Monday, June 17, 2013

A trip to Sequoia National Park

Annie has always wanted to see the giant redwoods and because Sequoia Park is right in Tucker’s back yard, we decided to take an excursion to the forest.  It only took about 1 1/2 hours to get to the park.  Tucker is a great tour guide of his part of the country.  We certainly appreciated his and Jamie’s patience in going to the many sites we wanted to see.  This is the entrance to the park.  $20.00 a car was the entrance fee.

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Of course, on arrival the first placed we stopped was the bathrooms and gift shop!  It is always a funny experience and can be a bit of a nightmare with 8 children in a gift shop.  Especially the younger ones.  They want everything they see from a polished rock to a flattened penny that I think Andrew ended up with about 4 of them.  He was fascinated with the machine.  Lexi found an old fashioned phone booth.  Something that is a rarity anymore.  You will notice by the sign that it doesn’t really work!IMG_5152IMG_5153IMG_5154

When we finally rounded everyone up we headed to see the 3rd largest tree in the United States called General Grant.  It was awesome.  The pictures don’t really do justice to the magnificence and majesty of the redwoods.

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Fun pictures along the trail:

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Annie suggested that I take the picture of the parking lot showing how tiny the cars are compared to the enormity of the redwoods.

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After we got back to the parking lot we headed to a picnic area and had a wonderful lunch that was prepared that morning before we left. 

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Goodbyes were expressed and hugged as we all climbed into our cars knowing that the trip was coming to a close.  Tucker and Jamie led us out of the park and through a couple of orange groves and grape fields and then directed us to the freeway that would take us further and further away from them.  Those are the saddest moments.  All of us thank Tucker and Jamie and the girls for their hospitality, accommodations, food, being our tour guides and mostly for the love we all felt.  Families are forever and that is a joyful and very comforting thought!

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