Trip Report California Dazzling: A Roadtrip Vacation Spectacular - Last Update and Final Thoughts 11/8

[dolphingirl47]

I guess wer are a country of bread snobs!

I think you are right and you don't grow out of it either. It is now nearly 20 years ago since I moved to the UK and I am still a bread snob.

Corinna

 

[Flossbolna]

Meeting Giants - Part 1

August 17: Grant Grove, Giant Grove, Bears and an Amazing Dinner

When I finally woke up I still could smell the smoke and was expecting not so good conditions.

And yes, it was very smoky. Remember the meadow that you saw twice in the last update. This is what it looked like this morning:

I got up earlier and went out to talk to the people at the Visitor Center to enquire about the conditions. They told me that we still were in no danger and that they were hoping with the way the wind turned that the smoke would disappear during the day and that Sequoia NP did not have the same smoke problem.

I also got some snacks from the little grocery store they had there at Grant Grove. It was a neat little store. Not cheap, but a good selection.

We had some breakfast on our porch and had fun watching Sheila, the fat squirrel:

We did not feed her, but she appeared to be very interested in the possibility of getting a treat!

Just like me!

Our plan was to first visit Grant Grove – the real grove, not the little settlement where we were staying. We wanted to see the General Grant Tree.

I think it was this morning when just before we got into the car we noticed that there was something wrong with one tire. It was not flat (instead it seemed to be as hard at the others), but the outside seemed to have a cut in it. It did not affect the plies at all, it was only in the outer rubber. However, it did not look good at all! We were very concerned, but it seemed to not be a vital damage. We kept checking during the day and it seemed not to get any worse. But it was unsettling…

Do you sense that yet another car swap might be just ahead? If so, then you are paying attention. If not, then you are likely from some make believe place like say ... Delaware.

It was a very short drive to the parking lot for the General Grant Trail. The trail is paved and very short (less than a mile), so more a nice stroll through the forest than a hike.

Since we stayed on site, we managed to beat the crowds and arrived at a fairly empty parking lot:

I had started to get really excited during the short drive there when the beautiful sequoias started to come in sight. They were just everywhere!

I really liked these twin trees:

And then we started the trail

and the first really old trees started to come into sight:

One interesting feature on this walk was the Fallen Monarch (the really old sequoias are called monarchs). This was a tree that fell and did not break when it fell (as they normally do as their wood is very brittle). It had become hollowed out and was used a shelter and stable at a time. You could walk through it and it was quite impressive:

I think it was burned out in the middle as you could see the charcoal sticking to the wood that was left over:

And a nice view up to the sky:

The trail was really interesting and had lots of information about the sequoias:

This was the first view of the General Grant Tree (and the only one where you could get a picture of the whole tree):

And this is the left over of a tree that fell viction of a wildfire:

Actually this whole grove was touched by the Rough Fire I mentioned before. Fortunately the fire did not do any bad damage to the sequoias as they are good at withstanding the fires.

And then we got to the big one. General Grant Tree. This is the world’s third largest tree (measured by volume), but the tree with the greatest base diameter. From the leaflet I got from there some comparisons to put the size into perspective: It is as high as a 27-story building and at the base wider than a three-lane freeway. It is also nearly 2000 years old.

No trees like these in Germany. Nope. USA! USA! USA!

Well, there was actually somewhere an explanation about how sequoias have been exported to Europe - and the oldest European sequoia is in Germany. It is still tiny in comparison though.

Another view of the General:

The whole grove had other large trees that were named for all the different states. The next one on our little map was the Delaware tree which I had to document for @Captain_Oblivious of course:

I guess this means that Delaware may in fact exist. I actually think I have a childhood trauma that just bubbled to the surface of staying at a Ramada Inn there in the 70s (before we moved to FL) on a trip to Orlando and WDW. I recall swimming in March or April and my mother thinking we were insane for doing so. But what did she know? She was staying at a Ramada Inn ... IN DELAWARE!

Sequoias are quite amazing in that they can actually suffer from rather large fire scares and still survive, they can even heal scars. This was a relatively fresh fire scar:

Tree was still healthy up there:

There was also a historic log cabin:

I can’t really imagine how people would trek across the American continent to then end up in these empty forest with giant trees and live in simple houses like this!

Actually, one interesting story is that when the first white settlers found the sequoias and were reporting back home of these giant trees, people in the East did not believe it and called the story the California Hoax. A number of spectacularly old and giant trees were actually “killed” in order to then transport pieces back to the East as proof. It did not help, people still did not believe it. So the poor trees actually died in vain!

One of the stumps was on the trail:

More lovely trees (not killed):

I absolutely loved the little walk we did there! The forest was so beautiful and while it was still hazy out there the trees were still there and it was not too bad.

Once we were done, the parking lot had filled up considerably and I was happy that we had managed a fairly early start.

From there we drove back towards Sequoia NP. On the way we discussed lunch and decided to stop at the Wuksachi Lodge for lunch. We had checked out the menu before the trip and thought that this was a possibility for the day before. But it fit in well today instead.

I have never stayed here, but considered it and have dined here at least four times without M and now once with her. It is a real life WL (no removing the wilderness for more timeshare cabins as in FL) and the food at the restaurant is always terrific and reasonably priced.

This lodge is actually fairly new. It was built in 1999. But they made it look really great!

It is also very nicely decorated inside:

We both ordered a club sandwich. Unfortunately it took quite a long time for it to arrive and I was getting impatient. There was stuff to explore out there!!!

Yes, I do recall trying to relax and enjoy the respite, while you seemed ready to climb a mountain.

My sandwich came with fruit, Michael’s came with salad (as ordered):

After the sandwiches arrived and we saw how huge they were, we decided to keep half of them and take them with us as dinner and that worked perfectly!

Continued in Part 2

 

[Flossbolna]

Meeting Giants - Part 2

After a very nice (but a little bit long) lunch, we headed out again and hour goal was the next “record” tree: The General Sherman Tree. This is the largest tree in the world by volume. The parking for it is quite a bit away from the tree. The tree it is in a grove along a hillside and the former parking (now the handicapped only parking) is slightly below the tree. The new parking area is up the hill from the tree – about half a mile. At the start of the trial leading down to the tree there were plenty of warning signs about how far the tree was and that it was going to be a strenuous walk up the hill back to the car etc.

The path was actually very nice and definitely build for the crowds. It was quite busy there, mainly with French and German tourists it seemed, but not too crowded. And then the tree came into sight:

Another view:

I really liked all the interpretive signs they have there. This was one was especially interesting:

Then it was back up the trail. It was steep. At that point I was in pretty good shape from a summer of regular running, so it was ok. But I was also greatful that there were plenty of benches for brakes along the way! The hill was actually very pretty with rock boulders and trees:

I was not in the greatest of shape. I am still not, but spending time in Germany has definitely taken off a good dozen plus pounds so far and I am not exactly starving. But on a very hot day, it was a bit strenuous for me, even though I have walked that same trail many times.

Our next stop was the Giant Forest Museum:

It is kind of the main visitor center for this part of Sequoia National Park.

One of the main things they try to tell you about Seqoia NP is how they changed the environmental impact of all the visitors. The sequoia trees are actually really difficult plants. Not only do they need the right amount of water, light and warm summers and cold winters. They also have roots that are rather flat and easily damaged. So, roads too close to trees are not good at all for them! This is what the Giant Forest Museum used to look like:

Now the parking lot is on the other side of the road, I guess in a less sensitive area.

See the tree in the picture above? And now look at the pavement here:

Those stones that go all the way to the end of the area where the lady with the white top is standing indicate how high the tree is.

The museum was quite informative about the trees and the history of the park and a nice stop. From there we moved on to Crescent Meadow. Which is a nice meadow with a circular short trail going all around the meadow. Lots of more sequoias in this area. And the meadow was beautiful and peaceful!!

A good example for a fire scar:

These trees just got a little black at the bottom:

One tree had fallen and there were some people climbing in the roots:

And while I was taking this picture we saw a lot of people standing there looking out at the meadow… In a National Park when a lot of people are staring at some scenery it usually means one thing: wildlife!

And yes, there was a bear frolicking in the meadow and eating some flowers. He was rather small, so obviously not fully grown just yet. He was totally undisturbed by the people watching him, but everyone also kept a nice distance. I worked very hard with my zoom to get a decent picture. While my little camera has a very good 10x zoom, the problem is that it is so difficult to hold the camera still enough!

Just a magnificent 'little bear. I love seeing these guys in the wild ... except when you run into one at close range (happened on a prior visit, not this time!)

These are the best ones:

After some time I gave up on the camera and just enjoyed watching the bear who just seemed happy in the meadow.

Continuing on there were more trees. This had an impressive trunk that reminded me of an elephant foot:

This one obviously did not survive a fire:

An interesting fact about the sequoias is that their cones normally don’t release the seeds. They only come out when animals eat them or when there is a lot of heat – i.e. in fire conditions. So, when a tree dies in the fire, it will throw all its cones away and the heat will then open them. Often you find sequoias in groups that are kind of a ring – all the kids of a giant that died in a fire. The conditions after a fire are perfect for the young trees as they get a very nutritious soil and a lot of light (as everything has burned away).

After our lovely walk, we started the long drive home. Just after we had passed the Giant Forest Museum we saw a car parked at the edge of the road and the passengers excitedly vacating the car. I thought the people were crazy at first, but then I realized where we were… Yes, another bear sighting!

Once we were back in Grant Grove we stopped at the little market there and picked up a bag with Caesar salad and then had a wonderful picnic at the picnic table outside our cabin with the salad (mixed in the bag – with style!) and our left over lunch sandwiches and some delicious Sweet Maui Onion chips!

I had also picked up some interesting looking beers from the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company – here you can see the Oktoberfest beer being featured. I really liked this, but unfortunately I proceeded to spill half the bottle. So, I was forced to open the next one, which was an IPA from the same brewery. I decided that I am not an IPA fan despite this being such a fashionable beer at the moment.

Our meadow outside the cabins looked lovely in the evening light:

And fortunately the smoke had cleared out from the area quite a bit and we felt comfortable again.

It was another wonderful evening in the forest and we enjoyed it a lot!

It was a lovely end to a nice day, but one with a bit too much driving by your co-author. Of course, it was nothing like some of the days to come ... like the next day. But we'll wait for that to happen. Oh, and for those of you who were concerned, indeed, there were no nasty run-Ins with Crazy California Mommies at Starbucks today. I appreciate your thoughts and concern. ... Hey, is that the monorail from EPCOT to Sea World pulling in?

Up Next: An unplanned annoying stop and an unplanned delicious dinner

 

[franandaj]

I'm glad to see you're back! I'm not sure I ever replied to the last chapter. I didn't see much wrong with the cabin. I mean it wasn't the Four Seasons (like I've ever stayed at one of those!) and it wasn't DVC, but it looked sufficient. Yes it was old, but that's what you get in a National Park.

This stop looks like a very nice place to visit for a mid week weekend for us. However, I think I would go back and read Michael's comments about where he stayed outside the park as I think it would be more comfortable for Fran. Was that mile long trail flat enough that a scooter could traverse it? I think that would be a perfect hike length for me. I would "done" for the day with hiking, but with Fran's handicapped pass, we could see the giant tree without having to go up and down the huge hill.

Your sandwiches looked delicious! I would really love a Club Sandwich right now, but all I've got planned is lentil soup and stuffed zucchini. Caesar salad sounds good, I could make that one work.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

We did not feed her, but she appeared to be very interested in the possibility of getting a treat!

Just like me!

Is that how you keep Michael around? That squirrel looks like she's been indulged a few times.

Do you sense that yet another car swap might be just ahead? If so, then you are paying attention. If not, then you are likely from some make believe place like say ... Delaware.

I sense that the rental car people are on a first-name basis with the overly nit-picky guy from Florida.

Since we stayed on site, we managed to beat the crowds and arrived at a fairly empty parking lot:

See? Rope Drop works in National Parks, too!

and the first really old trees started to come into sight:

They look absolutely majestic.

It had become hollowed out and was used a shelter and stable at a time. You could walk through it and it was quite impressive:

That's really cool! My kids would love walking through there.

No trees like these in Germany. Nope. USA! USA! USA!

The whole grove had other large trees that were named for all the different states. The next one on our little map was the Delaware tree which I had to document for @Captain_Oblivious of course:

Hey, thanks! Always nice to be remembered.

I guess this means that Delaware may in fact exist. I actually think I have a childhood trauma that just bubbled to the surface of staying at a Ramada Inn there in the 70s (before we moved to FL) on a trip to Orlando and WDW. I recall swimming in March or April and my mother thinking we were insane for doing so. But what did she know? She was staying at a Ramada Inn ... IN DELAWARE!

I think you're just jealous of the fact that we are and always will be the First State. We're #1! We're #1!

I can’t really imagine how people would trek across the American continent to then end up in these empty forest with giant trees and live in simple houses like this!

They pretty much cashed out and packed up everything they had to move! It's a good example of the big difference between the things we want and the things we actually need.

Actually, one interesting story is that when the first white settlers found the sequoias and were reporting back home of these giant trees, people in the East did not believe it and called the story the California Hoax. A number of spectacularly old and giant trees were actually “killed” in order to then transport pieces back to the East as proof. It did not help, people still did not believe it. So the poor trees actually died in vain!

That's just awful. What a waste.

This lodge is actually fairly new. It was built in 1999. But they made it look really great!

You know I love my Wilderness Lodge-style buildings!

We both ordered a club sandwich. Unfortunately it took quite a long time for it to arrive and I was getting impatient. There was stuff to explore out there!!!

That's the spirit! You'd fit in well with our family.

I was not in the greatest of shape. I am still not, but spending time in Germany has definitely taken off a good dozen plus pounds so far and I am not exactly starving.

A dozen pounds! Impressive. Congratulations!

So, roads too close to trees are not good at all for them!

Roads too close too trees usually aren't good for the cars, either.

Those stones that go all the way to the end of the area where the lady with the white top is standing indicate how high the tree is.

They're just so impressive.

One tree had fallen and there were some people climbing in the roots:

Fun! I hope you guys took advantage of the chance to do that, too.

In a National Park when a lot of people are staring at some scenery it usually means one thing: wildlife!

And yes, there was a bear frolicking in the meadow and eating some flowers.

Yes, another bear sighting!

Wow, you really lucked out! Bears are a relatively rare sighting in the wild.

Sweet Maui Onion chips!

I decided that I am not an IPA fan despite this being such a fashionable beer at the moment.

I agree! Way too bitter for me.

 

[glennbo123]

Looks beautiful. I remember visiting Muir Woods (just north of San Francisco) to see some Giant Redwoods and discovering that pictures just can't capture how huge the trees are.

 

[Steppesister]

Believe it or not, I spent my first 20 years in Cali and have never visited the Sequoias! I've been to the Redwoods scads of times, but not the other. Maybe on a future roadtrip to DLR I can change that.

Bear sightings are always cool! The last time I came across one was in Eastern Arizona where they regularly visited the trashcans and dumpsters. Mike sees them pretty often in the forests here in Oregon while working.

How did I never think of mixing a bagged salad in the bag?!!? Genious!

Glad the smoke cleared out- you got some really lovely shots of "your" meadow.

 

[dolphingirl47]

The photos are amazing and I loved all the information about those fascinating trees. The bear sightings are pretty exciting.

Corinna

 

[englishrose47]

Loved the pix of the trees , honestly I had no idea how fascinating those trees are!! The hollowed out one was amazing a tree so big !!! I enjoyed the friendly snips at Capt Oblivious so reminds me of Marv with me !!! I am sure he gets as big a kick out of it as I do with Marv , but shush don't tell Marv!!!

 

[dizneeat]

Glad to see you back!
And another great update. Even though I am repeating myself, but all those tree pics bring back some really nice memories. Thanks for all the photos, great lunch and dinner too!

Oh, and the bear sightings are AWESOME!!!

 

[GoofyFan1515]

Exactly! And you will know which snobbery I consider the more sensible one!

Actually, Michael tried to convince all my German friends and family of me being a bread snob. And they all tried to explain him that I was right and he obviously had no clue about bread!!! I guess wer are a country of bread snobs!

Ouch......that had to sting a little.

We had some breakfast on our porch and had fun watching Sheila, the fat squirrel:

I think Sheila may have had a reason for "appearing" fat. Good thing she can't read your TR and be offended..........

Do you sense that yet another car swap might be just ahead? If so, then you are paying attention. If not, then you are likely from some make believe place like say ... Delaware.

Well, you know how those DDOT employees like Fantasyland..........

I really liked these twin trees:

Really cool pic!

Nice close up shot to throw off the perspective. I mean, look at how big that little ant is to the left there...............

One interesting feature on this walk was the Fallen Monarch (the really old sequoias are called monarchs). This was a tree that fell and did not break when it fell (as they normally do as their wood is very brittle). It had become hollowed out and was used a shelter and stable at a time. You could walk through it and it was quite impressive:

Quite impressive indeed!

No trees like these in Germany. Nope. USA! USA! USA!

Bread snob meet USA snob!

The whole grove had other large trees that were named for all the different states. The next one on our little map was the Delaware tree which I had to document for @Captain_Oblivious of course:

I knew you liked Captain the best.............

Actually, one interesting story is that when the first white settlers found the sequoias and were reporting back home of these giant trees, people in the East did not believe it and called the story the California Hoax. A number of spectacularly old and giant trees were actually “killed” in order to then transport pieces back to the East as proof. It did not help, people still did not believe it. So the poor trees actually died in vain!

See, and people from Texas think everything is bigger there too!

Yes, I do recall trying to relax and enjoy the respite, while you seemed ready to climb a mountain.

Then it was back up the trail. It was steep.

So she got to climb that mountain after all............

I really liked all the interpretive signs they have there. This was one was especially interesting:

Those are always cool. Can't believe how many people skip them and miss out on so much valuable and interesting info.

And yes, there was a bear frolicking in the meadow and eating some flowers. He was rather small, so obviously not fully grown just yet. He was totally undisturbed by the people watching him, but everyone also kept a nice distance. I worked very hard with my zoom to get a decent picture. While my little camera has a very good 10x zoom, the problem is that it is so difficult to hold the camera still enough!

Just a magnificent 'little bear. I love seeing these guys in the wild ... except when you run into one at close range (happened on a prior visit, not this time!)

I guess it is good that it wasn't a grizzly........and that little guy's Mom wasn't close enough to see her!

 

[rndmr2]

Great to see you are back!

Looks like you guys had a nice day this day.

Cool that you got to see a couple of bears, they were cute!

Crazy how big the trees are.

Looking forward to more

 

[Flossbolna]

I'm glad to see you're back! I'm not sure I ever replied to the last chapter. I didn't see much wrong with the cabin. I mean it wasn't the Four Seasons (like I've ever stayed at one of those!) and it wasn't DVC, but it looked sufficient. Yes it was old, but that's what you get in a National Park.

The cabin itself was ok, but the bathroom had so much black grime in every corner that it was a bit disgusting. Things get to a point when even cleaning makes it no longer look clean because the surface underneath is starting to disintegrate. That was the problem with the bathroom.

This stop looks like a very nice place to visit for a mid week weekend for us. However, I think I would go back and read Michael's comments about where he stayed outside the park as I think it would be more comfortable for Fran.

If you want more info about the place where Michael used to stay, I can get him to send you a note with more info. I think this would be a very nice short trip for both of you!!

Was that mile long trail flat enough that a scooter could traverse it? I think that would be a perfect hike length for me. I would "done" for the day with hiking, but with Fran's handicapped pass, we could see the giant tree without having to go up and down the huge hill.

I am really sorry that I don't remember it very well how flat the trail was. I think it was a bit up and down, but not a lot. I am not sure how flat it needs to be for a scooter, but it would have been easy with a stroller. Maybe the NP Service has some info on the accessibility of the different trails?

Your sandwiches looked delicious! I would really love a Club Sandwich right now, but all I've got planned is lentil soup and stuffed zucchini. Caesar salad sounds good, I could make that one work.

Sorry that you are a bit frustrated with your plant based diet. Lentil soup actually sounds delicious to me!

 

[Flossbolna]

Is that how you keep Michael around? That squirrel looks like she's been indulged a few times.

Yes, the only reason why he is around is that I feed him treats!!

I sense that the rental car people are on a first-name basis with the overly nit-picky guy from Florida.

You might be on to something...

See? Rope Drop works in National Parks, too!

Oh, I see. Tell someone else in my travel party though...

They look absolutely majestic.

And whatever they look like on pictures is no comparison to seeing them in the wild. But I guess you know all about this as the same holds true for all other spectacular pieces of nature and you have seen plenty of those over the last two years.

That's really cool! My kids would love walking through there.

Yes, I think your family would love those trees!

Hey, thanks! Always nice to be remembered.

I think I kind of like Delaware because it is so obscure!

I think you're just jealous of the fact that we are and always will be the First State. We're #1! We're #1!

I see you are beating him with his own weapons!!

They pretty much cashed out and packed up everything they had to move! It's a good example of the big difference between the things we want and the things we actually need.

Definitely. It also makes me think of how life must have been for them where they were in order to just do that in the hope that somewhere else would be better.

That's just awful. What a waste.

It is also a great example for how small minded people can be. If something does not fit into their range of experience, they don't want to believe it, even when they have the proof in form of a dead tree in front of them.

You know I love my Wilderness Lodge-style buildings!

Me too. More to come!

That's the spirit! You'd fit in well with our family.

Not so sure about the daily peanut butter sandwich lunch though... But otherwise I feel very honored!

A dozen pounds! Impressive. Congratulations!

He did well - and that despite me feeding him treats! But it helped a lot that living in a German city with someone who does not own a car involves a lot of walking.

Roads too close too trees usually aren't good for the cars, either.

Yes. This got my mother very angry when I was a kid. A lot of our country roads used to have trees planted on both sides. Then there came more cars. And the cars ended up driving into the trees. So, the solution was to cut down all those beautiful trees in the late 70s and early 80s. My mother always said that obviously those were killer trees that were sitting along the road to attack unsuspecting drivers out of the blue. The interesting thing is that in East Germany they had far fewer cars, so far more of those tree lined country roads survived. After reunification the idea of preserving old trees was far more prevalent in the 90s than it was in the 70s, so there a lot of the old roads still survive. And they have become one of the attractions, especially in the area around Berlin. People talk about how beautiful these roads are. Not knowing that those type of roads used to be everywhere in Germany...

Fun! I hope you guys took advantage of the chance to do that, too.

I am not climbing up on anything. I tend to do well with climbing up and really badly with climbing down. No need to risk breaking a leg.

Wow, you really lucked out! Bears are a relatively rare sighting in the wild.

I was really happy! However, it seems that Sequoia is a place where spotting bear is relatively easy.

I agree! Way too bitter for me.

See, you have good taste! Just like me!

 

[Flossbolna]

Looks beautiful. I remember visiting Muir Woods (just north of San Francisco) to see some Giant Redwoods and discovering that pictures just can't capture how huge the trees are.

We were thinking of going there as well, but decided that one type of giant trees was enough. But I am sure that I will return to San Francisco and this is on the list for a future visit!

 

[Flossbolna]

Believe it or not, I spent my first 20 years in Cali and have never visited the Sequoias! I've been to the Redwoods scads of times, but not the other. Maybe on a future roadtrip to DLR I can change that.

But then I have lived in Bavaria for most of my life it wasn't until last year that I finally visited the famous Neuschwanstein castle (you know the one that inspired Walt Disney for the Sleeping Beauty castle).

Bear sightings are always cool! The last time I came across one was in Eastern Arizona where they regularly visited the trashcans and dumpsters. Mike sees them pretty often in the forests here in Oregon while working.

I think the strange thing about bears is that they look like our best friend - because we grew up with teddy bears - but then you see them and realize that they are indeed impressive animals, not cuddly at all.

How did I never think of mixing a bagged salad in the bag?!!? Genious!

I thought that this was a universally known trick.

Glad the smoke cleared out- you got some really lovely shots of "your" meadow.

I was very happy that we did not have to suffer from as much smoke as in the morning. It was really unpleasant.

 

[Flossbolna]

The photos are amazing and I loved all the information about those fascinating trees. The bear sightings are pretty exciting.

Corinna

I think you and Graham would really enjoy visiting there.

 

[Flossbolna]

Loved the pix of the trees , honestly I had no idea how fascinating those trees are!! The hollowed out one was amazing a tree so big !!! I enjoyed the friendly snips at Capt Oblivious so reminds me of Marv with me !!! I am sure he gets as big a kick out of it as I do with Marv , but shush don't tell Marv!!!

The trees are even more impressive in person. I was surprised myself!

 

[Flossbolna]

Glad to see you back!
And another great update. Even though I am repeating myself, but all those tree pics bring back some really nice memories. Thanks for all the photos, great lunch and dinner too!

Oh, and the bear sightings are AWESOME!!!

By now the pics bring back some really nice memories for me, too! Kind of fun to find out again what we did this summer...

 

[dolphingirl47]

I think you and Graham would really enjoy visiting there.

I am sure we would.

Corinna