Germar's Monthly Updater

Four-National-Parks-Tour Day 7 We started the seventh day of our journey with a walk around our campsite, which was located at the shore of Lake Isabella. The dry flowers surrounding the lake looked golden in the morning sun. After breakfast, we drove north, following the Kern River. It was nice to see fresh green trees and to listen to the gurgling sound of flowing water after having spent six days in the desert. We continued driving along the Kern River and soon encountered the first Sequoias. It was the first time that I have seen these giant trees, also known as the "largest living things on Earth". We stopped and hiked the "Trail of 100 Giants". The trees are so huge that it is hardly possible to see top and bottom simultaneously. Taking a picture of the whole tree is almost impossible. I felt uneasy and minuscule next to the 5-meter-thick trunks, and wouldn't be surprised if not everyone notices me at first glance on the shot below. After climbing several passes with our RV, and driving on roads that were hardly wider than the motor home, we finally reached Sequoia National Park. Below is Moro Rock, an impressive landmark close to the entrance of the park. It's hard to believe, but there is a trail on the backside of Moro Rock that leads up to the very top. We thought that this must be the perfect place to watch the sunset, and therefore climbed up the 400 steps. The 360-degree view was unbelievable. In the west is the San Joaquin Valley, populated by several million people, and in the east lies the Great Western Divide - a ridge of 13,000 foot peaks, populated by nobody. In preparation for the sunset, I realized that I had exposed my last picture. So I ran down to the RV to get more film - 400 steps down and 400 steps up. I was on the summit again in the moment when the last rays of the sun vanished behind the clouds below us. At least, I managed to capture the dramatic atmosphere that developed in the minutes after sunset. The sky turned incredibly red; thanks to the pollution produced by millions of cars! We finally went back to the motor home (another 400 steps) and stayed over night at Lodge Pole campground, close to the park's headquarters.

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