For a long time I’ve heard about the Redwoods. I’ve seen pictures on TV and in magazines but never been there in person. When I was in junior high one of my best friends gave me a bookmark from the Redwoods. (I collect bookmarks). The reason I say all of that is because I’ve wanted to go for a long time and this week I finally got my chance. My wife and I went to Oregon to visit one of her old roommates with a bunch of her friends. My condition for going was that we came through the Redwoods on our way home. It’s not really “on the way home” but I really wanted to go. I’m so glad that we did. First of all, two 16 hour drives in three days would not be fun. Second of all I love California so the more of it I can see the better. Lastly, and most importantly, I had my breath taken by the beauty of God’s creations. We had basically one day in California so we had to make the most of that day. I think we did. I became insignificantly small at Big Tree, claustrophobic as I drove through a Redwood, gloried in the sea while I walked a coastal trail, saw whales from Klamath Overlook, and huffed and puffed along the Boy Scout trail to a magnificent small waterfall in the middle of the redwoods. I left with only one desire. To come back again and stay for much more than one day. There is so much to see that it couldn’t be done in a week or even a month I think.
Coming from Utah things grow once a year, if that. In my house things tend not to grow at all. Anyway, in the Redwoods things never stop growing. I have included pictures below that are proof of that very fact. The first picture is of a couple of spider webs that were above the trail. They were supported by strands anchored to trees 20+ feet apart. I was amazed by the tenacity of those spiders.
This next pictures is a perfect example of the cycle of life. A huge redwood fell on the side of the path and its decaying remains became the fertile ground for other plants and trees to grow on. It’s fascinating to me that the roots just wrap around the tree, defying what I always saw other trees do – grow in the ground.
Behold the glory of the Redwoods! This is a view of the forest from the Boy Scout trail (the only one I had time to go on). These towers held me in awe as I walked through them. The fact that they only need the moisture from the mist, they are fire retardant, they live for 20 human lifetimes and make me feel insignificant because they are absolutely massive.
This little waterfall was the reason that I took the Boy Scout trail and I think that it was worth it.
Coming from Utah things grow once a year, if that. In my house things tend not to grow at all. Anyway, in the Redwoods things never stop growing. I have included pictures below that are proof of that very fact. The first picture is of a couple of spider webs that were above the trail. They were supported by strands anchored to trees 20+ feet apart. I was amazed by the tenacity of those spiders.
This next pictures is a perfect example of the cycle of life. A huge redwood fell on the side of the path and its decaying remains became the fertile ground for other plants and trees to grow on. It’s fascinating to me that the roots just wrap around the tree, defying what I always saw other trees do – grow in the ground.
Behold the glory of the Redwoods! This is a view of the forest from the Boy Scout trail (the only one I had time to go on). These towers held me in awe as I walked through them. The fact that they only need the moisture from the mist, they are fire retardant, they live for 20 human lifetimes and make me feel insignificant because they are absolutely massive.
This little waterfall was the reason that I took the Boy Scout trail and I think that it was worth it.
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