Sequoia

R and I spent two nights in Sequoia National Park about a month(!) ago. I would have posted this entry sooner, but I've been business traveling since then (more on that in a future entry) and didn't have access to photo editing software while I was away. And an entry like this absolutely requires photos posted along with it.

The camping trip was great. I'm surprised it worked out as well as it did, considering how spontaneously we planned it. We went in the middle of the week -- pretty late in the fall -- which made for some serious solitude. We passed only two other people during the five-mile hike to Emerald Lake, where we spent our second night. The campsite was at 9200 feet, making for some brisk weather and great views.

I've been trying to expound on the trip, but I find myself restarting again and again. Maybe too much time has passed and my thoughts have lost focus. The bottom line is I enjoyed being out in the woods again. The mammoth features of the rugged terrain, the unpredictable weather, the howling of wild animals... it makes a person feel powerless to nature, yet rewarded for surviving a few days among it. The experience was quite a contrast from my urban weeks that followed. I think maybe that was the point.

More photos from the adventure are posted here.

P.S. We saw the largest tree in the world (not to be confused with the tallest tree in the world). Apparently Sequoia trees are the larger ones in terms of mass, but Redwood trees actually grow taller. Those are at another park.