Lost in the Forest
There were a few moments on our 3 month trip around the USA that really stole the show. If I ever feel a bit glum, I play them in my mind like a highlight reel. The way the wind whipped my hair across my face as I took in New York from the top of the Rockefeller Centre. Driving a husky sled in Colorado. Hiking through the prehistoric landscape of Zion. Gawping at the absolutely awe-inspiring Grand Canyon from knee-wobblingly high edges.
Walking through the Redwoods National Park in the wake of a sudden hail storm is definitely one of these moments.
We spent a few days back in February exploring the wild home of the Coast Redwoods - the tallest trees in the world. They thrive on Calfornia's west coast because of the wet, foggy conditions, and some of them are up to two thousand years old. You enter this strange, ancient world by a road aptly named "The Avenue of the Giants", and the huge, old trees line the road like silent guards as you drive deeper and deeper into the dark, mysterious woods.
From there, you become immersed in a wild world of dense forest which feels constantly on the edge of rain - the smell of wet earth lingers in the air, the ferns drip drop constantly onto the spongy moss below, and trails lace around the giant trees which soar endlessly into the air.
Knowing that these trees have been around for so long offers a healthy dose of perspective for almost any problem. During everything that's happened during the last two thousand years, they've stood here, still, a testament to endurance, the perseverance of life despite everything else.
My favourite moment, the one that now tops off that incredible highlight reel, is when we emerged from the belly of a burnt-out Redwood following a sudden hailstorm that had us soaked to the bone. We found ourselves in a large clearing, breathing in that heavy, slightly salty air that only comes after the rain. While we were working out the way to walk, the sun broke through the trees. Jubilant rays shattered the clouds, casting beautiful patterns on to the floor of the clearing. The trees sparkled with dew, and a soft mist wrapped itself around everything. It felt timeless, otherworldly. Maybe the pictures can do a better job of describing it than I can.
As we left California, we only had two more major stops to go before the end of our America road trip. Next up? Portland.
