middle earth?

We took the fam on a whirlwind adventure to the Northwest last weekend. The trip was incredible. The best part by far was the Redwood forest... truly surreal. It didnt feel like you were on earth... well.... maybe middle earth. Above is a pic of our favorite spot (click on the pic for a larger view). The forest was carpeted with these enormous clovers... gentling rolling hills just covered with them... and the trees were beyond incredible. When you were there, enveloped in all the life (the thickest biomass in the country) and the abnormal beauty... it felt holy. Too hard to explain. You'll just have to go!! seriously... nothing compares to actually being there.

The Oregon coast was also beautiful... these huge monoliths jutting out of the beaches. We stopped and ate our breakfast on a cliff that overlooked the ocean. And once the seagulls noticed us, they were far from shy--they would actually eat cheetos out of my hand. It was an amazing feeling to have one of them hovering above you, with their back-lit wings outstreached so close over you... they almost felt angelic.

There were lots of thin places on this trip....
we all loved it.... just wish it wasnt so fast
(we did 3400 miles in 3.5 days).

more pics ...