For Sabbath we went to church where Wellesley was taking the service. In his younger years he had built the church and showed me the school and other elements they had worked on.

The people were very friendly and were most pleased to see the Muirs again. I met the mother of George Johnson who was president of the SAUM in Singapore some years ago. He is now living nearby as a pastor. It's a small world.

We had a good bible study and sermon which was followed by a pot luck lunch. I made a glutton of myself - it was so nice. They even had Pumpkin Pie for desert which is my favorite. For those who have not had the privilege, it is a North American tradition which is delightful. Give it a try sometime.

After lunch we drove back to Yosemite and changed into our walking clothes by the side of the road. We then went and looked at the giant trees. And giant they were. The Redwoods towered above us and made us seem so insignificant. They really are spectacular. The sign by one of the trees told how it was the tanin in the bark which give it the red colour. This tanin is used to make fire-retardent and anti-termite chemicals. Made me wonder if it is the same tanin one finds in tea. Have a cup of fire-retardant sounds much less enticing than a cup of tea.

We wandered along the trails, again deserted, and came to a lodge which had some displays. One of them contained the type of statements which make Americans the laughing stock of the world. It said that National Parks were a 'fundamentally American concept which has been exported throughout the world'. It ironic that an Scottish immigrant helped create this American concept and I would love to know whether or not this was the first national park on earth as the sign indicated. I think not. I pointed the sign out to Evelyn who agreed that it was a bit much...

They also had a photo of the trunk of a tree felled for one of the world fairs in the 1800s. It was surrounded by the cutters and there was at least 20 of them. When it was sent east to show something from California nobody believed it could be from a tree - it was too large. They really are unbelievable.

We went up to where the famous tree that the road passed through once stood. it fell in a storm 30+ years ago and is now lying fractured by the side of the road. Pity as I recall seeing movies of taffic passing through.

It was then home again to prepare for the next week of cycling, and to enjoy another call fom Lis.

On to the Next Week