So by the time we were done being chubby and eating 2 donuts each (I should now let you know I gained almost 10 pounds on this little escapade) we returned back to the sweet L.A. traffic and it was around 6PM. Our next destination was Sequioa National Park so we could hug a red wood. We had set up shop at a Starbucks in seedy Hollywood earlier to map out the route and find a place to sleep. It was late in the day and Bakersfield was only 2 hours away so we decided to stay there for the night so we could actually get some sleep. I honestly can't remember where we stayed there... But the next morning we took off towards the giant forrest. The trip there would take about 3 hours maybe a little more. This area in California was pretty flat, dry and hot so the ride was kind of boring. Then we came across farm after farm of oranges, and a few vinyards. We got pretty lucky stopping at one vineyard in the middle of nowhere. It was a quaint little barn with all kinds of cheeses, and dried fruits along with obviously wine, SCORE! Clearly we were driving so we just tasted a few and bought a few bottles along with some delicious cheese and crackers.
Our arrival to the mountains was pretty late in the afternoon, and of course we hadn't found anywhere to sleep.... but we were so excited to go into the park that we figured we'd just drive through a little then grab dinner and figure out the hotel situation.
bakersfield, CA.
Once in the park it's pretty amazing, the mountains are pretty huge and there was still snow on the tops of them. The highest altitude we reached while there was just under 8,000 feet which is more than enough to make you keep a slow pace, or get altitude sickness. In true female form neither of us had accessed the fuel situation, or even realized that you actually needed gas to make a car operate. So once we payed to get into the park the gas light pops on. Yet again like true females we figure we have enough to either A. get to a gas station in the park (that according to the map is on the other side of the mountain, where ever that is) or B. we can make it to the big trees and then back to one we saw in a town we'd past through no less then 15 minutes ago. So we keep going staring at the scenery on this narrow windy little road in the middle of a mountain with snow on it. Just as we make it to the sign that says "Entering Giant Forest" some type of light bulb goes off in our collective brain that says we have to turn back, so we do. I was driving, shocking (did I mention I drove almost the entire time) and had to put the car in nuetral to coast down the mountain. We did however make it to the gas station with barely a fume of gasoline to spare.
After the gas disaster we decided to grab dinner and figure out the sleeping arrangements. Of course there was no place within the little town that had vacancy so we ended up going back to a place we'd passed earlier. The town was a small place called Tulare, the hotel was quite nice though and Chilis was within walking distance. Two for one margaritas were calling our name so we headed out for a bit. Let me tell you that by now coming in contact with other humans aside from eachother was some treat! Eating, sleeping, driving, talking and spending every waking hour with eachother was getting to be a bit much. So whenever we came in contact with the outside world those pour people were stuck getting there ear chewed off. These random patrons of Chilis were no exception, oh and on the walk back I almost stepped on the biggest cockroach I've ever seen!!!!! Note to anyone: other states have strange bugs! Back to the mountain we went the next morning, it was awesome! We hiked a few trails in the giant forest and then hiked down to see General Sherman, the largest tree in the world. Like I mentioned earlier the air is really thin when you're that high, you walk to fast and it feels like your hearts going to come right out of your chest.To see the pretty things we saw that day made the rest of the nonsense of the trip well worth it.
Next Stop Vegas.... then time to haul it home I've got a flight to catch!
Lauren
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