We took our time the next morning, getting breakfast and packing up to start our trek to San Francisco. Mom and Maddie rented a sweet convertible mustang, mainly for their scenic drive up the Pacific Coast from LA to Monterey. But now that convertible had to get two more passengers, plus suitcases a little further up the roads. We crammed in, and started with the top down, but that didn't last long. It's much cooler in the back than in the front and the back seat two were shivering. We planned to take a small detour to Big Basin Redwood State Park near Santa Cruz. And even though "all roads in to Big Basin are curvy", Mom was a champion driver and we made it without any more sickness.
Don't Mom and I look cute with our heads slightly tilted to opposite sides?!
I think this is one of those times where the pictures just cannot do it justice. They are so magnificent and breath-taking. We walked along one of the trails, then had lunch at the Snack Bar. We found a few more fun souvenirs in the camp store--a bag of rocks for Elle and some really pretty redwood stud earrings for me.
This one was called the Chimney tree. The tree is still living and growing, but is entirely hollow from base to top. I learned that redwoods are able to resist many of the effects of fires and the Chimney tree is one that has lived to tell about it.
This is what they call "redwood burl". Most experts say burl wood is composed of dormant buds. Elle was busy trying to make a walking stick.
It was gorgeous weather and the warmest we would be. I even took my sweater off briefly and just had on a long sleeve shirt! I drove the windy leg out of the forest and down the mountains until we stopped for gas. Then we headed to San Francisco!
No comments:
Post a Comment