General Sherman

location: Sequoia National Park
distance: approx 2.5 miles

details: one fun thing about being on the west coast is the awesome proximity to National Parks and Forests and Monuments and Sites. we booked a B&B in Monterey for some recuperation after our wedding and since we were driving north, it seemed like a good opportunity for a bit of a sidetrack to visit Sequoia National Park, stand beside the General Sherman tree, and meet up with a friend who recently moved to Visalia.

once through the Tejon pass, the drive up the Central Valley was pretty dull ... until we reached the park and the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas, where the Generals Highway was delightfully twisty (at least to the person who wasn't driving) with spectacular views of the mountains and desert.

we had limited time on our hands, so after a picnic lunch with our friend, the three of us headed off to find General Sherman and the Giant Forest. knowing it wasn't a particularly far or difficult walk, I opted to stay in my Tevas, while Andy put on his new hiking boots - in an ongoing attempt to get the right fit and feel before we do serious trekking. the boots still presented some problems, so a different pair may be necessary. my Tevas did me just fine, though my feet ended up nearly black from tramping through the soft dirt, making a mess of the bathmat at our B&B later that evening.

Andy also had the opportunity to try out our new day-hike pack - a mere 20 litres and much better suited to shorter hiking trips than our larger packs. we opted for one that has a different set-up to allow airflow to your back and it worked out great. I'll get a chance to use it the next time we go on a long hike - maybe San Gorgonio?

the trees were about as incredible as anticipated. General Sherman - while not officially the oldest or tallest or widest, is the largest tree by volume. it stands 275 feet tall and has a diameter of 25 feet. a fence kept visitors from getting too close and a friendly ranger was giving a talk at the base of the tree - to inform and observe, I'm sure. nearby were a pair of trees that path went directly between, inviting people to touch the trees and experience their texture. while circling General Sherman, we passed a young man giving a rather shocked-looking young woman the last of dozen roses ... and then get down and propose. the group listening to the ranger's talk caught on to what was going on at the opposite side of the tree and clapped and cheered for them.

running short on time (again) we opted for the shuttle back to our parking lot from the Giant Forest parking lot. I wish we could have spent more time hiking and exploring the forest - and getting a bit farther off the beaten path and away from some of the crowds - but that just serves as motivation to do another trip to visit the great trees and parks of California! it's only 2.5 hours between Sequoia and Yosemite.