and, we're off!

wow, have i been in need of a vacation! i set out on thursday, heading to northern california for a stopover with julie and her family, before making my way up to portland.

on the way, i'd decided to pick up a couple of national parks passport stamps at sequoia & kings canyon national parks. i had debated about whether to stop here or at yosemite since i only had time for one park. ultimately i made the decision based on never having been to sequoia before. though i'm missing the stamp for yosemite, at least i've seen it:)

before even entering the park the landscape began to change, as i traded the somewhat barren california highway scenery for trees, trees, and more trees. and while i have no complaints about living in huntington and my close proximity to the beach, there is just something about mountains and forests. fresh air is the perfect remedy for stress relief.

at every stop i made in the park, i was met with the most delightful smells. i don't know if clean air really has a smell but if it does, this would be it.


i stopped at the sentinel tree and the general sherman tree, which is the largest redwood in the world (by volume), but my favorite stop was an unexpected one. upon crossing over a lovely stone bridge, i noticed a group of people playing in the water below. i just couldn't resist, so i hiked down in my skirt and flip flops (perhaps not the best choice for the day), and did a little wading. i was surprised at how perfect the water temperature was - cool enough to be refreshing, but not so cold as to curl your toes. it was a wonderful break from the drive.


eventually it was time to dry off and get back on the road.


i arrived several hours later at my stopover and headed out early the next morning.

day two saw another national park stop, and one that i was reallly excited about! i'd been to crater lake in my teens and i remembered it as being spectacularly beautiful. i was curious to see if the memory would hold up in my adulthood.

it absolutely did. i wasn't sure if the blue waters of my memory were truly as blue as i recalled. and they absolutely were.

the vivid blue color is the result of both the depth and purity of the water, and it is most certainly a sight to behold.

beyond the water, there were other treasures to enjoy...

the wildflowers


and the wildlife :D


having satisfied my curiosity about crater lake--and picking up the stamp of course--it was again time to get back on the road.

my little detour took kept me off the highway for most of the remainder of the trek, which made the drive extremely enjoyable. i spent much of it parallel to rivers and lakes and pure gorgeousness.

i arrived in portland in the early evening to begin catching up with dylan and kelly and to settle into my home away from home for the next few days.