I’m telling you folks, Yosemite is Narnia. The random mega-boulders, the most waterfalls in a concentrated area in the WORLD, and incredible hiking opportunities make this place simply incredible.
Yesterday sadly was more of a work day for Jeffrey, so we were unable to do any major hikes or exploring. We did, however, take the time to get some fun pics with the boys.
We also took a couple pics of this amazing landscape:
Today was Junior Ranger day. We did another hike, our worksheets and went to the cultural center to learn about making arrowheads. The hike was to the Tuolumne Giant Sequoia Trail. (http://www.yosemitehikes.com/tioga-road/tuolumne-grove/tuolumne-grove.htm)
That is where we saw our first huge tree. It was very surreal. The trees were so large and outstanding that it simply felt fake and almost unnatural. Like so many things that have surprised us, these trees surprised us as well.
(Yes, that is Owen’s head hanging off my back) These massive trees have seeds that are about the size of a chicken egg and their root systems only go about 10 ft into the ground. This makes them sensitive to trampling. The bark acts as a fire retardant and protects against infestations. The trees are susceptible to falling if they have large amounts of snow and ice accumulation on their very large branches.
The hike was significantly easier than the Vernal Fall hike and we were able to knock it out in the morning. After collecting the badges, we stopped for one last pic of this truly unforgettable, seriously you need to go (because pics do no justice) park:
We then began the journey to one of our favorite cities: San Francisco! We arrived there in what felt like no time and ate at a wonderful Italian restaurant. Then we settled into our VRBO house and prepared for sleep.
TIP #12 – When booking a VRBO, really think about the feel of comfort you are going for. The accommodations (in this higher end VRBO) are much nicer than a hotel at this price, but you are staying in someones home or guest house. So this feels a little more restricted than staying in a normal hotel. An example would be the children running around the super high-end furnishings or trying to eat the fake fruit. You just naturally feel a little more sensitive to hurting things when you stay at a VRBO.
Great pics!
So glad you were able to experience the Sequoias! That is an awesome picture of the family standing in the tunnel through the tree. Looking forward to San Francisco! Love you guys!
This is making me want to go back. Like now.