singinwildflower

When the alarm clock rang at 4 o’clock in the morning, the face of the glowing dial nearly met its demise on the corner of the nightstand table. It was much too early to be doing anything, much less gaining consciousness, and all I could grasp in my half deranged state was my need for more sleep. Fortunately, however, I was able to gain enough presence of mind to remember why I had set the timer for such an ungodly hour in the first place: my faithful ringer was eagerly reminding me that it was time to head out for a special event—the 2007 Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico. A friend had mentioned the festival two weeks earlier. “Tom and I are going to head down to the balloon festival on the 6th to check ... read more

As I headed out of Death Valley with its bizarre and surreal terrain, I decided to take a side trip over to Red Rock Canyon outside of Las Vegas, NV to do a little rock climbing. Having tasted the joys of scrambling over massive boulders of sticky granite in Yosemite, I was intrigued by what might be waiting in this little, rocky hideaway. My body had other ideas however. Rather than jumping onto the beckoning canyon walls, I found myself nearly passed out in a hidden oasis called Mountain Spring Ranch. Horses were having a languid brunch in the shelter of massive, craggy monoliths; and low, quiet oaks were lazily waving their arms as they woke up to the birds and morning light peeking over the mountain range. Stepping into that tranquil garden seemed to ... read more

After the grandeur, magnificence and overwhelming POW! of Yosemite, Sequoia/Kings Canyon was a tender experience. It actually took me a few days to stop comparing the two parks and to settle into the beauty and uniqueness of this tucked away paradise. Rather than having "spots" where one hops out of the car to take a photo, Kings Canyon was more of an atmospheric experience: hiking trails that ran along rivers as they meandered over boulders, through pools and under meadow grasses; miles and miles of gradually changing ecosystems and slowly changing canyon views; walks through magical settings that imbued a sense of reverence and awe. In this gentle wilderness, the largest living entities on earth are found. Four of the five largest trees in the world are found in Sequioa National Park and being among ... read more