4 Wheels 4 Girls

On May 5, after we saw the giant trees, we drove down into Kings Canyon along the Kings River. Kings Canyon was named by spanish explorers. Momma says it was named for the three kings in the christmas story.

Kings River was going fast, and it looked like it was going backwards, because it was full of waves and they looked like they were going backwards. There were so many waves because the water had to make its way over rocks and to the left and the right of the rocks. It was a very long river. It went all the way through Kings Canyon. The river was wild all the way up into the canyon, and then where all the trees were, it was calm and it looked like a lake, but it was a river.

We stopped for a short walk to Grizzly Falls. It was a big waterfall and it had a lot of melted snow coming down. It was like a big thunderstorm. We couldn’t walk right up to it because it was too wet and the air was full of cold water. Instead, we walked up to a rock along the side of the falls where it wasn’t so wet.

Happy and wet in the mist of Grizzly Falls

We walked to Roaring River Falls. I heard water. I smelled the smell of water. I saw a lot of rocks and a waterfall and a river with rapids and two lizards fighting on a big rock. I was careful near the rivers because I didn’t want to fall in. It would be scary and cold and I would drown maybe.

Sitting on the banks of the Roaring River in Kings Canyon

May 5th, we drove into Sequoia National Park. I really liked this park because of all the awesome trees… But I didn’t know about the Giant Sequoias on the first day. Well, I saw one Giant Sequoia that was only about 30 feet around the bottom, plus a giant stump, but that’s all we saw before we made it to our campground. But before the campground…

I was surprised when we came to a sudden stop. Dad told us to get our shoes on and hop out, so I did. I was the first one out (again) and I walked along the the sidewalk until I spotted the giant stump Dad had told us about. I walked over to it and stood by it, waiting for the rest of my family to come. Finally they came out and we got ready for a picture. Dad said, “Who can touch the top?” None of us could. It was at least 10 feet tall, maybe higher. I tried to kinda climb up it a little, but of course that didn’t work. It was just a giant stump with no branches and nothing to grab hold onto except the woodpecker holes. But we walked around back and there were way more woodpecker holes, bigger ones too. Greta tried to climb up and made it, so I decided I could make it, too. I did. When I stood up on top and walked to the end so I could see the family on the other side, Dad asked, “Could you camp up there? I mean, with a tent and everything?” I answered, “Oh, yeah, definitely.” And Greta agreed. It really was huge up there, but we didn’t have a camera up there to take a picture, and we were too high up to have Jean or Dad hand us one.

The Big Stump

The campground we stayed at was a pretty nice one, at least I thought, but it didn’t have showers, water, electricity, or any other hook-ups. We left early in the morning, and headed towards the Visitor Center. We made it to the Visitor Center and I was the first one out of the– (AGAIN!!!)–RV. I went down the street to the building and went inside. There was a cool museum in there. The parents didn’t give us enough time in there, but I guess I got a good enough look.

Later, we headed off to the Grant’s Grove Trail. I liked the Grant’s Trail. It was really cool ’cause of all the HUGE trees, and I do mean huge when I say it.

That's Jean and Ellie at the bottom of those giant trees.

There was this one tree that was 107 feet around the base. Now do you think I mean HUGE??! I know I was actually there, so even right now, when I’m writing about it, it’s easy to picture, but try to picture a tree that huge… Here’s a picture to help you out.

The giant sequoia behind us is called General Grant, and it is the second largest living creature in the world.

In Grant’s Grove, there were also two FALLEN Giant Sequoia trees, and they were definitely my favorite things on the trail. They were at least 250 feet long, and were hollow inside so you could walk all the way through them. It was awesome!!! There was one flat on the ground, and the other was laying on tilted ground, so if you wanted to go through it, you had to climb up-hill the whole way. When we went in that one, we climbed all the way up to the other end. When everyone else made it up, Ellie, Greta, and Ana threw pinecones down. It was really funny to see how far they would make it. And they had fun doing it too.

Inside a giant sequoia

Everything at Sequoia National Park was fun. You should go there someday too!

May 3, we drove out of Death Valley and made our way across the Sierra Nevada mountains. Along the way, we caught a glimpse of Mt. Whitney and its neighboring giants along the east face of the Sierras. Our next stop would be in Sequoia National Park, so we chose a pass through the mountains at the southern end of Sequoia National Forest.

Oftentimes we pick smaller roads, which might yield a more scenic view of the country. This time we learned–when it comes to mountain passes–the bigger roads are often a wiser choice. Our little road was beautiful, but the RV really struggled to climb up through the endless twists and turns in the forest. We thought the pass would never come. On the bright side, we did spot a bobcat crossing the road along the way.

We camped in Three Rivers, CA that night, next to a wild river, gushing over its banks and boulders, full of spring snowmelt.

The next day, we entered Sequoia National Park at the Foothills Entrance, planning to drive up through the park from the south, to see the grove of giant sequoias, one of which is General Sherman, the largest living creature on Earth. Instead, we learned that our RV was not allowed up the southern road through the park, and that we would have to turn around and drive back down out of the mountains and north to another park entrance, missing General Sherman altogether. Sigh.

So, we missed General Sherman, but General Grant, the second-largest living creature on Earth, would be waiting for us at the other park entrance.

May 4th, we were driving down the road. Suddenly we appeared in a forest of Joshua Trees. Dad and I had been looking for one since Tuzigoot and suddenly we were surrounded by them. I just wanted to let you know, Joshua, that I took a picture with one for you.

Me and the Joshua Tree

On May 3rd we finished our Death Valley junior ranger packets. When we got to the Visitor Center, we went to a table and looked at an album that taught you about the park. We had to look for a nocturnal animal. Guess what? I got a Badger. Don’t you think they are not nocturnal?

We turned in our junior ranger packets. Ranger Mike did our packets and our pledge. He was so nice.

Us with Ranger Mike

We went to the Salt River to see pupfish. When we got there we were all so hot. My dad and Ana and Greta left and me and Mommy and Stella stayed and locked up the RV. Then we came and saw minnows which were actually pupfish. We walked up to Daddy and said look at the pupfish. I thought they were so cute. We saw males chasing each other around and around. I told Daddy that I wanted one as a pet because they were cute.

Watching pupfish at the Salt River

After that we left Death Valley. I had fun but I hated the hotness.

After leaving Vegas and going to Trader Joe’s, we headed into my least favorite national park so far: Death Valley. I tell you, it was HOT. Grossly hot, disgustingly hot. By the time I could see the valley I was sweating by butt off and I was DYING. Now I don’t question why they call it Death Valley. When we reached sea level it was even worse. We took a picture of the “Sea Level” sign:

Ana doesn't actually look THAT hot. She did a lot better than me, that's for sure! You'd think living in Atlanta would teach me about hot weather extremes!

We finally got to the visitor center in Furnace Creek, at the bottom of the valley, and got out of the RV. I sprinted into the building, which to my fabulous luck was well air-conditioned. I’m not sure if I had ever appreciated air-conditioning as much as I had right then. After meeting the rangers and finding out more about the park, we went to do a walk in the lowest point in North America- Badwater Basin. I also believe it is a place where people can die of being overheated. We were 282 feet below sea level when we reached the salt flats where we would be walking. It was kinda cool ’cause there was a sign on the side of the cliff 282 feet above us saying “Sea Level”:

You see it way up there?! Directly above the RV, halfway up the cliff.

The ground was full of salt, (you could lean down and taste it!) and water that flows into the basin carries it there. The walk was excruciatingly hot, and Dad and Jean made me wear a ridiculous hat ’cause of the sun. Go ahead and laugh; I know I look SOOOOOOOO stupid. Here we are in Badwater Basin:

On the salt flats. Do we look as hot as I say we are?

We unfortunately had to go on another hike that night into the golden canyon. Luckily it wasn’t very long. It was really pretty and the heat was actually worth it for this one, except at the end. The sand fleas came out and bit Stella and me to pieces, so I guess that wasn’t so great. Those bites hurt!!!

We stayed at a campground very close to the visitor center. We had a small meal of sandwiches and salad ’cause Jean didn’t want to turn on the oven because of the heat. We went to bed sweating. I hated it. 🙁

Death Valley was awful!!! Go there only if you like extreme heat and sweating basically all the water out of your body.