One of the main purposes of our big trip out West was for Ed to show me the redwoods and after a few minutes of driving through our first redwood forest, I understand why. I've always seen the photo of a car driving through an arch cut out of a redwood's trunk. It didn't occur to me that there would be one after another of these huge trees.
We went to Stout Grove on Thursday afternoon. The gravel road runs through a forest of redwoods that goes on for 7 miles. A motorhome would get stuck because some places the road is just wide enough to allow a car to pass between the trees.
That's Mary with the light pants and rust jacket.
That's Ed in the blue shirt standing by a redwood on the road.
That's Ed in the blue shirt standing by a redwood on the road.
Mary's first up-close-and-personal look at a redwood.
We got out and walked through a 44 acre redwood grove that was donated to the Save-the Redwoods League by Mrs. Stout. 
We were fascinated at the roughness of the bark and the unusual twists in the grain on some of the trees.
Friendly Fog
The trunks are too tall to carry water to the top of the tree so the trees get their water from fog and condensation. 
There are a few redwoods inland but they're near canyons that bring in fog.
Besides providing moisture, the fog helps protect the trees by covering them from hot summer sun and cold winter weather.
A redwood can release up to 500 gallons a day of water from its needles, which creates a perfect environment for ferns and orchids.
Trampoline Roots
These trees can be as tall as the Statue of Liberty but their roots only go down 6-8 feet, creating a trampoline effect that keeps the tree from "pile-driving" itself into the ground.
Inspiring
I found myself mentally singing, "Then sings my soul......how great Thou art, how great Thou art."
Age and Life Span
Redwoods have been around for over 100 million years and were contemporaries of the dinosaurs.
A tree can live for up to 2,000 years.
Right On, Redwoods!MaryMay as she gazed at her first redwoods.
"Awesome" doesn't begin to describe these towering trees. All of these adjectives would apply: Enormous, gargantuan, gigantic, humongous, immense, magnificent, massive, stupendous, tremendous, and......
just plain out "mighty darn big"!
Robert and I saw redwoods at Big Basin Redwoods State Park, which is southwest of San Jose. We were both overwhelmed by the size and age of the trees. Walking through an entire forest of redwoods made me feel insignificant.
ReplyDeleteWow. I'd love for Sean and I to see these Redwoods one day!
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