GIANT Sequoias!!

Thursday, June 8th

     A little chilly when we woke up - 38 degrees - and that was after we were brave enough to throw the covers off, throw some warm (but not warm enough) clothes on, and walk past the ranger station where there's a thermometer to go to the restrooms.  

     Sally, who's use to having coffee in bed before she puts her feet on the floor, bravely got going so that we could get going, to the reservation center to yeah!, get another campsite for tonight - still at Wawona but #26 and then we could go to the historic Wawona Hotel and get free coffee in the lobby (probably only for the guests) because we didn't know where else we could get it (but later in the day found out that right next door at what we thought was a gas station for the buses was also a general store and had coffee).

     We sat in the parking lot, drinking coffee, eating breakfast, putting more clothes on and planning the day.  We took off some clothes, caught the shuttle bus for the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias.  Decided to take a paid 1 1/2 hr. tram tour of the upper and lower groves.  IMPRESSIVE!  We learned a lot of history about the area and the trees which are the largest in the world and only grow in about 8 groves in the whole world.  

Faithful Couple

Clothespin Tree

Fallen Tunnel Tree

Foot of Giant Sequoia

Grisly Tree

Sue in another Tunnel Tree

      We came back to the parking lot, toured an old pioneer-type museum accessed by a covered bridge that smelled just like Grandpa Kast's barns.

      Spent the rest of the afternoon (probably about 80 degrees in the sun but cool in the shade) relaxing. listening to the running water.

     We were better prepared tonight for darkness falling:  eating dinner earlier, got things juggled around in Rhoda while we could still see, and gathered close-by, warmer clothes for the expected cold wake-up again.

DATA:

mileage:  7                  camp:  $10               tour:  $25