Incline Village (near Lake Tahoe), Nevada

After leaving Los Angeles we spent two nights at Sequoia National Park, located in the pristine foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, followed by four nights in the insanely beautiful Yosemite National Park. We pulled into Incline Village last Monday and have set up with another of Denise's sisters for a week that includes Ruth's 7th Birthday celebration today. Sequoia National Park, California The biggest tree in the world, the “General Sherman”, lives inside Sequoia NP. It is tucked away in the heart of the park amongst a majestic grove of 2000 year-old giant Sequoia trees. We learned that while other trees are taller than its 275 feet, and some may be wider, none are bigger – as measured by the wood volume of the tree. The trunk measures 102 feet at the base and tapers only slightly on the way up. Viewed alone, it is an impressive natural wonder. But when viewed as part of a grove, it feels like Mother Nature has created a giant natural cathedral. A certain reverence and humility feels appropriate in the presence of these truly ancient, majestic trees. Access to Sequoia NP requires driving along a steep, winding road where vehicles are lucky to complete 20 miles in an hour. Our entry was made memorable due to a young Black Bear siting - the first live bear we’d seen. It was cruising alongside the road and caused all traffic to halt. We got to enjoy watching him scamper and forage along the forest edge for a few minutes before disappearing into the forest again. We’d been fortunate to secure camp site reservations online for Sequoia NP but had no luck doing the same for Yosemite – a highly popular National Park just to the north of Sequoia. With some trepidation we struck out from Sequoia at 6am hoping to arrive early enough in Yosemite (4-5 hour drive) to secure a “walk in” site. We were lucky. At the park entrance we learned that the Crane Flat campsite would be opening at Noon that day - the first time it had opened this season. It was 11:30am. We had a 40 mile trek to the campsite so headed directly there. By night fall the 166 site campground was full. Yosemite National Park, California Crane Flat is approximately 10 miles drive from the highly trafficked Yosemite Valley, and around 2,000 feet higher. The campground is relatively primitive. Over the course of the next few days we came to think of Crane Flat as our “home in the suburbs” -- a place we slept and had breakfast and dinner -- while we visited the “city” of Yosemite Valley with its shuttle bus service, visitor center, garage, shops, cabins, showers, campgrounds, bike & raft rental places, and rangers quarters. Ordinarily we’d have enjoyed the quiet of the suburbs but, without reservation, Yosemite Valley is one of the most insanely beautiful places we have visited. Not content being created with a lush, green, open meadow capped with large, shade providing trees, Yosemite Valley had to also include a wide and fast flowing river, the Merced, that pours cool and clear over rocks and pebbles, alternating between a quiet even flow and the roar of small rapids as it steps its way down out of the valley. And, as if that’s not sufficient, Yosemite Valley is framed with impossibly tall solid granite walls carved eons ago by glaciers that left them smooth and polished. Lastly, as if all that beauty is still not enough, the valley lies in a very accommodating east-west orientation allowing warm, bright sunshine that is abundant in the summer to shine ostentatiously on all that is has to offer. Quite sublime. Enjoyed by millions of visitors each year, Yosemite Valley has a beauty not easily described but we clearly fell under its spell. Our Yosemite NP visit was capped off with the last night spent at 8,500 feet – in Tuolomne Meadows – a campsite that only opens in late June due to persistent snow. While much quieter than Yosemite Valley, the upper meadows were themselves breathtakingly beautiful. Recent snowmelt fed crystal clear creeks and streams, their waters running over huge granite rocks that lay shimmering some 3-4 feet below. Afternoon sunlight danced in the fast flowing waters while bathing the surrounding meadows in an intense, clear light. A couple of hikers, lying on rocks next to the stream and reading their books in the sun, captured the stillness and serenity of the upper meadows. Overall, Yosemite is a place we’ll return to visit someday. Incline Village, Nevada Visiting another of Denise’s sisters, we pulled into Incline Village on Monday afternoon. We celebrated 10 months on the road yesterday with a group hike alongside a forested stream that wound past clusters of beautiful wild flowers before opening into a lush, green meadow. We’ve taken time to “spring clean” our van in advance of our imminent return to Seattle. And what treasures we found! It is truly amazing what can be tucked away in all the secret nooks and crannies of a 6 and 9 year olds upper bunk (in the van). We plan to head to Ashland, Oregon on Sunday to visit an old school friend of Denise’s. Then home to Seattle – a long haul that we might break into two days. But we figure we’ll be propelled by the desire to get home after our nearly year-long journey away. On July 4th we leave for a 10-day trip to Hawaii before returning full-time to Seattle, and the true end of this journey.