From Desert to Sequoia Forest

Thursday, 21^st August

Great day, today – We sat on our chairs under a tree!!! How about that! Alison has been longing to do that. We have our lunch in our fridge in the car, so what’s the big deal!!!

No trees! No trees! Hot, extra hot, up to 114F As we started to drive into the West we travelled through desert. –no trees. When we looking at the petrified forest not one tree to be seen to sit under to have our lunch. Next, the long drive across the Mojave Desert ,- no trees and then into farmland in drought conditions.

Today was the day at 6000 feet. We have just enjoyed the Sequoia National Park. We had trouble believing that we were going to see big trees as we drove toward our destination. One minute we are suffering with the people as the 4 year drought is very evident – no feed – brown dirt – moisture starved trees. Next, are we in California? or in Mildura? – orange groves, grape vines, other` drip watered` fruit trees – then back to barren paddocks. Up and up we climbed. First the pine trees, then the huge granite boulders and then what should have been brilliant photographic scenes of valleys, running streams of water and high mountains were actually just smoke hazed apparitions, Not many miles away in King Canyon National Park a huge fire was burning. Later in the day we took photos of `atomic bomb` smoke clouds.

On and on up and then we gasp as we saw our first red woods – huge. No photo can do justice to the size. Or to the colour so red or is it an orangie red. The vibrant colour stands out against the green and dark trunks of the pine trees . The sequoia tree’s own greenery does not compete in the scene as it is 250feet high above any other high canopy in the forest. Actually, this applies to the tallest of the red woods. The adolescent sequoia trees are a brilliant green – a dense covering as it soaks up the sunlight to shoot for the sky. Alison was interested in these young trees – young is not the right word because they are 100 years old by the time they reach 40 feet! In protecting remnants, the saplings and the adolescent trees are the ones that you look for and long to see. ( At home the young pines are valued but are few and far between). The rangers here are very active in protecting the environment for these amazing trees – 25 feet across – up to 250ft in height. Once they reach their full height they stop growing up and then grow out – a bit like humans really!! Only we don’t live to be 2000 years and counting. Shallow rooted, they live off the moisture on the surface so keeping the forest floor conditions as required is the priority.

We enjoyed our cut lunch under the shade of the forest, in our chairs, looking out at the red woods. We saw `General Sherman’ , the biggest tree on the planet –volume of timber would fill 70 semi trailers. We also took in a visit to `General Grant’ – nearly as big. The people were friendly and many photos were taken – squirrels were also friendly. We felt a little anxious on our return trip as we passed through tinder dry, drought effected bush and farmland, anxious for the people who live in this area – cinders from the main fire would take no time to become a furnace – over 2000 people already evacuated. So many fires are burning in California.