Like mot Californians, Yosemite is very in your face. Big
trees, big rock faces and tons of people all surround you on the valley floor.
It’s a really neat vibe and is probably my favorite park thus far. The first
night we pulled into camp after dark so the whole valley was shrouded in
darkness. Upon waking the next morning we were greeted by 2-3 thousand food
granite walls surrounding us. It’s truly a magnificent sight! I haven’t even
mentioned the trees in detail yet. The ponderosa pines can get massive and they
are everywhere. 12 foot in diameter trees just hanging out like a common silver
maple back in Illinois. Then there are the Sequoias too. I have always wanted
to see a giant Sequoia and they lived up to my expectations Beautiful giants
standing proud and tall and fat amongst the forest. Ginormous skeletons of the
fallen titans littered the ground. All from a tiny seed smaller than a flake of
oatmeal. Trees older than the Angkor Watt and the Great Wall of China growing
in the peace and solitude of the Sierras. Stunning, the whole landscape does
something to each individual that resonates deep inside. Caleb and I even got
to witness another of nature’s beauties, the forest fire. The park service was
conducting prescribed burns in the forest and we were able to walk a few miles
along the road next to it. Watching the flames slowly encompass the forest
floor was mesmerizing. The flames claimed the dead and dyeing vegetation
leaving only the strong to prosper in its wake. This is the natural cycle of
the forest. The flames keep it healthy; the trees depend on it, the soul rejuvenated
by it. All these natural wonders are enough to keep you there but even the
people who live, work and play in the park are a part to enjoy. I haven’t met
that many people who are passionate and love where they were than in Yosemite.
Everyone was there because they loved and cared about this special piece of
land. From the hard-core climber, to the outdoor ed teacher, and even the
concessionaire cook, when you ask them why hey came to Yosemite the first
answer is almost always a look up to the giant trees and monumental granite
faces and the statement “because of this.”
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