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4x4 Trails!!

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Dr_Snooz:
My brother-in-law got his 4Runner going a few weeks ago, so we went out to see what's what on Labor Day weekend.



I live about 30 minutes from the Kings Canyon National Park entrance. The park adjoins the Sequoia National Park to the south. Both parks sit inside the Sequoia National Forest, so we have lots of recreational opportunities close by.



This was up near Hume Lake.



California is a special place. You have the beaches to the west with all kinds of fun stuff to do, surfing, motorsports on the sand dunes. The weather is spectacular all year round. As you come over the coastal range, you get into the Central Valley which produces the most amazing diversity of agricultural crops. There's everything from nuts, fruits, vegetables, grains, to specialty crops like wine and olives. As you pass into the Sierra Nevada range, the foothills contain vast range lands with lots of cattle. As you rise into the mountains, you come into land largely preserved by legislation and managed for the benefit of the public. The National Forests are big preserves of timber. They are owned by the public, managed by the government, and are open for sensible commercial exploitation, like logging. Weyerhauser can't come buy it all up and build a fence around it. You can go 4x4ing or backpacking there whenever you want. The National Parks are off-limits to any kind of commercial exploitation, because they are especially beautiful. Yosemite is the best example. All of this is within easy driving distance of my house. LA and SF are also an easy half-day's drive away. San Diego is a full day.

I'm privileged to live where I do.

Dr_Snooz:
Last Sunday, we drove up the trail to the Delilah Point fire lookout.



This is the lookout, which is manned by volunteers who drive up from the Valley floor.



The volunteers stay for a couple days at a time in the 15x15 perch at top and watch for wildfires. When they find them, they gather the coordinates using this contraption and radio them in.



The volunteer that day was super nice, gave our crew a tour, and answered all our annoying questions. It was an easy four hour round trip including a stop under the lookout for lunch.

Good stuff!

Shifty:
Very cool!  Thanks for sharing.  :D

JohnnyPopper:
That was nice...Thanks!

I am born and raised San Diego, this truly is a great part of creation.

I've tried to live other places in this country, always returned here.

Dr_Snooz:
California gets a lot of flack right now, and justifiably so. Still, it's special and amazing.

I'll probably be posting more to this thread as my brother-in-law will probably get the itch here soon again.

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