Day 16-18: Wed, July 25-27, 1962: Sequoia Giants
Trip Start
Jul 10, 1973
1
15
37
Trip End
Aug 28, 1973
Where I stayed
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, California
Wednesday, July 25, 1973
The clothes line is up & full of towels. The water thermos is in its' place on the end of the picnic table. I see an ash bucket in the foreground & on the back of the picnic table is a gasoline can. I remember our camp stove used "white gas" in the days before propane. Momma had to pump it up to maintain pressure within the fuel tank before lighting it.
We had a cylindrical ice chest that I do not see in this photo. It was blue & had some kind of world map on it, I think. It was always full of block ice & food. We had two picnic tables. I have a vague recollection of Momma trying to move one of these tables & finding it difficult due to her recent surgery.
Sunset campground was near the Grant Grove general store. I think Momma paid to take a shower there. The store had the usual camping supplies, plus an assortment of souvenirs. I remember items that smelled like Balsam. I also think they had a phone that Momma used.
Our first adventure of the day was driving to Moro Rock, somewhat south of where we were camped. Once we arrived, Momma, Terri & I hiked to the top of the rock. A 400-step stairway, built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, is cut into and poured onto the rock, so that visitors can hike to the top. The stairway is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The view from the rock encompasses much of the Park, including the Great Western Divide. It has an elevation of 6,725 feet. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Sequoia-National-Park/blog-106878.html
This view would have been mine & Terri's first look at mountains west of the Mississippi. We had seen West Virginia mountains 2-3 years ago, but they were so rolling & laid-back compared to the magnificence of these mountains!
On the way back, we stopped at the General Sherman tree. Wow, it was a really BIG tree! As a matter of fact, everywhere we looked we saw GIANT trees! We also would have driven through the fallen tree tunnel.
Apparently, Momma knew there was horseback riding available. She dropped me off for a trail ride & she & Terri went exploring for about an hour. I had a great time as I always did when I got to ride horses. I don't know where I got it from, but I rode every chance I got & was never afraid.
While they were gone, Momma & Terri went to a store. I will never forget that Momma bought Terri some Walnettos. We had never heard of these before & they were SO good! I remember stopping at a picnic area across from a broad, shallow river. We may have eaten there, but I don't know for sure.
We were supposed to meet up with Momma's friend from Grand Canyon. Momma checked the message boards each day, hoping to find a message, but we never heard from them.
Sequoia was a beautiful National Park. I wish we could have spent a lot more time there, especially since we had the best campsite in the world. And hey, since I didn't have to tote water anymore, I could have kicked back & relaxed a bit more!!
Comments
I do wonder how full the bucket really was & how much I spilled! Was this the trip where the bear attacked the ice chest? By the way, do y'all have the ice chest, stove, picnic basket, & water jug anymore?
Yes, we still have them all except the ice chest. I do not know what happened to it, but I believe it has been gone a long time.