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"trees go wandering forth in all directions with every wind"

9.14.2010




















{digital photos by cj}

i absolutely adored this camping trip, though it started off a little rough. both "plan a" and "plan b" camping sites were full upon our 10:30pm arrival thursday night...there's nothing worse in my mind than arriving to a destination after a long drive, late at night, with nowhere to sleep. luckily, we stumbled upon a pretty sweet RV campground just ten minutes outside the park.

these photos are from day 1 of our trip. we immediately went on a hike that would take us through an incredible old-growth forest. i was not prepared for how majestic and awe-some these old sages would be. i was not prepared for how still and quiet this forest would be. i was not prepared for how alive this forest would be. i could feel every tree move and breath inside me. it's just impossible to explain. this park now tops my list...in the top three of my favorite national parks. it will change you.

we hiked all day long...taking photos at every turn...making for a longer hike than anticipated, but oh so worth it {i certainly hope a handful of my film photos turn out}. we were back at our campsite at sunset, where we found a huge heard of elk grazing at the site. we watched them for quite a while before getting back to our tent to cook up some delicious dinner. every night we played speed scrabble under the light of our little lantern {we are not game people--scrabble is the only game we own, and we only play it when we're camping--that's just the way we are}.

this trip truly was amazing. i'm hoping we will make it back there a few more times in this lifetime.


"groves of redwoods and beeches are often compared to the naves of great cathedrals: the silence; the green, filtered, numinous light. A single banyan, each with its multitude of trunks, is like a temple or a mosque--a living colonnade. but the metaphor should be the other way around. the cathedrals and mosques emulate the trees. the trees are innately holy."
-colin tudge, the tree, page xvii


{the title quote is john muir}

8 comments:

nadia said...

oh ann marie how beautiful. You are my hero for carrying your tripod, i carry one extra lens and k. says i must give up two or three things from my pack!

i can not ait for our hiking trip!

stephanie said...

These photos (and your words) are making me want to go to an old growth forest immediately. I cannot wait to see your film shots.

ilwen said...

Breathtakingly beautiful! You make me want to leave and go camping immediately though we'd probably take our bikes and the landscape here isn't half as beautiful :)

jen said...

I love the Redwoods! Wes and I camped there a couple of years ago and hiked a longer than anticapated trail as well....but oh, so worth it!

Kerry O'Gorman said...

You look like an explorer from another time in that 1st photo...lovely. I have the same feelings in the woods as you. They are my church and the sights and sounds are my religion. I go there everyday with my dog and solve the worlds problems...

Veronica said...

Sounds perfectly divine. Old trees have such presence dont they, you can sense somehthing special about them.

Anonymous said...

just stumbled upon your blog, the name is so good and camping/hiking there looks amazing. plus any night that ends in scrabble is a good one!

Linds said...

Thanks for still reading my blog! Your pictures are amazing and your trip looks so fun! I'm interested to hear about your "corporate job interview" experience!!!