The drive from LA to Visalia along I-5 can only be described as long, boring and full of trucks. I can normally find beauty in most things but there is very little that is beautiful about this drive. It did however raise a question for me. What is the tax in California being used for? Fuel is 20-25% more expensive in California but the roads are in the worst condition of any State I have been through (granted the roads are much bigger).
I decided to stay in a city called Visalia as it was about an hour’s drive to get to Sequoia National Park from there. Having looked at my accommodation options I thought that I would take a chance at camping in Sequoia so that I could just enjoy the park and then drive through Kings Canyon National Park the next day which is right next door to it.
The AirBnB where I was staying was in a gated community. It’s the first time outside of living in South Africa that I have seen one of these. I found it quite interesting. All I could think was, ‘Is it really that unsafe here’?
The other thing I found interesting is how the houses are built. There are a lot of new houses being built in this estates so I walked through a number of partially built homes. Part of this is because I love looking at houses! I love seeing what works and what doesn’t and imaging how you can turn the house into a home.
The houses are completely built with a timber frame and sheets of wood that look like chipboard. This on top of a concrete floor. The South African in me was thinking, where are the bricks? I’ve included a photo below of one of the houses (I thought my dad would love this).
For the first time in days I saw some ‘green’ on my ride, which was at Lake Kaweah. I was so happy to see some life and I could feel my spirit lifting as a result. It was a great way to enter Sequoia National Park. Unfortunately I hadn’t appreciated that Kings Canyon National Park, which is directly both of Sequoia was on fire and the smoke was covering the area.
Fortunately, Sequoia was still open to the public so I was able to drive through it but I was advised by the Rangers that Kings Canyon was closed past the visitors centre. Camping in Sequoia was not looking like a healthy option. I was rather gutted at this!
I’ve included a few photos of Sequoia National Park and the amazing trees below. They are so impressive! Unfortunately the smoke obscured most of the beautiful scenery so I cannot share that with you. As always, there are more photos on my Facebook page for you to enjoy if you are interested.
The fires above, and plague at Yosemite National Park which has already claimed two lives, has made me rethink my journey over the next for days. I think it’s time my journey took a different path. I think it’s time to see the ocean!
Mel & Trinity 