Walking with the Giants

Driving up the coast of California is a treat for the eyes. From
rolling hills toasted hills to jagged mountains to cliffs dropping into
a sea spattered with house sized rocks that look like a giant threw a
handful of pebbles into the ocean. Then as you get farther north it
becomes a lush forest with filled with the largest trees on the planet.
I took a walk in the rain through one of the giant redwood forests
and it was something I will always remember. I found&n bsp;hollows bigger
than my college dorm room, downed trees with more rings than Tiffany's,
and some trees whose tops were so high they were lost in the foggy
clouds. The concept of 'big tree' is so hard to impart through writing
or even a picture. To stand next to a living thing that towers above
you fifty feet higher than the statue of liberty and has been there for
over eight of your lifetimes is a unique experience. The hike was one
of my new favorites for sure. Starting in the&n bsp;forests of redwoods it
wound down through the giants over two miles to end at a little bay
where the waves of the Pacific ocean crashed on the rocks.
I have now made it to my new base in Oregon, though the last bit of
getting here was perhaps the greatest adventure. I'll tell about that
later...