11/16/21
Well, I did it! I made it out to Muir Woods National Monument. Absolutely spectacular. I’m including more photos than usual, because I can’t help it. (You should see how many I culled, before choosing these!)
I’m also really getting a workout in this region. Wow. I climbed a total of about 1600 feet today, between the ride there and the ride back. (Still allowed myself to be ferried by my hosts up this last hill to the house—oof!) I expect I’ll sleep well tonight. That second selfie is me right after the climb out of the park, just before my descent.
It’s interesting to notice how it feels to challenge myself physically like this. There are a lot of hills around here. There’s about a 500’ one just before the park, so you climb it, then descend it, to get into the park, and then climb and descend again when you leave the park. I had to rest constantly on the ways up, like probably ten or twelve times each. I would stop long enough each time to take ten slow, deep breaths. Then when I’d start cycling again, I’d make up songs to sing to myself, like about how it’s OK to go slow—the point is to make it there. Or about how there’s only one way out, and that’s up, and I’ve got it in me to make it up. The songs definitely helped.
The park itself was spectacular. I only had time to walk along the one main trail, which is about a mile in. But that was enough, and I spent at least an hour or two in there. It was very cool amongst the trees, but I didn’t feel uncomfortable. My hands were cold, which normally bothers me, but I was so enraptured by my surroundings that I barely noticed today. It was just incredible to be in the presence of such ancient giants.
On the way back to the house, the sun was starting to set, and I got to see a lovely view as I crossed a bike-and-pedestrian bridge, of the light receding above the water.
I’m so glad I’m seeing all these redwoods. I’m planning to see some more tomorrow, at Samuel P Taylor Park.
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