California Vacation 2000
June 3 - 9, 2000
Day 2 : June 4, 2000
After picking up my parents from the airport and a long night drive from San Francisco to Bass Lake approximately 4 hours long, we finally make it to our condominium at WorldMark Condominiums at Bass Lake. Since we all went to bed very late, most of us also got up in the morning/afternoon pretty late.
After eating lunch, everyone except my parents went to Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias (Sequoiadendron gigantium). Here behind me rests the "Fallen Monarch" which is believed to have fallen sometime in the 1800's.
This is actually a pretty nice picture. I suppose it was Jenie's idea to have the girls out for this photo shoot. Jenie, you have a bit more to go before you get to Ansel Adams though =)
Here we all are standing in front of the Grizzly Giant which is about 2,700 years old. These trees are simply amazing and the story of how they were discovered is pretty interesting. One day, long ago, a hunter seeking food for a mining or lumber camp some 70 miles north stumbled across this grove of Giant Sequoias. When he went back to tell his friends that he found trees easily 2 and 3 times greater than the biggest ones they'd ever seen, they thought he was crazy. He left camp a bit disappointed but then devised a plan to get them to come and see for themselves. Upon his return he simply told them that he had killed a giant grizzly bear and that he would need help bringing it back to the camp. After that, word spread quickly of the Giant Sequoias.
Another B&W picture of Debby and Brian. How gross! Oh well.
This giant sequoia we are standing in front of is called the "California Tunnel Tree" This is only the second of two giant sequoias that were ever tunneled into. The first one collapsed during a snow storm. Because this first tunneled tree had been so successful in attracting vistors to the park, a second one was also tunneled into. Although the California Tunnel Tree is not big enough for cars to pass through it as was the first one, it still attracts many vistors.
As we walk back to the vans I catch a snap shot of Debby and Brian again.
