So, there is not a whole lot about nature that I can agree with, but I do like me some sequoias. Case in point: Yesterday my dad and I headed up to Big Trees State Park and hiked five miles in the shade of a primeval forest.
There are two sections to the Big Trees park – the North Grove and the South Grove. Last year we hiked one of the trails in the North Grove, and this year decided to do the South Grove, which is longer, and there are bigger trees there.
Using the power of the Intarwebs, I looked at the trail map for the South Grove and discovered that there is a 2000+ year old tree in the South Grove called the Agassiz Tree. I was determined to make my way there, though that would add an extra 1.2 miles to the trek. Whatevs.
Little did I know that the first mile of the South Grove trail was ALL UPHILL, so I think you will understand me when I say that I almost barfed. But, soon recovered, and we did make it all the way to the Agassiz Tree. I wore the dorkiest hat in the land (courtesy of my mother) but despite its dorkitude, it did the job! It kept the sun out and kept the sap off.
It’s so quiet up there – we were pretty much the only people around, except for a few hikers that we crossed paths with, and they were going in the opposite direction. I just so love being alone in the forest – especially with the sequoias, it’s pretty obvious that there are forces at work that are bigger than you. Also, check out what I accidentally photographed!:
Some kind of bird – a hawk in flight, maybe?
Anyway, so after the hike, which only took three hours, we headed to Angels Camp, where we stayed for the night. I took a shower, and was kind of horrified when I took off my shoes that my socks were filthy, and then when I took off my socks, my feet were even filthier!! AND THEN, when I took off my pants, my legs were dusty all the way up to my knees. SO AWESOME. In other words, between the two of us, my dad and I totally trashed the bathroom and used up every single towel getting cleaned up from this little jaunt. However, I felt pretty good all cleaned up. (Duh.)
For dinner we went to Crusco’s in Angels Camp and it was pretty good. It’s an Italian restaurant, and we weren’t super hungry, so we both ordered a salad and an appetizer. I got a nice spinach salad with a viniagriette and feta cheese and pine nuts and pear slices. Way tasty. I also got a spaghetti and marinara appetizer. My dad got a Caeser salad and fried calamari appetizer. I ate some of the calamaris, they were good. AND they were the little baby squids, so it was an entire little squid fried, not just a tentacle. Still delicious.
Then this morning we got up and went to Murphys for breakfast and headed over to the Home & Garden Show which was at the Ironside Winery were Dad’s friend Dennis got married a couple years ago. It was basically your standard arts festival, and Dad bought some chocolate for his coworkers and I bought nothing.
After Murphys we went to Columbia State Park, which is also a town – they have preserved the mining town and there are a ton of great old buildings and historical stuff about the gold rush. They also happened to have an arts festival going on.
So, then we drove home, stopping only for milkshakes and fries at a sketchy McDonald’s in Stockton. (Stockton! WTF! No wonder I never go there!)
And now I am home, sore and gimpy, but totally satisfied with our fun trip! And have one last picture of the Murphys burro, braying at us:
