Giant Sequoia

The Mariposa Grove, near the south entrance to Yosemite National Park, is home to about 500 mature Giant Sequoias.  These trees are among the oldest living things on earth, estimated to be as old as 3,000 years.  Their trunks can reach over 25 feet thick, and they can grow up to 379 feet tall.

Yep, that's me, standing in the rain in front of a downed Giant Sequoia.

Arriving in Yosemite, Sam and I went first to the home of a high school friend of mine.  Jane and her husband, Steve, actually live in Yosemite, in the little village of Wawona.  Before it got dark, they took us down to see the Big Trees.  Never mind that it was raining . . . the first rain they'd had since May . . . we needed to see these giants.

Two of these trees are among the thirty largest Giant Sequoias in the world.  Looking up into that incredible height with rain drifting down was quite emotional.  So much so that I didn't take a picture.  My bad.

Further adventures in the park would reveal more Sequoias to us, but none as impressive as these Big Trees.

See what I mean?  You're going to have to let me cheat a little bit here.  That's what the Internet is for, right?

How's that?  You can see the love?  Of course!