A Day With Kings

On Saturday my cousins took me up to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks to see the canyon and the trees. We saw the Sherman and Grant groves of Sequoias and also overlooked Kings Canyon. It was in the 50's and had about 5-6 feet of snow and felt great. I didn't need a coat and it was a relief from the heat in the valley. I was, however, glad I didn't have to ride through it at that temperature, because then it would have been a little cold on the downhills with the cold off the snow.

We spent the whole day there and I got worried. I have been seeing so much of this country and have taken in so many sites over the last few months, and when I saw the beauty of the parks, it had no effect on me and it worried me. I usually am in awe of all the great wonders and the natural areas of our world, but I couldn't have cared less about visiting the parks on that day. I got concerned that maybe my mind and eyes have taken in more sights than they can handle in this amount of time. John Steinbeck experienced this same phenomenon when he took his dog Charlie across the country back in the 60's. I pray that this is not the case and that I can appreciate all that I will encounter over the next 4 1/2 months.

While at the park I ended up getting a migraine and it bothered me for that day and most of the next. Thankfully I was set up in a house and also was not having to travel. I am heading on my way again tomorrow and am not planning on having too many long breaks until I get to Wyoming, or possibly Montana. I hope to take on average a day a week off to rest my body, but for the most part continue to press on. It is getting to the time of year where I will be able to travel a little easier in the north and also about when I need to push across the country. I am still planning on riding the first couple days of BRAN in Nebraska starting June 6th, so I am looking forward to killing a few of my extra days in Douglas, WY with friends I gained while I worked in the area the last year and a half before this trip.

It has been good to take a break for a while and has given my body a chance to rebuild its strength and energy. It has also given me time to focus on my thoughts and also about what all I have experienced so far. This has been refreshing, but challenging for me, as I am a person who likes to move and experience things. Thankfully, that all starts again tomorrow.