Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Stamping Through National Parks




on a recent road trip from southern california to central oregon, i decided to pick up a couple of national parks passport stamps at sequoia & kings canyon national parks. before even entering the parks the landscape began to change, as i traded the barren california highway scenery for trees, trees, and more trees. there is just something about mountains and forests, isn’t there? fresh air is the perfect remedy for stress relief.

at every stop i made in the park, i was met with the most delightful smells. i don't know if clean air really has a smell but if it does, this would be it.
i stopped at the sentinel tree and the general sherman tree (the largest redwood in the world, by volume), but my favorite stop was an unexpected one. upon crossing over a lovely stone bridge, i noticed a group of people playing in the water below. i just couldn't resist, so i hiked down in my skirt and flip flops (perhaps not the best choice for the day), and did a little wading. i was surprised at how perfect the water temperature was - cool enough to be refreshing, but not so cold as to curl your toes. it was a wonderful break from the drive.
-Tara

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