2013 Trip Four, Out West, May 16 and 17

On Thursday, May 16, we went to Gen. Grant Grove. This is another section of the parks which highlights several fantastically large sequoia trees. It was a more crowded area with several school buses from California towns close to the parks.

General Grant, third largest sequoia

“Happy Family” set of trees

The Sequoia trees continue to impress, but after a while it is difficult to tell them apart. The sequoias were being discovered after the Civil war which is why so many trees were named as they are.

Dogwood are blooming

We were unable to make as many walks as we wished. Due to the unavailability of Internet at the lodge and the fact laundry facilities will not open until after memorial day, we had to do some housekeeping chores during the day. Normally we would do these in the evening.

Thursday afternoon we drove to Hume Lake. It holds a Christian youth camp that is open to the public. We took advantage of the coin laundry facilities and their snack shop.

Hume Lake

Our laundry options for the trip were to either pack a lot of clothes, buy more clothes on the trip, or do laundry. We chose do laundry.

Surprisingly, the drive to Hume Lake was all asphalt roads. Of course, it was curvy mountain roads. The lack of dirt, one lane roads was a blessing.

We had our bag lunch next to the lake and had a shake and a malt from the small snack shop. The camp must be a popular location. One tour bus used it for a lunch destination for its passengers also.

At our last dinner at the lodge, we sat next to a couple from the Los Angeles area. They came with a group of 10 others for a three day vacation. They have twin boys now age 28.

Our lake Thursday evening

Our drive to the Wawona lodge was uneventful on Friday. It took less time then had been predicted. The earlier arrival allowed us to visit the Mariposa Grove of Sequoia trees.

I think we have had our fill of Sequoia trees. We finished with a walk through the grassy Meadows and forest across from our lodge. Dinner tonight will probably be at the Wawona lodge. They do have music, maybe we will even have an alcoholic beverage.

A walk in the woods.

Wawona Lodge

Ed and Chris. May 17