Entering California
One tree, the "Chicago Stump" was 3200 years old and would take 18 men hand in hand to reach around it. It had been cut down in 1890 for the World Expo in Chicago and reassembled there. No larger tree has been found yet and was a weird and destructive way to show it to the people. This connection to the World Expo was of particular importance to me, as that is where the huge first Ferris wheel was contructed and on display. The brother of a several grandfathers back in the family tree connects our family to that Ferris via my Dad's Mother who was a Ferris.
Note the truck!
Note the cut out to walk under
Kings Canyon was a nearby park which has been formed by a glacier. I learned that glacier cut canyons are "U" shaped, while river cut ones are "V". A trail around the morraine, called "Zumwalt Meadow", passed through several ecosystems.
Blunt but necessary to stay alive!
Note the hikers!
El Capitan!
look closely for the climbers in these two shots
Ah.... Yosemite.... the home of the famous El Capitan, the largest granite rock where climbers from around the world come to ascend its wall, sometimes taking more than one day requiring them to "camp out" on the wall, sleeping in hammocks anchored by a bolt. Should make for a great nights rest! Look closely at these shots as the climbers look like ants. This rock book ended with "Half Dome" and a beautiful valley between laced with several water falls.....well use your imagination! One hike took me above Vernal and Nevada falls, the two shown above each other in one photo. The hike was several hours, but so worth it! I was as impressed by the roar of the cascading water (yes even I could hear it) as the sight of the multi-hundred foot falls. Ansel Adams did lots of his b&w photo work here . John Muir said of Yosemite, "It is by far the grandest of all the special temples of Nature I was ever permitted to enter."
The debate of prescribed burning of undergrowth in these forested parks was prominent. I think John Muir, one of the early pioneers for the preservation of national parks, said it best "by forces seemingly antagonistic and destructive, nature accomplishes her beneficial design....now a flood of fire, now a flood of ice and again in the fullness of time an outburst of new organic life.
Animals: Saw a mule deer, much larger ears, and my first "in the wild" bear. What a rush that was! It was near a narrow roadway and a few hundred yards down the road before I could park Silver. I grabbed my camera and bike and headed back down the road for a shot of him crossing a meadow. What a thrilling moment! Returning to Silver was UP hill which made me realize... a chase by the bear would have made for an interesting race back to the cover of Silver on a bicycle!
People: Met a French family with early teen twin daughters. The father spoke some English and I was able to make him understand that my wife was a twin, which he then translated to his wife. I then tried to explain that Janet's twin Jane had fooled me on the phone that morning, me thinking it was Janet. When the couple finally understood , we all had a good laugh!
In Kings Canyon, I met an eighty year old couple on a hike. Henry, from Arkansas, could have talked all day, he was so pleasant. Anyway, the next week in Yosemite, I came upon him again on a bridge and we were so surprised to see each other. I spent an hour walking back down the trail with him listening to his tales of travel, even to India.
Funny: While hiking I came upon a mom and 6-8 year old boy, looking very bored and trudging along. I jokingly said," things would get better as there was a McDonalds up the trail!" His eyes got huge as he came to life and yelled "McDonalds" to his mom as he literally started running up the trail.
A last trip Funny: Riding along at 60 mph, Janet wanted to wipe off her hands and picked up the Wet Ones container. The wet paper wouldn't come out very easily and she proceeded to put a finger into the lid and started yelling, "Pull over!" She had gotten her middle finger completely embedded into the lid with the sharp points trying to pierce the skin. We had to wait a min. to pull over, but after I helped her get her finger free, we had a very good laugh!
Quote by John Muir "Earth was born of fire, baptised by lightening, and burst into flames as necessary."
Thoughts by Janet (absent during this part of the trip and glad I missed the bear and the heights of Yosemite and most of all those slippery rocks!)
In a recent blog, I wrote a poem about Mother. I think so much about our Great Uncle Irv who lived with us for a few years. I am reminded of him almost daily by just being with Ty and Matt. Uncle Irv found great peace in nature and loved wildlife! I decided to contribute to this blog by writing a poem about my Uncle.
Our dear Uncle Irwin......
what a decent human being!
He lived with us a few years,
while we were young,
and taught us about life,
mostly patience and sacrifice.
Uncle Irv, we would call him,
would sit under a big, shaded elm tree,
whittle on some sticks, using his favorite knife
and whistle a tune to all of surrounding life!
He'd relax with the birds and the squirrels,
after hard work in the yard for the day.
He'd always enjoy the peace and quiet,
and all of God's wonderful display!
Uncle Irv worked in the garden he loved,
plowed the black soil, wearing worn gloves.
He planted corn, carrots, and potatoes,
always praising the flowers and tomatoes.
Most hot summer days, he would take out
his harmonica to play......
trying to spread peace and harmony!
It was just his way!
Years ago, our Grandfather Henry,
who was strong and had an Irish fire,
heard Uncle Irv whisper a small sarcasm.
Grandfather Henry figured it was aimed at him!
He landed a hard blow to Uncle Irv's face....
spinning the coal bucket nearby....hurling the black coal
and this meek man went spiraling out flat to the floor.....
with a blackened eye, an insult, and so sore!
Uncle Irv got up and brushed himself off and
went out the door.
His only intention was to teach Grandfather Henry
a simple lesson....
to treat his sister, Henry's wife Lilly, and others
with a little affection!
Then David, one of Henry's sons,
sat down at the table and drew
a picture of what he all knew.....
oh what a sight, but so true.....
Uncle Irv laid there all blackened with coal
from his head to his toe!
Little David had just learned a hard lesson,
while drawing the bucket spilled on the floor
that early, cold evening in December.......he learned
just how to stand up for someone's rights
and who was the real man on that very frightening night!
Our Uncle Irv was straight as an arrow,
just like his niece, our Mother.
He always tried to do what was right,
trying to honor the truth, like no other.
He lived as a true gentle man,
a teacher and counselor too!
Uncle Irv mowed the Illinois grass, so thick,
with only an old push mower
and straining his back......
while wearing a straw hat
and an old, long-sleeved, blue shirt.
The sweat would soak
through his worn clothes....
wanting proudly to earn his own keep...
mowing an acre of Orville's grass....
saving the $5.00 a month to last....
remembering living through the Great Depression!
He fixed our bike tires and cleaned all the tools,
saved string on spools and rubberbands too,
sometimes making coin purses from those
worn inner tubes.
Uncle Irv taught us to like pickled pig's feet too!
What????
He taught us to play cards and checkers,
rules and silent respect with each of the games.
We loved working puzzles day and night....
Uncle Irv patiently snapping each piece in just right!
.......he had an Irish sense of humor to boot....at times a real hoot!
Uncle Irv's gentle manner showed us he cared.
He'd gently take Ed's hand and would walk
to town to buy him a cone!
This calmness and quiet soul, we'd later learn,
would be one of our best memories for life!
One winter, one of those very boring days,
Jane and I proved to test Uncle Irv's nerves!
We both wished to play with the
coffee table! what???
One of Mom's pride and joy wedding gifts!
Uncle Irv simply solved the dispute!
He carried it out to the ole' tin shed
and cut it in two........
and said, "Now what will you do?"
One of Mom's favorite but sad tales to tell!
Uncle Irv did have a habit of chewing tobaccee'
and sometimes smoking a pipe!
He came from Indiana and Kentucky,
rolling his own cigarettes with precision .....exactly!
Mom said he was always clean,
with an old newspaper under the spittoon.....
instead of spittin' tobaccee' all over his room!
Uncle Irv grew old and left our place
and went to rest in a lonely house
without much space.
He was struck with a fever!
We received a call one early June morning,
his 89th year of living.
In the spring of l970, I stood in his room with
Mom and Dad wishing he was home.....
because he was laying so still, feeling he was so alone!
I came back into the room, his back towards me....
he asked, "Janet is that you?"
I said, Yes, Uncle Irv, I came back."
He then said so weakly, "Go... head home, don't worry,
I'm okay, I will be with Jesus, my Saviour, today!"
I then turned to go, knowing it was time,
while tearfully saying goodbye.....
to the special mentor in our lives.
We sang "In The Garden", the song that he LIVED,
and said, "Farewell friend, mentor, and Great Uncle to the end!"
Uncle Irv, we loved you more than you could have ever known.
You live in our hearts.
We hear you in the chimes as the breeze blows by.
We feel you in the green grass.
We hear you as the birds fly past....
One harmonious man!
Thank God for this grand example!
We find that some people are giants in our lives.......Uncle Irwin was our's!
"There is nothing so strong as gentleness,
And there is nothing so gentle as real strength!"
Unknown author.
Peace begins with you!
