Elements

We went on a road trip to Northern California this past week, while DS was on break between Terms 2 and 3. The quickest way to get from Deep Springs to Ukiah requires driving through Yosemite on 120, which takes us through Tioga Pass at 9945 feet. The early October snow has mostly melted, leaving the pass open. And so, we camped at Porcupine Flats on the last day of camping, October 14th. Binbin picked out a site with a large boulder, and we set up camp before driving down into Yosemite Valley. It was breathtaking, and we were lucky to see the waterfalls, which do not normally run this time of year. Here we are at the base of Yosemite Falls



Next morning, after packing up camp, we stopped on our way out of Yosemite at the Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias. The short walk took us down a steep ravine to see the dead giant with a tunnel carved through it through which cars could pass. This other one died a more natural death. The trees were magnificent.



After seeing amazing water and wood, we spent a couple of hours in the middle of the week at Stanford. Here is earth, or rock, arranged according to the vision of Andy Goldsworthy.



Metal, or bronze, as Auguste Rodin cast it.



And a less inspired, water fountain with river stones, functioning effectively as a traffic circle.