Several times I have mentioned the absence of my usual backups for GPS and other information available via Wi-Fi access and my concern that I would experience consequences in time.
This day was that time.
Sequoia National Park
The pattern already established during this trip of getting a fairly early start continued, completing the more than six-hour drive from Death Valley NP to Sequoia National Park‘s entrance. The Shaka Guide audio agreed with my assessment that the park entrance sign reflected a negative image of what I’m hoping is a bygone day.
The transition from the desert topography of Death Valley to the lush, mountainous greenery of Sequoia was striking. I made my usual stop at the visitor center and made sure I was fully tanked up and had plenty of food and water.
Initially, I didn’t see any of the giant trees I expected, but the audio guide explained that sequoias thrive at 5,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level. Therefore, I slowly took in the scenery as my drive up the mountain proceeded. I was in no hurry, readily pulling into a pullout to yield to other visitors who were drove through faster than I wanted to go.
Eventually, the big trees took over the scenery. Words to adequately describe them fail me, so I’ll let some of the pictures I took do the talking.
The rest of the pictures from Sequoia are available at https://singin1.click/piwigo/index.php?/category/13/start-30.
I had two serious regrets on the day. I had to decide not to hike to the General Sherman Tree, the largest tree (by volume) in the world, or to the General Grant Tree, in King’s Canyon. Both required me to hike to them, and I just wasn’t feeling up to doing so. I have linked to the NPS’s pages for each so you can read about them. More than any other cause, my ability to get to various sites affects whether I get to see or experience them. This is just something I have to accept.
Still, I am happy to experience what I can.
Kings Canyon National Park
As I officially entered Kings Canyon National Park–which is typically twinned with Sequoia, later that afternoon, the traffic dropped dramatically. This didn’t upset me because I was able to take more pictures along the way.
I noticed a small waterfall early on. Information about this indicated that it would grow in size and power as I proceeded through the park, so I began taking pictures of the river whenever I could.
The scenery continued to be mountainous, but now I saw snow along the way. The views of the valley below were extraordinary, and the day was beautiful, if cooler. The number of others making the drive through the park continued to drop until I pretty much had the road to myself. The solitude got my attention, but I was too busy enjoying the solitude to wonder why.
Below I’ve added a series of pictures of the South Folk Kings River. The audio guide mentioned that the river’s rapids become so strong that the park service recommends that only expert kayakers attempt to ride them.
The rest of the pictures are available at https://singin1.click/piwigo/index.php?/category/13/start-30.
Decisions Have Consequences
Deep into the park, I suddenly reached the end of the road, a small loop that turned my rental car back towards the direction I had just come. It was that moment that I recalled seeing the map the ranger showed me early in the day. There was no through road from the park!
I had to make the return drive the way I’d come to leave. I had spent hours leisurely driving to the end of the road. Now, I desperately wanted to get out of the park before dark to avoid animals, such as deer, that would be more active and more likely to cross onto the road, and to negotiate the hazardous turns on the unlit road itself.
Most of the drive, I was by myself. I finally returned to Sequoia, where there was an exit to Fresno. Normally, I would have pulled over and checked both my phone’s access to Google Maps and my printed atlas to see if driving to Fresno was a good idea. Unfortunately, I didn’t have Wifi, and my atlas was in SB back on the East Coast. So, I chose to drive back to my original starting point and go from there.
I admit that the hours of intense driving in a car I didn’t know wore on me as the night progressed. By the time I finally returned to the Sequoia visitor center site and left the area, I desperately needed rest. I was able to get Wifi access and get a room for the night.
As always, I thank the Lord for granting me the stamina to make the trip, the damn good reflexes to steer the Silver Bullet (SB)–or whatever I am driving–as she needed to be guided, and the ability to enjoy His handiwork as it whizzes by my windshield.
I only had about a three-hour drive from my rest stop to Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad, where I had a reservation to take their tour. I planned to sleep as long as I could and check out late the next morning.
Have you ever been so tired that you couldn’t sleep?
I finally gave up trying to sleep, packed up and was on the road early enough that I reached Yosemite NP by 8 a.m.
As it worked out, driving to Fresno would have cut my drive to Yosemite in half. Nothing I could do by then, however.
