clear river

Day Ten Out West

Heading home!

After 9 days and 1,635 miles we are heading home with hearts so refreshed. We’re refreshed in our love for God’s good creation. We have seen so much beauty both in the landscape and the wildlife. We’ve seen soaring mountains and arid scrub lands. We’ve marveled at towering redwoods and the beauty of meadows filled with wildflowers. We’ve seen sea lions on piers and dragonflies on flowers, mother bears at war while cubs climbed to the tops of trees, wild elk closer to us than we could imagine and a noisy Stellar Jay that seemed to be our personal escort through all the parks. We’ve enjoyed cable cars in San Francisco and the wind in our hair as we kept the convertible top down more than up!

We’ve also been refreshed in our enjoyment of each other. Zib and I can’t remember a time like this when we’ve been away with nothing but our own agenda to deal with. It’s been so good for me to have the time with her and enjoy all over again discovering the  beautiful, brilliant, funny, and delightful person she is. It’s been great in every way and I can’t wait till the next time!

Day Nine Out West

Redwood Bears!

Day nine opened with breakfast at the Chart House in Crescent City after checking out of the Anchor Inn. We started north for Jedediah State Park under the first cloudy skies of the entire trip. The ocean faded into the distance as we headed back into the redwood forests. Jedediah is primarily a camping park and it was full to capacity. The park is home to several groves of redwoods including the more well known Stout Grove.  The Smith River winds through the park canyon and has several white water sections that lend even more beauty to the area.

Leaving the park we found something we had been watching for; a local artist that works in redwood as his medium. Jed Smith runs the Jed Smith Redwood Burl Co. Jed is one of these guys who does great things with chain saws and creates some great artwork. Jed makes pieces that cost anywhere from 2 dollars to 20,000! We poked around and decided to buy and ship home one his bears. If you’ve been to our home you know we have a thing for bears.

15 years ago when I started traveling to YWAM Montana I met a guy named Jeff Fleming who does the same kind of thing. We have a couple of his original pieces at our home. You can’t get them anymore! The guy is everywhere. So, who knows, maybe Jed will get famous one day and now we’ll have one of his pieces to talk about. After a delightful time at Jed's shop we headed for Medford, checked into the Courtyard Marriott and prepared to fly home.

Day Eight Out West

Crescent City – Prairie Creek

Once again we were at a marina for breakfast. The Chart House sits right on the shore and as you eat you can watch a group of sea lions sunning themselves on a nearby dock. After breakfast we walked down to the adjoining dock and got some great close-ups.

Leaving the beach we drove to a state park called Prairie Creek . Prairie has it’s share of redwoods but our destination was a spot called Fern Canyon. On the way we hoped to see some of the wild elk herd that populates the area. Fern Canyon is 8 miles off of the main highway. The road is unpaved and you have to travel through several flowing creek beds to get there.

At the start of the drive in a meadow where the elk are known to feed, we could see a large group off in the distance. To far to really enjoy or get good pictures, it looked like it was a group of only females. Where were the males?  We moved up the road a bit and got out to scout around a bit. No luck. The males were not to be seen.

Zib really loves her photography and I have to say she gets some amazing shots. Below is one of the many wildflowers found in the forest. The other is this brilliant red dragon fly that she was very patient in getting a picture of!

 

A trail marked Trillim Falls was nearby. It was a short hike and we loaded up the camera gear to go see the falls. Like the entire area, the trail wandered upward amidst redwoods, hemlock, ferns and flowers. Arriving at the falls we snapped some pictures and enjoyed the picturesque scenery.

 

Traveling up the road we finally arrived at the parking spot for Fern Canyon. The parking lot is next to the beach by about 150 yards. We found the males! They were feeding in the grasses near the beach. These guys were amazing to watch. At least six feet at their heads with 8 and 10 point racks reaching to the sky.

We positioned ourselves for some pictures at a good distance. They looked at us but didn’t seem to show much interest. Then, remarkably, they began moving our way! Closer and closer they approached and it was soon clear that we were on the path they normally traveled for feeding. They got within 10 yards of us! We felt so privileged to be seeing them. It was clear that it was time to move out of the way and we reluctantly did so. Those boys can move at 35 miles per hour and will attack if provoked. As long as we were quiet they seemed to be content with our presence. Of course they have been around humans a great deal and had no reason to feel threatened. Still, tame they were not and it was time to clear the path.

We then moved on to the trail into Fern Canyon. It's called Fern Canyon, well, because the walls of the canyon are covered with ferns! Ferns, moss and small water falls filled the canyon. The hike took you in and followed a stream bed. It was beautiful.

Returning to the car we said farewell to the Elk who were still nearby and made the drive back into town We stopped at the Beachcomber for an excellent dinner and then drove out to a point on the coast and watched the magnificent sunset!

Day Seven Out West

Redwoods

We checked out and shared a late brunch at a local joint on the marina. This is a serious fishing town and near the restaurant is a monument to the fisherman who had lost their lives at sea. The names, beginning in the late 50’s, are each recorded on the stone. Most of the names have a star beside them, an indication that they were never recovered.

 

Putting the top down on the cruiser we headed south into Redwoods National State Park. The freeway has several exits into the park and we chose the one that dropped us in the middle of the famed Avenue of the Giants where the visitor center sat. The Avenue runs 32 miles and provides a tour through splendid grove after grove of giant redwoods. We made the drive south first , then jumped on the freeway back to the middle exit and headed north.

Our goal was to see the Founders Grove which included the famous Founder’s Tree and the Dyerville Giant.

The Founders Grove was dedicated to those who had started the Save the Redwoods League. These men and women saw the treasure of these massive trees and wanted to preserve them for the generations to come to enjoy. The Founders Tree sits at the beginning of the loop trail that travels the fern and flower covered forest floor. It stands 346 ft. high with a 40 ft. base, and a diameter of 12 ft.  It's estimated at between  1300 and 1500  years of age.

Traveling the loop you come to the Dyerville Giant. Until it fell in March of 1991, the Giant was considered the tallest tree in the world.  The stats are impressive! Height: 362 ft., Diameter: 17ft., base: 42ft., Age: 2,000 yrs.  Walking the length of it brought into focus just how massive it is. The pictures here show me at a beryl about halfway up the tree. Zibby is taking the picture from the exposed roots at the base of the tree. After snapping the picture she moved up to my position and I went to the top (almost) of the tree. Again she snapped a photo. Hopefully it provides some perspective.

There really aren’t words to describe these trees! In the book of Psalms, David speaks of the towering cedars of Lebanon, I wonder if they even came close to the volume and height of these redwoods. As evening approached we headed north for our next stop, Crescent City.

Day Six Out West

 

The Drive

This was the long drive day. It wasn’t supposed to be but we chose to go up the road that hugged the coast. It was a road that snaked along the mountains and fields on one side and the ocean on the other. The coast grew rockier the further we went, the waves crashing against them and draping them momentarily in white foam. We stopped at one of the many cherry stands that dotted the highway and picked up some delicious cherries, peaches and almonds.

The wildlife became almost comical to us, mostly because we just weren’t used to it. On one side of the road we would see sea lions lounging on the sand while on the other would be herds of cattle, horses and sheep. At one point we had to be watchful because of free range cattle! One of the more memorable sights was a lone cow standing on the coast land side of the road framed by the rocks and crashing surf. Nine hours of driving later we arrived in Eureka, watching the sun dip behind the horizon.

 

Day Five Out West

San Francisco

We left Three Rivers by Sequoia National Forest under an intense 102 degree heat. No top down for this ride! Mile after mile we drove by fields full of grapes, pistachios, oranges and almonds. Agricultural work was everywhere and it seemed like the groves would go on forever.

Finally we approached Oakland and got ready for the Bay Bridge. When I say “got ready” I mean that the driver had to mentally prepare! Zibby has never been a fan of long bridges and the bay bridge into San Fran is long. We maneuvered into the middle of the three lanes of traffic where we would remain for the duration. Zib had no intention of being near to either edge. With sweaty hands and nervous laughter she got us across the busy bridge and into the streets of downtown San Francisco.

The Marriott Hotel downtown is a beautiful building inside and out. If you ride to the 39^th floor you can take a walk through a lounge called The View that gives you a 360 degree view of the city. It was quite a sight at night. After checking in we walked over to Powell Street and caught the cable car that runs down to Fisherman’s Wharf. Or was that up? On the ride you both climbed and descended steep hills. It was quite a ride for me as I chose to stand on the side platform and hang onto the handrail. These weren’t the electric cars; they were the real deal that had been in operation since the late 50’s. The drivers had to work hard at breaking just right on the downhill slopes and catching the cable for the uphill climbs. 

Fisherman’s Wharf was abuzz with an atmosphere that was similar to Georgetown or Old Towne Alexandria, only more eclectic and with street performers everywhere. Sitting beside the bay it is quite the pleasant place to stroll and shop, even with Alcatraz looming offshore. Live jazz clubs were all over the place and the music drifted onto the streets from every direction. Ghirardelli chocolate was everywhere! (It’s based in S.F.) We couldn’t help but give in to the temptation to sample some.

Grabbing the cable car back to Powell we walked some more and then returned to the hotel. The next morning, after breakfast it was back on the road, this time crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. You know, it really is a thing of beauty. The graceful uniform lines of the cables against the blue skies had a unique elegance. After yet another successful crossing (way to go Zib!) it was up the pacific coast heading for Eureka.

Day Four Out West

Day four took us on a long trek from the bottom of Sequoia National Park to the end of the road at Kings Canyon.  The change in scenery is such a unique thing to behold. We left the golden fields and scrub bushes of the lower elevations and drove through the Giant Forest where we had been the night before.

Deeper into the woods we took time to hike to the famous General Sherman Tree. This monster is known as the largest living tree on earth and it looked like it! The entire forest is so beautiful with giant after giant coming into view.

Leaving Sequoia we headed into Kings Canyon. A grove of giant sequoias called Grant Grove is home to the Grant Tree which is the second-tallest living thing on earth! It stands over 267 feet tall, 40 ft. in diameter and 107 ft. in circumference at it’s base.  The best guess is that it's between 1500 and 2000 years old.  It’s known as "The Nations Christmas Tree" and it's the only living National Shrine, memorializing veterans who served in the US armed forces.   

The drive into Kings Canyon is just breathtaking.  It's the deepest canyon in the US. That's right! The Grand Canyon may be wider but Kings Canyon runs deeper. As you drive into it, the heat picks up, granite walls soar above you and hot winds whip the road.  From the higher points you begin to catch a glimpse of the Kings River crashing through the valley. 

Finally we arrived at Cedar Grove and took time to cool our feet in the river.  When I was a boy, my folks took me camping here and it was sweet to see it again!

We came out of the Canyon and took an alternate route back to Three Rivers, traveling past ranch after ranch of grazing cattle and horses. After 12+ hours we were back to the hotel, tired but thrilled to have seen so much of these great parks.

Day Three out West

We began the day early with a walk to the base of Yosemite Falls. It's such a spectacular site up close.  After that it was breakfast at the Lodge and then we headed back towards Glacier Point to revisit a meadow we had seen the previous day. Wildflowers were everywhere and Zibby took some outstanding pictures.

Then it was goodbye to Yosemite and we headed for Sequoia and Kings' Canyon National Parks. After 3 hours we arrived in Three Rivers near the Ash Mountain entrance to the park. We checked into the hotel and then went right out the door for the mountains!

The temperature variance in this area is wild. Three Rivers was at 100 degrees when we set out. After one hour the temperature was  74 degrees! You could feels the levels of change as you went up and down the mountains. 

The Bear Fight!

We headed up to the Giant Forest and took in some of the amazing giant Sequoias. After a while we headed to a spot called Crescent Meadow. The meadows in the evening are great places to "troll for wildlife" and we were NOT disappointed. In fact, we got a rare treat.

Two mother bears are on the scene. One has three cubs in three different trees. The other mother has two cubs also in the trees. The one mother is being pretty aggressive and there's a stand off as to who is going to be allowed to get their cubs down first. The situation is fairly tense. Both mothers start climbing the same tree, snorting and chomping their great jaws at each other.

Eventually they both come back down.Then, the aggressive mother runs up a tree and knocks one of the other mothers cubs out of the tree! Tragic sight! The mother of the fallen cub has run up the tree and now there is a fight. In a blur of teeth, fur and growls they slide down the tree in combat. It was amazing!  More amazing  is that as they reach ground level, the cub which had  fallen what amounted to several stories and who we thought for sure had died,, runs back up the tree! The Ranger on site told us that we had witnessed something that rarely happens as these mothers don't want to hurt themselves and fighting in the trees is exhausting. That was obvious as the conflict died down considerably and everyone took up positions in different places to lay down and rest!

Zib set up her tripod, planted herself in sight of the bears and took lots of pictures. She really got some dramatic shots. She's good! These are just a few and the fuzzy one at the end is the two mothers in battle. They wouldn't hold still to focus!

After two hours we finally left. The situation remained unresolved with cubs and mothers still in the trees.

 

We headed over to Mororock and made the climb up to watch the sunset. It was so serene and we gave thanks to the Lord for all His goodness and majesty. The pictures continue below!

Day Two out West

What a perfect day. We began our tour at Yosemite Lodge around 9:00 am. We headed up to Glacier point where you could see the whole valley as well as spectacular views of the Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls.  Half  Dome Rock behind me  here was  like the world's largest postcard!  Almost  unreal. Afterwards we headed to the Wawona for lunch and then on to the giant sequoias at Mariposa grove. In route we saw two brown bears just off the road. Beautiful! Dinner was in the giant dining room at the Awahane. Elegant, delicious, impeccable service. The perfect ending to an inspiring day.

Day One Out West

   This picture was taken today at around 4:00 pm. Zibby and I had just gotten into Yosemite and she wanted a picture. The car is a convertible PT Cruiser. It wasn't the car we were supposed to get at the airport... it was better! The views coming into the park were extraordinary and it seemed like we could see it all with the top down.

This is a ten day trip that begins here in Yosemite and will culminate at Jedediah State Park just outside of Oregon. We've been looking forward to this and frankly we needed the getaway.  Zibby  has  never seen redwoods or the giant sequoias and has always wanted to.  This trip is for her and I'm delighted make it happen.  We 're going to see tons of trees!

Were in Yosemite for three days. We're spending the nights at the famous Ahwahnee  lodge . What a place! Well over a hundred years old of rustic elegance. I won't tell you how much it is a night but if you find out just know that we aren't paying for it. The stay at this Grand Lodge is a gift to us. Amazing!