Last September Shauna and I took a trip to the golden state, to Disneyland. My wife loves Disney, more than just about anything, I think. I don't share her adoration, however. I hate the crowds, the lines, the noise, and the grubby, sugar buzzed little monsters that run the place. After two full days inside the park, I needed a vacation! So, we hopped in the car and headed north, to points unknown.

We made our way through the San Gabriel Mts. via I-5, then we took the 99 into the central valley, and Bakersfield. From the 99 we hopped on the 198, through Visiala, and more orange groves than I thought existed in all the world. We followed this road through the foothills, and past Kaweah Lake. Into Chaparral country.


A chaparral canyon, viewed from a turnout.

We continued through the foothills and canyons, until the road began to climb more steeply, into the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Here the scene began to change. More and more evergreen trees were mixed into the landscape, and the air felt tangibly cooler.


As we drove further the smell of smoke began to hang heavy in the air. There was a fire, a big fire, somewhere near. Desptie the haze, though, the views were stellar.

Soon, we found ourselves in one of the finest conifer forests I've ever seen. Then, suddenly, there they were...


the biggest trees on God's earth. The giant Sequoias.

I'm not sure how to describe these things to those who have never seen them (pictures don't cut it). In truth, they seem less to me like trees, and more like megalithic towers. Or, like monuments, columns cut from stone.


This large Sequoia called "The Monarch", stands outside the visitors center in the Giant Forest. It literally dwarfs the two story visitors center, and the other Sequoias in the area.


A few more sequoias near the main road through the park.


And another.

Read this plaque.



Here it is! The biggest of the biggest. The baddest of the baddest. The largest tree (by volume), and the largest single living organism on earth. The "General Sherman" tree. Words cannot describe it, and pictures do it no justice. You must see it for yourself. You will be humbled.

As always, more to come.