been so long since I've seen weather of ANY sort besides wind, that it was extra pretty. What it boils down to, I think, is that I really miss seasons!
For knitters who may be traveling up in that direction, definitely stop at the little yarn shop in Three Rivers, the town just outside the southern entrance to the park. Creekside Yarns is the name, and we were able to stop by after our first day in the park to browse a little and chat with the ladies meeting there for the Monday night knitting group. Very friendly folk there, and they had some nice yarns from a local lady's etsy shop. Yes, I did walk away with some nice alpaca. It's just about the same rose color as my Odessa hat, so I am picturing a lacy cowl out of it, to match. A nice souvenir, right? :)
After Christmas, the first stop on our parks tour was Sequoia National Park. For those who aren't really familiar with the area, Sequoia is located to the east of Fresno and the San Joaquin Valley, in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains. That puts it about 5 hours driving time away from us.
It was a really interesting drive up there. That area of California has a lot of agricultural property (Selma, for example, is the Raisin Capital of the World) and as we got up into the lower hills, it really reminded us of back east. There were towns and farms and fields and rolling wooded hills and a lot of karst (limestone outcrops - good caving country)... both Zach and I had the feeling that it was very similar to Appalachia - western VA, eastern TN, that sort of area. A bit steeper, and different trees and all, but it was a VERY different feel than the desert we are trapped in now. That's one thing we still haven't gotten used to, how EMPTY southern CA is between towns - just brown, empty land as far as you can see. Back east, even if the land isn't developed as a town or a farm or a field or something, it's at least wooded, not just empty dirt like in the desert. So being in an area with that sort of feel again was a very nice change.
Of course, the rolling hills at the edges of the valley quickly became very steep as they grew into the Sierra mountains. And you certainly felt it, whether hiking or driving! For example, the road up into the park (Generals Highway) was INSANE! It takes a LOT for me to feel carsick, but that road did it to me! The picture below is a view from one of the last turns, where you can see the road you just came up. Craziness!
On the plus side, it gave some awesome views over the valley. And since we had to stop regularly so that I wouldn't lose my lunch, we had plenty of chances to takes some really pretty pictures :) I loved how when you got above the fog, you were just looking out across the top of the clouds, like looking over the ocean.
The General Sherman is the big attraction there in Sequoia. Well, besides the other big trees, and scenic views and trails and such... You know what I mean! The General Sherman is the largest, single-trunked living tree on earth. Sequoias overall aren't the tallest trees on earth - the coastal redwoods beat them - but they get much bigger around then the redwoods, so if you go by actual volume, then the sequoias are the biggest. Either way, they are BIG trees! (The tree in the second picture is The Sentinel, outside of one of the visitor centers - the little figure in the corner is me!)
We also went snowshoeing for the first time! And the second! So much fun!! We tried it at first on a ranger-led hike. That's the picture with the traditional-looking snowshoes (the ones that look like big tennis rackets). We enjoyed it once we got the hang of them, so we rented a pair later at the visitor center and hit the trails!
While we were there, there was fresh snow coming down, and it was beautiful! It's been so long since I've seen weather of ANY sort besides wind, that it was extra pretty. What it boils down to, I think, is that I really miss seasons!
For knitters who may be traveling up in that direction, definitely stop at the little yarn shop in Three Rivers, the town just outside the southern entrance to the park. Creekside Yarns is the name, and we were able to stop by after our first day in the park to browse a little and chat with the ladies meeting there for the Monday night knitting group. Very friendly folk there, and they had some nice yarns from a local lady's etsy shop. Yes, I did walk away with some nice alpaca. It's just about the same rose color as my Odessa hat, so I am picturing a lacy cowl out of it, to match. A nice souvenir, right? :)
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