Some big trees

Hello to all my friends and enemies! I've finally returned after traveling for 38 days and approximately 12,600 miles of which I drove 11,600. It was a long trip for sure but I'm very happy to be back home.

I also would like to report that the racer I crewed for in RAAM, Tim Woudenberg, set a new record! Also, there were 7 racers in his age group and Tim was the only one who finished. It is a grueling race of over 3,000 miles with over 100,000 feet of climbing. Tim rode 2 bikes; a Carbent and a Velokraft NoCom. The Carbent was used for most of the race because he had some wheel problems on the NoCom. My hat is off to the man.

I'd also like to report that I checked out a new place for cutting firewood. Here are some pictures:


I decided not to cut this one.



I had a difficult time trying to decide where and how to notch this thing.




This one had been cut a while ago.


My wife by a log.


My reach isn't too great here.



It is good to be back home. I missed the forum and am glad to be back.

Awesome trees Dennis. I take it you had a blast on your trip?

Thanks Jay. Overall, yes, we had a good time. During the race there were both good times and frustrating times but that is what usually happens. We got to see some old friends, make new friends, visit in-laws and probably a few outlaws. We saw lots of country because we crossed it a couple of times. Some areas we saw twice.

On my second time heading to San Francisco I was able to stop home long enough to get my wife so that part of the trip went well and we spent our 48th wedding anniversary in sunny California.

Sounds like you had a great trip Dennis! Welcome home.

Dennis, I thought you had to be away since I did not see your frequent posts. Welcome back.

Sounds like a great trip. Some day I'd like to go visit those giants. Welcome home. Are you sure you didn't stash away some of that Pine to try this winter?

Yeah , Dennis

Don't tell use you didn't bring any wood home ;-)

Welcome back buddy! It wasn't the same around here without you. Sounds like the trip went well. Those are some monsters for sure, took my breath away when I went to Yosemite a handful of years back.

welcome home fellow michigander

Welcome back Dennis . . . looks like you've got some catching up on the threads!

Welcome back! And happy anniversary!

Great pictures Dennis, would you say those trees are HUGE!


Zap

Glad you made it back safe. I enjoy taking road trips and seeing this great country! Congratulations on your 48th wedding anniversary. It's always refreshing to see a union that has lasted!

Jags I will 1/4 them up for you!

Welcome home and congrats! I've seen old pics of guys cutting down those trees with the ole 2 man saw, but have always been confused as to how you could actually process a tree that large into anything except to mill it on the spot into dining room tables for the wealthy.

No I am thinking 21-in.bar......

Many thanks to everyone. It is good to be back.

Those redwoods do tend to make you feel pretty small when walking around in a grove of them. Especially trees like the picture below. My wife looks really small while looking up. It is a long ways to look too as this particular tree is over 300 feet tall.




Jake is right. It will take some time to catch up on the threads and I will try to do that in the next several days. Fortunately it is pretty wet outside which gives me a little more time indoors right now.

It is also amazing to think how they must have handled these things a long time ago before they had the tools we have today. Just imagine cutting one of those buggers with a 2-man crosscut saw! Then how did they roll them? Especially how were they able to roll them once at the mill when they started taking the slabs off? I have not studied the old methods much but it might be interesting to see some old pictures of them doing that. If anyone has some pictures or links to show them cutting one into lumber, please post.

Was that the Muir Woods?? Sure looked like the place I was 17 years ago.

Awesome pics, thanks, that place is in my top 10 places I want to visit even before I became a wood burner.

Absolutely incredible trees. Forget notching, think how long would it take to buck-up and moreover how or what would one move it with? How many houses could be built with one 18 Ft. section? Amazing! I want to climb one of those mammoths.

For a while we were "over protecting" them. Took almost 50 years to figure out that they won't go to seed very well without a bit of fire. Amazig that the bark thickness and high tannin levels in it make the trees extremely resistant to burning (at least on the outside). Suppose if you're going to live for a few thousand years you gotta have a few tricks up your limbs.