Sunday April 18, 2021 - Church then more Sequoia NP

We were blessed to join the ward near us in Exeter.  Have any of you been to Exeter?  It is a really cool town.  I love it!  Lots of agriculture here.  There are these houses up on a hill that have a ton of land and are a great size.  They are actually decently priced too.  No, we aren't moving here, but, it's really great here.  Oh and P.S. the ward was super warm and inviting.  

On the way home from church, we stopped to say hi to John Muir.  If you don't know who he is, then look it up!! I had to tell him thanks for all his work in the National Park System.  When we get home-home, I am going to frame this picture.  

"Dads lives matter". :)

We found Taj and Pepper sleeping like this this morning.  They both have beds to sleep in but they ended up together;). Cuties.  

This is the Bed and Breakfast that Scotty stayed in a while back when he and his riding buddies rode their bikes through Sequoia NP.  

After church, we finished our Sunday stuff and then packed up food and left to find some more beautiful parts of Sequoia NP.  P.S. this sign is so for reals.  On our way home later tonight, we actually saw a big brown bear cross the road in front of us. It was crazy.  

We started off today at the Giant Forest.  There was a moderately hard trail that we followed to see more giant Sequoia's.  We had the fortune of being totally alone on the trail.  I think we only saw two people at the top and that was it.  The giant Sequoia's continue to leave our minds in awe and wonder.  

Flip:))

Some one loves bears;))

Just look at this tree.  It's magnificent.  One can't walk by these giants and not feel Gods hands in their creation.  

Our second stop for the day led us to Lodgepole.  Here we found an easy hike up to another majestic waterfall.  We have become extreme waterfall chasers.  

The water in this river was running fast and with great strength.  We had to keep Taj away from it.  No silliness here.  

Flip

We had a few casualties on this hike :(

Asher was walking down to the water and he slipped and fell on his back.  He scratched up his back.  

Then I was walking down a slippery rock when I slipped and fell right into the water full on yucky stuff.  Oof.  We were OK just not very happy about that.  I was sopping wet for the rest of the hike up.  

Now this is an interesting story.  

Meet Mina and ? - we can't remember his name.  

Our family was on one side of the river walking up the trail when Scotty noticed these two people yelling at us.  Scotty went closer to the river to see what was up. These two yelled that they were lost and needed help back to the trail.  Turns out, these two some how got off the trail and were lost in the woods for FIVE hours.  You read that right - FIVE hours.  They were so shaken up that their bodies were actually shaking.  Scotty and Graham physically helped them cross the river to help them get back on the trial.  Scotty helped Mina and Graham helped the guy.  Mina explained that they were so scared.  They had even started rationing their food and water supply just in case there were lost for days.  Mina had fallen and scrapped up her hand.  She used her bandana to wrap it up to stop the blood.  Oh my word, these two had been through a horrible experience.  We felt so bad for them.  After crossing the river, they rested a bit then we showed them the way down the trial back to the parking lot.  Can you imagine how grateful they were?  They told Scotty that he and Graham saved their lives today.  I kept thinking that we were in the middle of an "I Shouldn't Be Alive" episode.  Anyways, we were glad to help them and so happy that they found their way back home.  

 

At the top of the trial, we got to spend at least 40 minutes at the waterfall.  

This was an "I'm sorry Mommy" moment. He was the reason whyI was walking on the slippery rock and fell in the water.  He was being disobedient and was out by the river. I was on  my out to get him when I fell.  Sweet Taj

Waterfall flip!!

They all put their feet in the freezing cold water!!

Asher and Graham did a photo shoot at the waterfall.  I am so never going to let them live these pictures down.  :))))

This granite was all over the waterfall.  It looks exactly like the granite that we put in our first house in Simi.  

On our way home the sun set and we got a few pictures of it.  Our national parks are the gems of our country.  I feel so blessed to be able to enjoy them and to feel Gods love for us by exploring his art work!!