Full weekend

Living only a few miles away from the Giant Forest defiantly holds its benefits. It makes for a pretty relaxing day when I am able to hop onto a 15 minute shuttle ride and explore the stunning giants. With camera in hand and snacks on my back I was ready to just get away from the chaos. While not recommended, I often don't stick to the paths. Far to many people on the paths. Off trailing I am able to see the Sequoia's in their full glory. Get up close and personal. Ironically the General Sherman is my lest favorite place to be in the park. Endless hoards of people make the tree almost claustrophobic.

Speaking of claustrophobic, the Crystal Caves were incredible. While it is a focal point for many tourists, it was still worth the trip. Being my first time on a cave tour I was pretty excited. Crystal Cave is about three miles long and located at 4,600 feet. It was first discovered by a couple of fisherman, but now receives thousands of visitors each year. The tours last about 45 minutes with each group containing no more than 50 people. While the structures inside are incredible, unfortunately I discovered that caves are one of the most difficult places to capture. But I did my best.

After exploring the caves Sunday afternoon I chose to venture into the Giant Forest the next day. It was nice to be alone among the massive Sequoia's, but it didn't stay that way the entire day. I met my first marmot living under a Sequoia. It was a cute little guy. He let me get really close too. After about a 20 minute photo shoot that consisted of the marmot backing in and out of his little hole I made my way back to the main area of the Giant Forest.

The Marmot

Just yards away from the bus stop a mother bear and her two cubs were making their way through the crowded area. As the bear was sited, almost everyone on the bus scrambled off and quickly dug out their cameras. It was a big event. It was as if the bears were celebrates. Some thirty people where all following the bears snapping as many photos as their camera would allow and it didn't cease until the mother and two cubs made their way out of the main area.

Mama Bear next to a Sequoia

All in all, it was a good day filled with many excitements. I'm fully charged and ready for another week. It seems this summer is flying by. Only six more weeks to go and I'll be hanging with Tori and Karen. It still amazes me daily that the Lord has brought me to such a beautiful and stunning place. It isn't all fun, games, and bear sightings here though. God is always pushing me further out of my comfort zone and the challenges seem to always arise. Keep praying for me. :)      
        

Bear Paw

We woke up early Monday morning and where on the trail by 6:30. Joe, Libby and I all had the day off and we wanted to check out Bear Paw. Bear Paw is a small little camping resort where quest pay way to much to live in tents, but the view is unforgettable. Most make the hike in two days, but we only had one, so we decided to just go for it. While sources differ on the distance, we were going off of the fact that it was a 11.5 miles there and after coming back it was to be about 23 total miles. No small feat. I can understand why people make it a two day event.
The day started like any other hiking day. Chill was in the air and we were making good time. While many of the hikes often climb up a mountain and then back down. This particular hike curves around several peaks, making the hike an up and down event. No steep slopes but it was equivalent to hiking hill country, except to our left was the side of the mountain and to the right was often a steep slope.
There isn't much to tell about the actual hike. We walked, rested, ate a little, and walked some more. On occasion we would get a great view of our destination.

We were headed to a small spot right before that mountain range

We didn't have the path to ourselves at times

After hiking for about four hours we finally made it to Bear Paw. Having one building and several small tents the total guest capacity is just under 20. Deck style flooring and a heaving canvas is all the guests get to live in, but Bear Paw is still a little heaven in the middle of nowhere. Great view and how they are able to have flush toilets way out there, I'm not really sure. And to think, this camp is taken down every year.

Picture really doesn't give it justice (view from Bear Paw)

After enjoying some brownies, talking to the locals, and sun bathing on a large rock we made our way a mile back on the trial to wade in a nice looking river.

View from our large rock

Main building where we enjoyed a great view and brownies

Enjoyed lunch under a small bridge where we played in the water

 After playing in the cold water and enjoying our lunch we started our long trek back. Just like the hike up to Bear Paw there isn't much to say about our hike back except, we walked, ate a little, got bitten by flies, often rested and often got a great view of the mountain range.
After the hike needles to say we were all extremely tired. We were out of water, very dirty, and our legs and feet killed. Man was it worth it. :) 

      

The fourth

Fourth of July started out just like any other day. Woke up at 6:30 and was at work by 7. I was thankful I was on a morning shift because that meant I had my entire afternoon off to enjoy....well, sitting around. The fun didn't start until about 7 at night. That's about the time Wuksachi showed up and the food went on the grill. After a fun time with the Frisbee and the football the food was ready and so was I.

Ali 

It was great to get some decent food into my system. We had grilled corn, beans (didn't partake), grilled garlic bread, bacon, and tri tip (beef). All in all, we had a good old time.

Stacking cups for fun

Vince (boss) on the grill 

Good right?

As the sun went down on the party, the drinking (yes lots of people drink here), food, and all the other festivities continued. Being the fourth, some of wanted to see fireworks and the only chance of achieving our goal was to make our way to Moro rock. It wasn't certain that we would be able to see the fireworks from at least 40 miles away (strait shot) and on top of a mountain, but were determined to try it out. Turned out that after a little practice we were able to pick out the fire works from the millions of lights below. It was far from exciting, but we were pleased regardless. To give you a perspective, the millions of lights from the city were only the size of a little dots. The fireworks were about five times bigger than the average little dot. From where we sat that meant extremely small. Little puffs of light were all we got.

Flash was a bit intense

After enjoying our little puffs of light we headed back for what was left of the cake. Sure, it was probably cheep walmart cake, but it was still good to have something sweet. After each year it seems that family get togethers are becoming scarce and long in-between, but at the same time my experiences becoming greater and more extravagant. The future will no doubt be an interesting one.     

Just checking in.

Is it really already two days to the fourth of July!? It seems this summer is flying by, but at the same time crawling by. I've been living, working, and hiking with the same people for more than a month now and while many of them are great people, I must be honest. I miss all of you back home a lot. I think of all the fun that will be had in Pentwater in the next few days. One of the few times in the year that most of the family can come together and enjoy each others company. Someone have a piece of jello cake for me. That's another thing. I miss home made cooking.
While I dearly miss all of you, the Lord has been doing some incredible things. At camp, I learned about a carrying God that showed me encouragement, a God that showed me what it meant to be part of the body Christ. Here I have learned about a God with an unbelievable creativity. A God that demonstrates His beauty in massive vegetation, stunning flowers, glowing mountain ranges, and the millions of people made in his own image. A God that I must totally depend on while I stand in front of a small group of people and give a message that the Holy Spirit uses to do His will. A God I must lean on for support because my physical support is thousand of miles away on the other side of the country.
God is good. Oh Lord where are you going to take me next? As crazy as I may think your calling may be, may I be obedient in all things. May I show your love to the people I come into contact with so that they may see you in me. May I become lesser in order for you to become greater in my life.