Just recently my parents and younger sisters came to California for their vacation to visit me and my little family here in Hanford. During their vacation time we all wanted to do some sight-seeing, and play the tourist in our new state of residence. One place in particular that we chose to enjoy was the Sequoia National Park.
Our day in the Sequoia National Park began a little rough. We made it through the front gate and to the first visitor’s center just in time to hear that the roads in the mountains were under construction and the crews only opened them for people to pass through on the hour every hour. The ranger told us it would take about thirty minutes to get to the pass where the construction began, and it was 12:25pm. So, we all piled in our cars and took off for the roads under construction.
We drove up the mountain through winding curves and switchback turns that were enough to churn stomachs, which they did. We made it to the construction and had a few minutes to get out and stretch our legs, get some air, and let the carsick children toss their cookies (lol).
Traffic began to move, so we rushed to get the kids back in the cars and resume our place in line so we could get through. The construction seemed to go on forever. My excitement about the big trees was gradually being drowned out by the grumbling and whimpering of three restless children in the backseat of my minivan. Sean, dear Sean, kept me sane as we made each turn, climbing switchback, stop, and slow drive through construction that revealed a very steep edge of the mountain, and rattled my nerves every time I glanced down over it.
The road finally began to level out a bit as the trees became taller and thicker, and soon, after one last turn, we arrived.
Sean and I were carrying on conversation when we rounded the turn, and at that moment time seemed to slow, words failed me as did my breathing! I turned my head and cocked it sideways, looking out the top of my windshield, in an attempt to see the tops of these massive trees, and ended up rolling my window down to accomplish the attempt. As I sat in complete awe of the sight before me, I tried to form words in my mind to describe these majestic and enormous Sequoia trees. None seemed to do them justice.
Finally, the road was not winding, churning our stomachs anymore, and we were driving deep into the shadows of one of the most amazing forests I’ve ever seen in my life. As we drove further, the trees got even bigger, and we passed a sign that read, “You are now entering the Giant Forest.” Really?! Haha!
From that point on our day got only better. We had rock-climbing moments, tree-gawking moments, random photo-shoot moments, and racing moments which left us (at least Sean, Leah and myself) quite winded.
We all hiked, minus Joanna and Micah, up Moro Rock. Moro rock is the bald tip of one of the mountains in the forest, and it was a 350ft/400stair climb from the parking lot to the top of the rock, with metal rails to hold onto and keep people from falling off the smooth edges of the rocky surface. At the beginning of the climb was a sign that read, “To avoid being struck by lightning and killed, leave Moro rock and return to the lower trail immediately if any of the following occur: The sky becomes dark or clouds suddenly appear; you hear thunder in the distance or nearby; you feel static in the air; you get a metallic taste in your mouth.” OK!
We continue the climb up this rock and I decide to break the monotony and try to reason with myself about why we are actually ascending this stony mountaintop! So, I begin to talk…”Mom, I have a question. What Moron a hundred years ago, as he was hiking through the mountains, stumbles across this huge rock protruding from this mountaintop, says to himself, “Hey! I bet there are millions of other people out there who would love to experience what I am experiencing right now! Let’s make some stairs to the top of this rock so they can all come to the middle of nowhere and risk being struck by lightning to climb 400 stone stairs and be where I am right now!” I could hear chuckles and laughter around me and realized I was actually entertaining other tourists with my sarcasm.
When we reached the top I didn’t eat my words, but I did have a hard time finding new ones! The view was nothing short of amazing! We were higher than other nearby mountaintops, and had a crystal clear view of everything below. We saw the roads we traveled on, including the stopped traffic as other waited on the construction sites to open again, and the river at the bottom in the valley looked like a white ribbon flowing through the trees winding and twisting like is was blowing in the wind.
Driving through the Giant Forest, actually touching the magnificent, towering trees, climbing the mountains and taking in the sights of a part of our world untouched by man’s hand, all of these things caused me to stop and think…
“The heavens declare the glory of God…”
How thankful I am that in my life, when I am tired, stressed, upset, sad, lonely, unwell, I can recall the day I came close to my God, witnessed a small portion, a touch, of His majesty in the graceful giants that cover the mountaintop, and His glory in the vast beauty of the view from that mountaintop! The peace there was what many people long to feel down here in the hustle and bustle of life, and yet it is a part of nature there. I am so glad I got to experience another fingerprint of God that day.
