Happy Passover or Happy Easter to all!
Rachel and I concluded our national parks excursion this morning with a visit to Sequoia National Park, the second oldest in the system, after Yellowstone. We first went to the Big Forest Museum, which had a lot mooof hands-on and graphic information about what enables sequoias to grow so massive (the short answer is – seeds from pine cones; enough open space, nutrients and water to get started; and, surprisingly, periodic natural or planned fires to open up the grove for the healthiest trees).
Then we hiked through the Big Forest Grove to witness the largest (in total wood volume) tree in the world, General Sherman, named in honor of the commanding officer of the leader of the first major expedition into the grove.
Then we made the long drive back to Palo Alto and had a wonderful seder with 16 relatives and friends of Patty and Mike, including two of their sons, Arly and Noah.
A lake and hillsides in central California 
Hills and clouds on the way back from the parks 
Foggy clouds around Kings Canyon National Park 
Mountains between the trees in Sequoia National Park 
Sunrise from our B and B
The general Sherman Tree 
Us at the base of the largest tree in the world 
A model if tall trees, compared to the Statue of Liberty and the Titanic 
An icy river in Sequoia National Park
Snow-plowed roads, trees and mountains
Today’s song is “Going to California” by Led Zeppelin.
Mark's cross-country trip 