Scott took us on a drive to the coast and we made a stop of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. I've always wanted to see the Redwoods and they are amazing. You know they are going to be really tall, but you can't quite wrap your mind around how tall those trees really are.
Take this one for example:
This tree is about 270 feet tall and over 17 feet wide. That means this tree is almost as tall as the Statue of Liberty. Want to be really blown away - this tree grew from a seed that is about the size of a flake of oatmeal. Amazing.
At the entrance to the trail they have a cross section of a redwood set up as a display. The tree fell in 1934, but rings indicate that it was on the earth when Christ was born. Trees that are thousands of years old. It was really so peaceful and so awe inspiring. I loved it. I could have stayed in that forest for ever.
We learned a few cool things about redwoods and fires. Because the redwoods have such thick bark and because it is actually heat resistant (!!) fire can damage on of these trees, but if enough tissue remains undamaged the tree with actually live and over time it will heal the fire scar. That's right - self healing trees.
 |
| Mom and girls in a burned out section of a Redwood |
 |
| meeting our 2012 goal to get more pics of the whole family |
 |
| The requisite picture of everyone looking up at the trees. :) no this picture wasn't staged, what are you talking about?!?!? |
There was one especially cool tree. It had been hollowed out inside by fire. We rounded the corner and there was a park ranger standing there (he was a little hobbit looking if you ask me. Nice and super knowledgeable, but seemed too at home in the forest, if you know what I'm saying.)
Anyway, he points out this hole and tells us all to go inside the tree.
Thank you, strange forest man, but I'll pass.
Not the rest of my family, oh no, they all head straight into the tree. "Go on," he says "I've been in there with 30 adults."
That's a strange claim to fame, Ranger Hobbit. I don't willingly put myself in tiny dark spaces, but that's just me.
 |
| Hobbit Hole |
Then Chad appears in the hobbit hole and says "you really should come in here. It's pretty amazing."
"Ok, fine," I say. I glance at Ranger Hobbit who seems smugly
happy that I'm about to climb into the Hobbit Hole. I wanted to say step
off Ranger Hobbit, I'm going because my husband says it is ok, not
because you say it is ok. But I refrained.
So I go climbing into the hobbit hole and once you get a few inches inside you can stand up! And there we are all standing up together - inside a tree. Don't forget, we are tall people. I lasted about a minute before the tree walls started closing in on me. I climbed out, admitted to Ranger Hobbit that it was indeed pretty darn cool.
Extremely claustrophobic, but I'm glad I made myself climb in for a minute. Definitely worth experiencing.
 |
| Mom and Grace |
 |
| Sisters |
|
|
 |
| Grace, Grandma Sharon and Brynn |
 |
| cousins |
|
Comments