Fernanda & Karl - Road Trip, Day 18 -- Website by Now Interactive Solutions

Photos

Newest Set:

Babs and Pia
10/18/24

Wiebke's visit
09/27/24

Brazil 2024 - Fernanda
09/06/24

Miska 2024 - June
06/01/24

Miska 2024 - May
05/01/24

Miska 2024 - April
04/01/24

Miska 2024 - March
03/01/24

Miska 2024 - February
02/01/24

Miska 2024 - January
01/01/24

Miska - December
12/01/23

Miska - November
11/01/23

Miska - October
10/01/23

Miska 2023 - September
09/01/23

Miska 2023 - August
08/09/23

India and Taj Mahal 2023
03/18/23

Germany (and Iceland) 2022
12/01/22

Brasil 2022 - after BH
10/18/22

Brazil 2022
10/07/22

Bathroom in the Annex
11/13/20

2020 Summer and Fall and Winter in the Pandemic
08/23/20

Long Island 2020
07/24/20

Balcony Garden
05/05/20

Baltimore 2020
02/09/20

Train show at the NY Botanical Gardens
12/07/19

Mohonk - Winter Wonderland
12/04/19

Oktoberfest 2019
10/06/19

Cool pictures of our apartment
10/06/19

Burle Max at NY Botanical Gardens
09/14/19

Papai In Memoriam
08/04/19

Aussie Parents' Visit
05/15/19

A New Car!
04/24/19

San Francisco
02/10/19

Iceland Five-O
01/26/19

Twin Cities
10/12/18

Oktoberfest 2018
10/07/18

Terceira
09/11/18

Ferry to Terceira
09/10/18

São Jorge
09/07/18

Pico
09/05/18

Faial
09/03/18

São Miguel
08/29/18

Wander Lucio's Visit - 2018
07/03/18

Summer 2018
06/30/18

Brunch Harbor Sail
06/17/18

Deutschland 2018 (Karl)
03/29/18

Iceland 2018 (Karl)
03/20/18

Brasil 2018 (Fernanda)
03/17/18

Karl's Singing Birthday
01/26/18

Miami
01/19/18

Gørill
01/01/18

New Bathroom II!
10/24/17

Chicago
10/13/17

Oktoberfest XI
10/08/17

Apocalipse
08/22/17

Oregon!
08/16/17

Madison, CT
07/10/17

Diane's Wedding, observed
06/11/17

Brasil 2017 (Fernanda)
03/24/17

Christmas 2016
12/24/16

New Bathroom!
11/01/16

Staycation in Brooklyn
10/15/16

Oktoberfest X
10/09/16

Vermont
09/18/16

Brasil 2016
08/10/16

Italy 2016 (Karl)
07/27/16

Berlin 2016
06/11/16

Nashville
01/21/16

Germany, 2015
11/26/15

Iceland
11/20/15

Cape Cod
10/18/15

Oktoberfest 2015
09/27/15

Lunar Eclipse - "Blood Moon"
09/27/15

Summer 2015
07/18/15

Hawk and other animals
07/17/15

Berlin
04/01/15

The Faroe Islands
03/20/15

Copenhagen
03/19/15

Christmas at the New Place (2014)
12/24/14

Danube River Cruise (Karl)
11/18/14

Wilmington & Western Railroad, 2014
11/02/14

The Berkshires
10/18/14

Oktoberfest 2014 - Executive House
10/05/14

2014 Brasil - World Cup
06/24/14

Longwood Gardens - thank you RuthAnn!
04/26/14

California, 2014
02/19/14

Thanksgiving 2013
11/28/13

Berlin, Tante Wiebke (Karl)
11/24/13

Iceland, 2013 (Karl)
11/20/13

Through the Looking Glass with Karl in Europe
11/18/13

Vermont 2013
11/01/13

Wilmington & Western Railroad Steam Engine Train Ride
10/20/13

Oktoberfest 2013
10/05/13

Brasil 2013 (Fernanda)
05/25/13

Intrepid
05/04/13

Road Trip South
03/24/13

Another German Christmas (2012)
12/24/12

Hurricane Sandy
10/29/12

Oktoberfest in our Apartment 2012
09/30/12

Air Show, Tough Kennamon, PA
08/25/12

Greece, Islands, 2012: Sifnos
07/20/12

Athens
07/19/12

IRF Reunion
06/23/12

Vermont, 2012
04/08/12

Our Tulip Blooms
03/25/12

Party for Karl's 43rd Birthday
01/28/12

Christmas 2011 at Mt. Snow
12/24/11

5th annual Oktoberfest in our Apartment!
10/01/11

Guests, 2011
09/12/11

Karl's Father in 2011
09/10/11

Misc. grab-bag, 2011
08/18/11

Brasil 2011
07/15/11

Vermont, "Spring" 2011
04/23/11

Nidhi and Arvind's Bangle Ceremony
03/27/11

Karl's 42nd Birtday (observed)
01/29/11

Winter Vacation with Missy and Alex
01/15/11

Brasil 2010
10/04/10

Oktoberfest 2010, Hackensack
09/25/10

Governor's Island, NYC
09/19/10

Karl's family
09/12/10

Vermont
03/26/10

Skiing Hunter Mt. 2010
02/14/10

Karl celebrates turning 41
01/30/10

Babs visits
01/17/10

New Year's Eve
12/31/09

Halloween/Thanksgiving 2009
11/26/09

Oktoberfest 2009, Hackensack
10/03/09

2009 at the pool!
08/18/09

Brú na Bóinne
08/08/09

Galway
08/04/09

Northern Ireland
07/30/09

Donegal
07/24/09

Dublin, etc.
07/18/09

2009 with the Urano family
05/23/09

Brasil 2009
04/10/09

Weihnachten, 2008
12/24/08

Syncsort Xmas Party 2008
12/15/08

Family visits: Karl's parents, uncle, and cousin
11/22/08

Vania's Visit
11/15/08

Marden's visit
11/08/08

Autumn hiking, Ramapo, NJ
10/18/08

Oktoberfest 2008, Hackensack
10/04/08

Labor Day Pool Party
08/31/08

Philharmonic in the Park (yet again)
06/24/08

Fernanda's Parents Come to Visit
06/02/08

Memorial Day Weekend in CT with Missy
05/26/08

Fernanda's Birthday Party, 2008
05/17/08

Katja comes to visit!
04/20/08

Spring 2008
04/12/08

Nikhil's Karaoke Birthday Bar Party
04/05/08

Cross-country Skiing in New England
02/09/08

Karl's Birthday Party 2008
01/26/08

Xmas 2007
12/24/07

Syncsort Xmas 2007
12/08/07

Oktoberfest in our Apartment
10/06/07

Crash!
09/15/07

Nebraska, Iowa
09/13/07

Wyoming, Nebraska, Blow-out
09/12/07

Nevada, Utah, Wyoming
09/11/07

California, Nevada
09/10/07

San Francisco
09/09/07

San Francisco, Sausalito, Mill Valley, Tiberon
09/08/07

San Francisco
09/07/07

Yosemite to San Francisco
09/06/07

Yosemite
09/05/07

Sequoia, Kings Canyon National Parks
09/04/07

Nevada, Death Valley, California
09/03/07

Arizona, Nevada
09/02/07

Arizona
09/01/07

Grand Canyon
08/31/07

Utah, Grand Canyon
08/30/07

Canyonlands
08/29/07

Arches National Park
08/28/07

Utah
08/27/07

Wyoming, Idaho, Utah
08/26/07

Yellowstone, Grand Tetons
08/25/07

Yellowstone
08/24/07

Wyoming, Montana, Yellowstone
08/23/07

South Dakota, Wyoming
08/22/07

South Dakota
08/21/07

Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota
08/20/07

Ohio to Chicago
08/19/07

Pennsylvania to Ohio
08/18/07

5th Brazilian Film Festival, NY
08/08/07

Fernanda's Birthday Party 2007
05/19/07

Paris
03/31/07

Amsterdam
03/30/07

Volendam
03/29/07

Antwerp
03/28/07

Vernon
03/26/07

Château Gaillard
03/26/07

Château de Versailles
03/25/07

Ski Trip 2007 -- Mount Snow
02/17/07

Karl's Birthday Party
01/27/07

Weihnachtsfeier
12/24/06

Syncsort Xmas Party 2006
12/09/06

New Car!
11/28/06

Random New York
11/05/06

At the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
10/24/06

Wander Lucio & Christy
10/20/06

Oktoberfest at Bear Mountain
10/08/06

New England
09/30/06

Barbeque with John and Petya
09/03/06

Sabira's Birthday Party
08/12/06

Allegra's Birthday Party
07/30/06

Opera in the Park
07/18/06

At the Beach
07/16/06

Ante Syncsort Group Dinner
07/14/06

Word Cup, USA
07/09/06

Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, once more
07/08/06

Brasil 2006, Ceará: Fortaleza, Jericoacoara
06/17/06

Brasil 2006, Belo Horizonte
06/10/06

Karl's & Parents
06/04/06

Happy Birthday Pool Party!
05/19/06

Cherry Blossom Festival, Brooklyn Botanical Gardens
04/29/06

Planting a Garden
04/09/06

Fixing Up the Car
04/09/06

At the Ballet with AFS
04/06/06

Alana
04/02/06

Various Times at Sean & Cecilia's
03/05/06

Skiing, 2006 - Hunter Mountain
02/18/06

Karl's Birthday (observed (by some))
01/25/06

Bente's Visit
01/10/06

Xmas Party 2005
12/12/05

Ballooning in Lancaster, PA
11/05/05

Segovia, Spain
10/14/05

Toledo, Spain
10/13/05

Madrid, Spain
10/12/05

Sevilla, Spain
10/10/05

Évora, Tavira, and the Road to Spain...
10/06/05

Porto, Portugal
10/04/05

Eclipse -- Bragança, Portugal
10/03/05

Coimbra and Conimbriga, Portugal
10/01/05

Nazaré and Obidos, Portugal
09/28/05

Lisboa and Sintra, Portugal
09/24/05

Wander Lucio and Christy's Visit
09/18/05

Dinner at Sean and Cecilia's
08/13/05

At the Beach
08/06/05

Pool Minders
07/30/05

From Ivy's Beach to Ivy's Party
07/23/05

Opera in the Park for Allegra's Birthday
07/19/05

Five Year Anniversary Cruise
07/17/05

Social Butterflies
07/16/05

Social Pictures
07/14/05

Central Park Summer Stage
07/09/05

4th of July, 2005
07/04/05

A Day on the River
06/25/05

An Opera in the Park
06/14/05

Memorial Day, 2005
05/30/05

Scooting in NJ Liberty State Park
05/29/05

Scooting to Ashes & Snow
05/28/05

Fernanda's Birthday Party, 2005
05/20/05

Juliana & Cristiano
05/15/05

Nidhi & Arvind's Wedding (observed)
05/07/05

Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival), Brooklyn Botanic Garden
04/30/05

Brasil, 2005
04/18/05

About Town
03/01/05

At Home
02/28/05

The Gates in Central Park
02/13/05

Winter, 2005
01/23/05

A New Year
01/01/05

Christmas 2004
12/25/04

Syncsort Xmas Party 2004
12/21/04

More random
12/20/04

Buraco night
12/19/04

Thanksgiving 2004
11/25/04

Z
10/31/04

AFS NYC Zoo trip
10/30/04

Pumkin Pickin'
10/23/04

Old Short Hills
10/03/04

Whirling dervishes
09/24/04

Random Fall 2004
09/22/04

Saroj's birthday
09/20/04

Pool Party!
08/22/04

Allegra's Party
07/17/04

Family
07/15/04

Guests
07/11/04

Summer 2004 Misc II
07/01/04

Beach 2004
07/01/04

Opera in Central Park
06/16/04

Summer 2004 Misc
06/01/04

Brasil 2004, the rest
05/31/04

Brasil 2004, part 3
05/29/04

Brasil 2004, continued
05/20/04

Fernanda's Birthday, Observed
05/15/04

Brasil, 2004
05/14/04

Highlights of Holi
03/12/04

Holi - Full Set
03/09/04

New Kitchen
02/09/04

Xmas 2003
12/24/03

Wanessa's Wisit
12/16/03

Diwali
10/24/03

Random
10/04/03

Misc Dinners, Parties, 2002, 2003
09/16/03

Fernanda's Very Old Family Photos
09/04/03

Cristiano's Visit
07/15/03

Fernanda's Birthday Party
05/18/03

Europe 2003
04/25/03

Oz 1998
08/01/98

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Road Trip, Day 18

Sequoia National Park, CA
(Click to view)

Sequoia, Kings Canyon National Parks

More fun with payphones this morning. We decided to buy a phone card, only to discover they charge a $1.50 surcharge for using it at a payphone -- a 15% surcharge over the value of the card, each and every time! Bloody robber barons! So we went back to the motel and used the phone at the front desk. No luck with finding my keys at the Grand Canyon...

So after driving in circles a few more times, off we were to Sequoia National Park! On the drive up, everything was dry and yellow. Even within the park, driving up the mountains, there was no sign that this land would support the giant sequoias I was hoping to see -- I even began to have my doubts I was at the right place. When I was a kid, we went to see giant redwoods, which are further north along the coast. Maybe I was completely mistaken about what was in this park!

They were doing construction on the road, and so we were stopped for nearly 40 minutes, before being allowed to proceed over dirt road switchbacks. And then we turned a corner, and suddenly, bam! deep, wet forest, and yes: giant trees! There is no lead up, no indication of what is coming, you are just suddenly there. The trees are so big it's practically impossible to photograph them without a wide-angle lens. I kept trying though. The photos just don't do justice: you can't see the depth of field showing how BIG these things are.

We had a picnic lunch, and continued through the park. We hiked down to see the biggest living thing, the 'General Sherman' tree. It isn't the tallest, just the most voluminous. We drove through, out of Sequoia National Park and into Kings Canyon National Park. The two parks are linked, same entry fee covers both, and in fact Kings Canyon has a copse of sequoias that is actually more impressive than what we saw in Sequoia.

Anyway, a full day, and then we drove to our lodging just outside Yosemite. Now, I've been having a problem since we got to California, which is this: the map, which is printed on the same size piece of paper as all the other states, must obviously use a smaller scale to get all of California on it, a much larger state than even the other big western states. So the distances are actually much larger on this map than they have been on the other maps, and this keeps fooling me. I look at the map, think, "easy", and in fact it's this huge distance. So it was quite a bit of driving today, both over scenic routes and ugly sprawley freeway through Fresno.

The landscape keeps being something new and interesting. We had rolling hills at the end of the journey today that looked sort of like eastern farm country, except for the occasional odd touches like palm trees or interesting rock formations. We stopped for dinner before reaching our lodging, and had a good meal. We got to our camp after dark. We're going with tent cabins again, for two nights. The place seems OK so far, very hostel like with younger people from all over. Free wifi in the cafe, which is where I am now. Maybe I'll finally be able to get the captions to the pictures updated.

Tomorrow: Yosemite!

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Previous Entries

:-(
06/19/21

Açores
08/29/18

Our New Bathroom Saga
11/17/16

Europe 2015
03/16/15

The Berkshires
10/18/14

Road Trip South
03/23/13

Greece!
07/26/12

Our Trip to Ireland
08/09/09

Google Map of our Trip
09/17/07