Good morning, my dear friend.
Isn’t it interesting, baffling, and frustrating how intentions and actualizations often don’t run parallel to one another? For instance, I intend to write regularly, but actually don’t write to you all month—and then send two in two days.
I intend to produce quality, thought-provoking, and adventure-filled essays that incite you to explore your own mind and world. But instead, I actually spend weeks writing about San Francisco and Sacramento, because I just can’t bear the mundaneness of writing a traditional travel story. I intend to share my travels and views on the places I visit, but I actually kinda dislike the walkthrough aspect.
Actually, I prefer to share with you how a place made me feel, rather than a rundown of what I did. And that’s my intention with this next part.
The Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias
Having lived most of my life in either Indiana or Kentucky (and a short stint in Louisiana when I was a small child), people are often surprised when I tell them I was born in Oceanside, California, but then they nod knowingly when I say that my dad was in the U.S. Marine Corps, stationed at Camp Pendleton. We only lived there less than a year after I was born, but I’ve heard stories from my parents my entire life—especially my dad.
You see, my dad is an adventurer, a wanderer, a rambler, just like me. Or, rather, I’m just like him. My favorite stories are the ones he told about the Redwoods and Giant Sequoias in California. The look of wonder in his eyes ignited an excitement in me that has extended all of my 54 years. The Giant Sequoias have topped my adventure bucket list since.
So, when I learned I’d be traveling to San Francisco and Sacramento, my heart leaped at the possibility of seeing the unicorn of my youth. However, when I discussed the possibility with my husband, he just didn’t see the logistics considering how little time we would have. From hotel checkout to airplane boarding would be about 12 hours and making the drive to Yosemite would take seven of those.
In a call with my dad shortly before we left home, he said, “You can’t be that close and not see it—it’s so unbelievable.” Hanging up the phone, my husband saw my disappointment and decided to make it happen, logical or not. His intent was to actualize my dream.
So our final day in California, we checked out of our hotel before dawn and drove almost four hours south to the Mariposa Grove entrance at the southwest corner of Yosemite National Park, where we hiked to the top of the grove, 3.2 miles up with a 1,000-foot elevation gain.
Our destination—the tree I wanted to see the most—was the infamous Wawona Tree, seen in historic photos with vehicles driving on a road cut through its base. Growing up, this was the tree I remember most, as those images of vehicles driving through surfaced whenever Redwoods or the Giant Sequoias were mentioned. Unfortunately, the weight of a snowstorm and weakness from the tunnel caused this iconic tree to fall in 1969, the year after I was born.
As we ascended the trail, a powerful sense of awe flowed through me, gaping and gasping at first one tree and then the next, each one bigger than the last: Bachelor and the Three Graces, the Grizzly Giant, California Tunnel Tree, Faithful Couple, Clothespin Tree, and so many more, named and unnamed.
For each, I wanted so badly to touch the bark, run my hand along its length, and just sit at the base, leaning up against thousands of years of life and tragedy and history, just to soak in the moment. But as enormous as the trees are, their root system is only about six feet deep and can easily be damaged by foot traffic near the base. Regardless of my want, I couldn’t selfishly take the chance of shortening the life of a single mighty tree.
Near the top, as the trail steepened and my energy felt depleted, I finally told my husband that I really didn’t need to see Wawona, that we had gone far enough. Knowing how much I wanted to stand next to the fallen tree, my husband said, “It’s only about a quarter of a mile,” and that gave me the gumption to find a bit more energy and climb those last steps.
Seeing her gigantic form spread out in front of me, roots displayed for all to see her weakness, I quieted as if on hallowed ground, and this time, I touched her, stood next to her, grieved for her.
And then it was time to go.
After six miles and four hours hiking, we stretched our achy muscles and folded ourselves back into the rental car for another four hours of driving to the airport in San Francisco. All the hiking and all the sitting may not have been a good idea before boarding a cross-country, overnight flight, but the adventure and accomplishment will remain with me all my days.
The real heart-warming part, my intent, was getting home and sharing the experience with my dad. The actualized moments that spread warm happiness through your chest and limbs is what life is about.
Finally Back in the Books
I’m happy to report that I finished several books this month. Even if it wasn’t as many as I wanted, it’s the number I had capacity for this month, and that is exactly enough.
Books Read
Weird Things Customers Say in Bookstores by Jennifer Campbell
Wanting: Women Writing About Desire edited by Margot Kahn & Kelly McMasters
Books Reading
On My Bedside Table
The Starlite Drive-In by Marjorie Reynolds
Gap Creek by Robert Morgan
The Gospel According to the Son by Norman Mailer
In Our Time by Ernest Hemingway
Silas Marner by George Eliot (reread)
Open House by Elizabeth Berg
We Are All Welcome Here by Elizabeth Berg
Looking Ahead
July is busy with work, but a little more relaxed on the personal front. My focus this month is on family and friends, with few adventures planned, except my husband and father-in-law skydiving—I’ll be watching from the ground, because I’ve never wanted to jump from a perfectly good aircraft. In another sense, too, my goal is to stay grounded, to breathe, and to focus more on writing to you.
How about you? What do you have planned for July? I’m looking forward to hearing about your intentions and your actualizations.
It's great you took the time to see and experience the giant Sequoias. You'll never regret it. I loved reading about your trip. I was there when I was about 6 I got to see the Wawona tree. Driving through was already prohibited. I read a book a couple of years ago about the first settlers in that area, who exploited it. If I remember which book it is, I'll send you the name.
So glad you got to see Wawona. I love to travel and have been blessed to see so many awe inspiring places. I love hiking in the wild and communing with this amazing planet. Thanks for sharing.