Day 4: Into the Woods

We took the BART to Oakland this morning and walked though a significantly rundown area of town to get to the Amtrak station to catch our train to Fresno. Across from the station a mural caught our eye: “Yia Yia’s Sandwiches: breakfast and lunch.” It was obviously a sign we couldn’t ignore, so we sat down for breakfast at this diner that has clearly not had a single update since the 1970s or maybe even earlier. The food was so basic it felt like what you’d get at someone’s house if they weren’t expecting company. It was perfect. The service was warm and friendly as was the other patron in the joint. Hands down our favorite restaurant in Oakland.

Inside Yia Yia’s Sandwiches. Check out that ceiling.

The train ride was an interesting cross section of California. The first hour we chugged through the bay area, hugging beaches at low tide teeming with water birds. Then came farmland: peach orchards, corn fields, and miles upon miles of almond trees. Of course being on the rail line we also saw a lot of industry and some pretty rough areas, including a few tent cities. As we got farther inland the landscape became progressively drier and dustier. Regardless, Zach and I were disgusted to notice that even in drought addled Fresno they were able to keep golf courses and front lawns lush and green. Priorities, right?

Playing checkers on the train

Fresno wasn’t much and the car rental process took a lot longer than expected, but we did manage to get to my dad’s favorite fast food joint, in-n-out burger.

In-N-Out Burger

Bellies full, we plugged in our book on tape (The Subtle Knife) and the ride to Kings Canyon flew by. The smoke from the Yosemite fire created a haze over this part of the state, but as we climbed the dry rocky mountains into the night forest the haze cleared way to blue skies.

By 5:30 we were checked into our adorable “deluxe” cabin (deluxe means it has a bathroom) and after a quick rest we hiked the short mile-long loop around the General Grant tree, the second largest tree in the world. It was truly magical. We had the place almost to ourselves and got to bask in the glory of it. The giant sequoias are so tall you get a feeling of vertigo when you look up at them, and so wide that we walked through two of them as if they were pedestrian tunnels. Diane made some big life plans on this walk. When she grows up she will live in one of these trees and on weekdays will work for the US postal service (I explained pensions to the girls recently and D really latched on to the concept and decided postal work was perfect for her). On the weekends she will work as a park ranger. She told me, “that way I can protect the forest. Because it will be my neighborhood, and of course I will protect my neighborhood!”

Uprooted and long since hollowed Sequoia. This is the one Diane wants to live inside. At times it has been used as a home, stable, and even a saloon!

No bears yet, but we have seen a mule deer, lots of chipmunks, and adorable tiny squirrels about half the size of the ones we have at home. We are excited about seeing more flora and fauna on our early morning hike tomorrow!

Beers on the cabin deck after the girls are asleep