Extended by a day.

Friday, July 22, 2011
I woke up at 5:45 this morning but didn't feel like getting up yet. The next time that I checked my watch a whole hour had passed, I must have dozed back off.
I fixed my morning coffee and oatmeal and began packing up camp. I was completely finished by shortly after 8. 
I drove over to the Visitors Center and took advantage of the Wi-Fi to upload the last couple of days blogs. By the time that I was finished with the blog and had checked out the Visitors Center it was already 10. I didn't want to leave for home yet since I had never seen this park before. I hiked the North Grove Trail and followed the guide book like a good little girl :). While I was close to the car I used the tripod to take some pictures with me in them.

I have visited groves of Giant Sequoias before but it is always fun to learn the history of the place while you are there. There is a giant stump called the Discovery Stump that was cut down just because. It was used as the base of a bar and bowling alley at one time and they smoothed off the stump part for a dance floor. 

There was another tree in the grove that early settlers stripped the bark completely off to ship back east and reassemble to prove that these giants truly exist. John Muir said they skinned it alive. It was destroyed by fire since it no longer had the protection of the bark.

This park also has a drive through tree, it is called the Pioneer Cabin Tree. It was carved out to compete with Yosemite's drive through tree. This has reduced the tree's resistance to fire. The top of the tree has fallen off and the tree only has one green branch. It is still alive, but just barely.

When I finished my tour of North Grove I decided to drive the 8 1/2 miles down the mountain to check out the South Grove. I didn't take the hike because it is 5 miles round trip and I still had to drive home today. I also checked out the other campground called Oak Hollow. The campsites are all beautiful, I will keep this in mind for future trips.
I stopped at the Stanislaus River Bridge and ate lunch and then headed for home about 1 pm.

I arrived home safe and sound around 4:30. Back to work on Sunday and then I have to rest up (at work of course) for the Garlic Festival next week.
Susie