Monday May 24th - long time no blog! We left Sequoia and Kings Canyon long ago, but we've been no where near a library. We have some catching up to do. If you're like me there's nothing like a nice cup of tea and a fig NEWTON?No, that's not right, what's the real (English) name of this little fruity beauty (the biscuit not me)!!
Perched in the Sierra Nevada, Sequoia NP and Kings Canyon NP are beautiful parks. Being a few thousand feet above sea level it's still cold enough to have snow, but strangely warm enough to walk around without wrapping up. Perfect for getting out and about.
Sequoia is the home of the largest tree in the world - note largest, not the tallest. It's the largest by volume because the trunk of these trees are massive and they tend not to thin out as they grow, so they are really thick right to the top.
It's difficult to show how big a tree is with a picture, especially when all the trees around are big - this tree is about eight feet in diameter.
Remember the 'how many madgets' can you fit in our tent question? I was just about to 'get mooned' at here - quick get Gordon the bucket!
Her is the worlds largest tree - the General Sherman. We've also seen the worlds tallest tree, can anyone remember where that was?
How exciting is this, probably one of the most amazing sights I think we have ever seen in the wild. We were out hiking when we noticed this print in the snow - look carefully (the snow has come out blue for some reason in the photograph!)
Look again, it can only be one thing right? This was very early in the morning so we were both a little nervous because this track is fresh, and going the same way as us!! However, look at the next picture, it absolutely made our entire week!
We were luckily a safe distance otherwise this could have been very dangerous, because as you'll see in the next picture, behind the bear were two cubs. For another cup of tea, what kind of bear is this.
Here are the two cubs, which were about 20 yards behind the mother who was foraging for food - these two where just playing about, pretend fighting and unusually climbing trees!
Walking in a few feet of snow - the air crisp and clear and beautiful trees all around - it doesn't get much better than this!
That's me 'inside' one of the Sequoia's just to give you an idea of scale. The area is periodically set on fire as this is an important part of the trees life cycle - without fire the seeds from the sequoias can't reach the forest floor. The tree itself is burned, but then grows around the burnt part, which sometimes makes the tree look hollow inside, like this one. The tree will eventually grow right around the scar.
A view over the Sierra Nevada
This is a massive granite rock called 'Morro Rock', we climbed up there one morning.
Higher mountains of the Sierra Nevada - hence the snow caps.
On our way to Kings Canyon. Kings is much higher up than Sequoia and hasn't opened its camp sites yet as you would basically have to camp on snow and ice - nee good if you're a pair of 'cold-arses' like us!! This was a day visit only.
A hollowed out sequoia tree.
Views of San Joaquin Valley
A little stroll to a place called 'Paradise Creek' - beautiful flora and forna don't you think?
The stairs up to the massive Morro Rock.
The top of Morro Rock!
Morro rock is so high up the clouds pass BELOW you!!
Winter wonderland!
You all know about Gordon the bucket. Introducing a new addition to the family, this is Walter the washpot. Stick this little beauty over your fire and before you know it you have boiling water to make a cup of tea (obviously), bathe your feet, wash your duds and socks and wash the dishes. Obviously getting the order right is CRUCIAL!!
Like a lot of the animals in national parks, they have lost their fear of humans, so you can go right up to a wild deer and take his picture. Anywhere else and he would have his heed blarn off!!!
This was a beautiful little walk around the big trees forest- it looks a bit like a Christmas card!
Eeeh our Ginny, setting me cup of tea questions!!
Yes, Elvis wrote the previous blog (very perceptive of you, although I did have to A-OK it!) Yes the animal question was for a cup of tea - and by the way it's NOT called a mule around these parts. Tell the outsourcer I want the local name! I remember the road runner cartoons very well! I haven't seen a road runner yet, but there's supposed to be lots of them around. And finally - I don't know what happens if someone is already in the shack - there are other shacks but they were in a serious state! I guess people would have to 'shack up' together, but I wouldn't of recommened staying in a hut with us - we were properly minging after that hike!
14 comments:
Well, I have to say, these are spectacuuuuuuu-lar photos!!! My kind of place indeed. Everything looks so fresh and pristine ....well, except for you two like! I can just hear the wildlife now, "Wilbur, call wildlife management. We've got a reet couple of mingers here pollutin our paradise!"
And to answer your cuppa tea questions - redwood, fig roll and brown bear.
Should the outsourcer have said burro instead of mule?
Can't believe you didn't ask a cuppa tea question about those beautiful blue flowers you captured. So I will, cause I know what they are.
General Sherman is found in the Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park.The bear are Sierran Black Bear, don't be fooled by their color Sissy J. I will take another guess at the other name for the mule,could it be either a hybrid vigor or a hinney and I'm talking about an arse.I apologize to the Aunties about that last line.The Outsourcer.
I almost forgot to take a crack at Sissy J's flower question, is it Purple Lupine?The Outsourcer.
Auld Walter the Washpot looks like just the job for boiling underpants anarl. If the wife has a canny set of wooden tongs to fish them out, you're in business, lad!
Outsourcer man! Read the blog fully before you head off to Google. How can the cuppa tea question be General Sherman when he's already at the General Sherman saying that this is NOT the tallest tree!!!
Pyni, could you put some of those lupine seeds in your backpack? Left all mine behind in Fordfield Rd.
Well excuse me Sissy J, I stand corrected. The Tallest tree is in fact in the Redwoods and it is Hyperion.One last guess on what the locals call a mule,could it be a beast of burden?The Outsourcer.
Unless Ma and Pa 'Odgson have brought themselves up to speed technologically in the last few weeks, there's a couple of impostors on this Blog.
Bear: Rupert
Biscuits: Fig Rerls (to give them their lercal name)
Man about squat: Mr Unfeasibly Large (I know that wasn't a question asked)
How comes I check the blog hours after it's updated and there are 8 comments? No work to go to?
Billy Beanz will be happy - I seem to remember him asking for a picture of a bear during your big adventure.
P.S. Tremendous pictures Suzanne. You should let Keith have a go sometime though.
Enquiring minds want to know....where were the bairns' paw prints on that bridge?
What's that, Rusty? You're doubting Ma and Pa Hodgson's tech abilities? How do you think Bomb accesses his Frankie Vaughan?
Okay how do you Americans define the word 'guess'? Cos I've just looked it up in The Collins Dictionary and it makes nee mention of breaking yer neck to get to Google to answer questions?
Lovely pics Pyni
Sorry about that h on previous blog I'm having a reet carry on logging one toneet!
come again, PJ?
A hic-cup that didn't quite make it?
reet we reckon the bears called yogi,by the way mam dad our poll rysta pamsta and une bigin all logging in,me dads comment nee the wonder the grandson doesnt miss the deer when they that close bum bum
over and out rodger that
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