Kings Canyon National Park, California

Last month in early June, my friend Janet and I went camping for a week up in Kings Canyon National Park. We had the most perfect, shady campsite right on the Kings River. The site was huge, private and totally awesome. That is my tent, the Big Fat Frog, my home away from home. Janet had a huge blue tent the size of 3 tents. One evening a vole crawled underneath her tent and I had to grab a broom and scoot him out of there. He stood up on his back legs and chose me off, flashing those big teeth and making all kinds of noise at me. I screamed every time I whacked him with the broom, until finally he gave up and raced off into the woods.

Here is Janet, looking so beautiful as she played her guitar.

This shot of  the Kings River was taken right below our campsite. Every night we grabbed our chairs and sat down by the river. I was reading an incredible true story about the sinking of the Indianapolis during World War II and Janet was playing Sudoku, determined to finish each difficult puzzle.

Down by the river all sorts of gnarled trees stood, half in and half out of the water, their roots grotesquely twisted around huge rocks.

One afternoon Janet led us on an adventure down the river. We walked through mountains of ashes left over from a controlled burn and I was getting discouraged. Finally we  found an open space in the trees and saw the most beautiful reflections in the still water.

Further downstream I took this picture; gorgeous green water, blue sky and tall trees.

The water was so clear you could see all the way to the bottom.

 We stayed in Sheeps Creek Campground but one afternoon, took a walk over to Sentinel campground. Even though the campground was closed, we decided to walk around and see the meadow, and even crossed the bridge, bypassing all the construction, and somehow made it over to the store where we promptly bought an ice cream. We hitched a ride back, as the bridge was officially closed and I dared not lead Janet astray again.

Early one morning we drove over to Zumwalt Meadow to take the loop hike around the meadow. I watched as these two young men dressed in very short shorts and tank tops, grabbed a bunch of food out of their truck and started over the bridge. It upset me as they left their unprotected ice chest in the back of the truck; a definite no-no. By the time we crossed the bridge over to the trail, the guys were quickly walking back. One guy had a huge jar of peanut butter and jelly, and a loaf of bread in his arms, and the other had cookies and sodas in his arms. They had no backpacks and just loaded the food into their arms. They told us they saw a bear on the trail and decided it wasn't such a good idea to hike Zumwalt Meadow after all.  We continued on and never saw the bear, maybe we should have lathered up with peanut butter instead of bug spray. 

Huge rocks left behind from an avalanche, cascade down the mountain like a waterfall.

 Wild roses were in bloom; so fragile and so very pretty.

We accidently startled a mother duck with a bunch of tiny ducklings and they all quickly swam out from the shore where they were hiding. She made sure all her ducks were in a row and safe from the likes of us. It was so sweet.

 Zumwalt Meadow, fresh and green in the early morning light.

 

One afternoon me and Janet went to Roads End where this huge rock sits overlooking the water. It is actually called the John Muir Rock and supposedly Mr. Muir used to stand on the rock and preach to people about the Sequoias and Yosemite, the places he so dearly loved. That would be me standing on the rock, building up my courage to jump in the water. 

Tall spindly pines mixed in with burnt remnants create a ghostly atmosphere.

 Roaring River, tumbling down the mountain like a bunch of kids at play.

 One morning we left very early and took the 9 1/2 mile hike up to Mist Falls. Most of the canyon was still in shadows when we started heading up the trail.

Janet in the middle of a tree, a living tree, amazing isn't it.

Lush fern line the trail up to Mist Falls.

After several miles of walking down a flat, sandy trail, the trail heads upward and comes to this bridge. We were all alone all the way up and were standing on the bridge when a group of about 30 kids came jumping and laughing and talking up the trail and soon were sprawled out all over the bridge. Nothing like peace and quiet. We let them go ahead of us and never saw them again!

The sun is just starting to break through the trees and light up the canyon. It was right after we turned this corner that Janet found the bear.

Janet was ahead of me and suddenly she turns around and quietly says, "Susan there's a bear in the trail." I didn't believe her and pushed ahead of her and found this guy walking towards us. I got out my camera to get a picture and Janet is persistently saying, "Susan, get out your bear spray." I kept trying to focus my camera, and she kept saying get your bear spray and finally I got the bear spray out and was ready for action. He kept advancing and we turned into a bunch of cowards and ran down the trail and hid in the rocks. Twice more we tried to head up the trail, but there he was peeking his huge head around the trees, looking to see if we were gone. Finally an old man came by and saw us up in the rocks. He agreed to scare the bear away, so we promptly followed him, the old man clapping, me screaming, and Janet blowing her whistle, sort of like an early 4th of July parade. Finally the bear lumbered off into the bushes obviously disgusted with our show.

The old man took our picture on this slab of granite overlooking the prettiest view in the canyon.

That pink dot is me, sitting on the rocks in front of Mist Falls. What a fabulous place!

View from the top of Mist Falls.

View through a tree of Mist Falls.

On the way back we encountered a Rattle Snake on the trail. I was in front this time and slowly stepped backwards. I said, "Janet there is a rattler on the trail." She was so upset. The bear was nothing to her, but the vole and the rattler just about did her in. We let him slither by and then proceeded down the trail.

 When we were nearly back to our car, I noticed this lichen on a rock and thought it looked just like a Native American pictograph! Good bye one and all. May your journeys be sweet, may God protect you along the way and may His presence abide with you. Adios!

Idyllwild, California

Over Memorial Day Weekend, I went camping in Idyllwild, a small mountain town in the San Jacinto Mountains.  I joined in with the Outdoor Fellowship from Calvary Chapel and my good friend Janet, that I met at the Bluegrass Thursday night jam, came along. This is our humble campsite, nestled in between hundreds of pine trees.  

Janet, me and Lou led the worship time in the morning and evening. It was so much fun playing with these guys and it also helped me overcome my stage fright.

 Scarlet Indian Paintbrush were blooming throughout the hills.

I took this photo early one morning, directly behind our campsite. Spring has definitely sprung in Idyllwild!

That would be me on a rock in the campground. Life is good....

 

Pictures of our group sitting by the fire, talking, laughing, eating and singing. Great fun!

 

The trees have budded the tender green leaves of spring; oh to be a tree!

For the very first time, I saw the Manzanita in bloom. Pale pink flowers covered all the trees.

 

 Massive boulders and pine trees up in the mountains of Idyllwild.

Lou's wife, Patti, took some of the pictures you see here. She captured Orville, the man on the right who leads our group, in a pensive moment and Ed on the left getting ready to sing!

Oak and pine trees intermingled with the vast array of giant boulders.

 

My friend Janet, such a dear sweet woman who loves to camp as much as I do.

 

Purple thistle blooming up in the mountains; pretty, but sharp and prickly.

Larry and Anita, loving life in the great outdoors. Larry gave one of the morning devotionals and nearly brought us all to tears with his vivid stories and beautiful illustrations.

Gigantic Sugar Pine cones were scattered all over the mountains.

 

Becky and Jim, a great couple who jammed with us Friday night, and their little Jack Russell terrier. Apparently between the three of them, the dog is the fastest hiker!

Me and Lou, an extremely accomplished musician who plays in one of my favorite bluegrass bands, Box Canyon, getting ready to lead some singing.  Thank you Lou and Janet for making the worship so beautiful!

 Some of our younger and more energetic members!

 Tricia is pretty energetic all by herself and has enough energy for three people!

Most of my time was spent just looking at the trees. They were so magnificent, awe inspiring, colorful, majestic, tall, poetic, amazing.........and the list goes on.

Sue drinking her coffee with some other folks in the background.



Robert and Sheila....Robert gave one of the devotionals as well, did an excellent job. Everyone spontaneously clapped when he was done. Robert was so stunned he simply sat down. The talk was very good, and I must say it took some of my deepest fears away.

 

Spring color in town; don't you just love it?

 

Lou with his amazing wife Patty......a photographer, pharmacist, gardener, and of course wife and mother.

 

 Two sugar pine cones at the top of a very tall tree.

In 2010, this long awaited monument was installed, even though it is not quite finished. Artist, David Roy, was commissioned to create the piece after the original totem pole slowly decayed. The piece is breathtaking, as it is, and includes a bear, eagle, mountain lion, lizards and what not. I'm not quite sure what else needs to be done; maybe another eagle.

My favorite place to drink coffee in Idyllwild; the Higher Grounds Coffee house. That would be me, sitting out on the front porch, enjoying the sweet mountain air.

Elevation in Idyllwild is over 5,000 feet, which makes for brisk mornings and evenings!

 



 Quintessential Idyllwild; homey, country, ma and pa, old fashioned food and decor, plus one very happy go lucky baker.

On the way out of town, Janet and I stopped at Café Aroma for the most delightful lunch of garlic soup, bread with olive oil and salad. Thank you Lord for a wonderful weekend!