You’ve probably heard similar phrases to the following, “Pictures don’t do it justice. You have to see it in person.” People who say these things have likely been to a one of the many spectacular things nature has to offer that people before my time were smart enough to protect at some point or that earlier generations built on massive scale. There is the option that they also could just take really poor photos too.
I try to take a trip to see my sister and her family in San Diego every couple years. On that trip, I make it a point to try and plan to see something more major or substantial. I’ve exhausted things near to that location on my visits, and because I also lived for a short time in Palm Springs just across the range. This means, our “major items” are taking us on longer trips away from San Diego now.
This round I wanted to see the giants in Sequoia National Park. Inevitably, there are things that end up amazing me in these places I never thought would and, they also take more time to enjoy than one might think. That’s a common miscalculation many people make.
The peripheral things that were amazing to me were the amount of switchbacks it actually takes to finally make it to the General Sherman Tree and the 6,000-foot-plus elevation climb to get there. Some of the views along the way are spectacular but the roads are definitely not for those that don’t like heights, as there are limited areas with guardrails and some drops that are more than 500 feet in a few places.
The day I had planned to be in the park was really two days less than I wanted to be there. Making the effort to get to the General Sherman was worth it though. It is one of those things that you have to see in person to really wrap your head around. Don’t forget to also do some of the side tracks along the way too, like driving through the tree or standing next to one of the uprooted felled trees noted. I hope my two photos do some justice though to the scale of these ancient monsters.
On our way back from the Sequoias, I made a phone call to the International Printing Museum to see if we could have a tour. They only offer public tours on Saturdays and by appointment. To our luck, we were in. What a treat they were too. They have a huge collection of living printing history that works and are doing a great amount to teach the art of printing to future generations practically. We were treated to a private demonstration and tour of quite a few items throughout the museum. I can’t say enough good things about this place as a hidden gem in the greater Los Angeles area.
We also did a few other things like attending the Miramar Air Show and, the reason for my trip being planned this time of year at all, attending the Coldplay concert with my sister and nephew — who had never seen them before.
Make the time and take the effort to see some of the great wonders within our own borders, and outside of them if you are lucky enough to. It is rather common to see people from around the world visiting these sites in the United States and spending weeks visiting such things here. There is something inherent about them that humbles and awes one’s self in their presence, and visiting them in the flesh is something that will bring about an understanding and resonance of why they are important to save now and were important to save in generations past.
You actually do have to see them in person
