California, part 1

 After spending the night camping, we drove to California.  We stopped and got gas before we crossed the boarder (because California gas prices), where we got our credit card skimmed.  So Peter dealt with that across the Mojave Desert.  We stopped in Bakersfield at an ATM and got some cash, and then went to see General Sherman!  I was planning on going to see it the next day, but we were running ahead of schedule, so Peter said we should fit it in on Thursday, so we did.  Best decision ever.

We got there in the evening.  There weren't all that many people there, but I was surprised by the number of tourists from other countries.  I've wanted to see General Sherman my whole life, so I was a little giddy to actually be there.

We parked in a parking lot up the mountain a little ways, and then walked down to it.  Sequoia National park was super pretty, but I was driving (I drove all but about 2 hours of the whole trip), so I didn't see all of it.  The hairpin turns up the mountain were a little scary!

There it is!

It doesn't all fit in one picture, that's for sure.  Up and down panoramas for the not-so win!  Poor Benton's head!

The kids and General Sherman!  They might not have been as impressed as they should have been. ;)

There were these other two trees very close to the General.  They're SO BIG!  Do you see my tiny family?  

The inside of one of the two big trees from above. 

So many rocks!  So many trees!

And a deer.

The bricks make up the size and shape of General Sherman's trunk.

We came down off the mountain in the dark. It was pretty late when we got to our hotel, but it was totally worth it.  And we saw a cayote cross the road, so that was fun.