Monarch Butterflies and Redwood Trees

Mom loves butterflies and she was really excited to visit Natural Bridges State Park because Monarch Butterflies migrate there from October to February each year.  The park is said to have the largest population in this area. Estimates show there are about 450,000.  That's a lot!  Unfortunately, Sunday was a cool and cloudy day and butterflies don't like that type of weather.

Notice the sign says not even little dogs are allowed. Mom thought that was funny.

See the clumps that look like dead leaves?  Those are butterflies.  Mom expected to see closer clumps.

Here is a lone butterfly.

Those are butterflies.  The folks saw a lot flying around, but Mom couldn't get decent pictures of them.

It was a disappointing visit, but Mom did learn some things.  The life span of the adult Monarch varies, depending on the season in which it emerged from the pupa and whether or not it belongs to a migratory group of Monarchs. Adults that emerged in early summer have the shortest life spans - about two to five weeks. Those that emerged in late summer survive over the winter months. The migratory Monarchs, which emerge from the pupa in late summer and then migrate south, live a much longer life, about 8-9 months.   Mom thought they only lived a few weeks.

The folks hoped to attend a tour but it started to rain, so they figured there was no point since the butterflies would remained huddled up.

While they were at the park, they learned that the $10 entrance fee they paid allowed them to visit as many state parks as they wanted in the same day.  They decided to drive to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park which was only about 10 miles away.

They watched a video about the park and then headed out to explore.  They really enjoyed seeing the large trees, but found the photos do not really show you the size.

This tree was cut down in 1934.  It was 2,200 years old!

You can see how big it is with Dad in the photo.

The Fremont Tree has a record of 81 people being inside the base of it.  There is a video on YouTube showing it. It was too dark inside to get a good picture of the inside though. The outside didn't look different than any of the other trees.  In 1846, John C. Fremont and legendary scout, Kit Carson camped in the tree's fire-hollowed base.

Banana Slug

The folks walked a .8 mile loop and then left the park due to rain.  Mom said that I would have loved that park.  Dad said I might have stressed out trying to mark all those trees.  BOL!

Joey,
The Greyhound Who Wants To Visit The Fremont Tree

Updates And The USS Hornet

We moved to our new site on Sunday.  Mom and I walked and directed Dad as he backed up our home.  We only moved liked 30 feet away from our old site.

My grunting pig.

I had a nice birthday.  I got a grunting pig for my present and some treats.  I had pizza bones for dinner.  My folks were home with me almost all day. 

Mom's bee sting is almost all better.  The camp host noticed the swelling and told Mom she was a nurse.  She recommended taking Benadryl to reduce the swelling.  It took about three days of taking it, but the swelling is now gone.  It is still healing and she thinks there will be a scar.

Sunday night into Monday, we had rain.  Since there hasn't been rain her for so long, the campground had standing water.

This was our parking spot. It was fairly deep. They pumped the water out.

 The folks visited the USS Hornet on Monday.  It is an aircraft carrier that was built during WWII.

  Here are some facts about the USS Hornet:

• It took only 16 months to build.  

• It participated in WWII, the Vietnam War and the first moon landing missions.  

• It went 15 months without docking in a port while serving in the Pacific during WWII.  

• She was attacked 59 times, but never hit by an exploding bomb, torpedo or Kamikaze aircraft.  

• In 1969, she recovered the Apollo 11 space capsule and its astronauts.  A few months later, she recovered Apollo 12 capsule and its all-Navy crew.  

• In 1991, The USS Hornet was designated a National Historic Landmark and in 1998, she opened as a museum.

• 1 out of 4 people in Hornet's construction crew were women.

The folks were greeted by a friendly staff.  They were shown a short film and then given instructions for the rest of the tour.  There were places where the tour was self-guided and other places where a Docent takes visitors on a tour.  The folks were taken on a tour of the flight deck as well as the Island which included:

• Signal Bridge – used by Signalmen who sent messages using flashing light, semaphore, or flags
• Camera Platform – used by cameramen who recorded every launch and landing
• Primary Flight Control – this is where the Air Boss controlled all aircraft launches and landings
• Flag Bridge – where the Admiral and his staff controlled operations of the Task Force
• Chart Room – where the ship’s location and course was plotted
• Pilot House – helmsman controlled the “ship’s wheel”; navigation equipment is located in this room
• Captain’s Bridge – where the Captain and his staff controlled operations of the ship
• Captain’s At-Sea Cabin – the Captain’s quarters while at sea

Dad enjoyed that tour the most.  Mom liked it, but did not enjoy climbing up and down five ladders to do it.  It took about an hour.  There were three men from New Zealand on the tour.

Planes on the flight deck.

The flight deck.

The wings on planes are folded up so that more planes can fit.

View of San Francisco from flight deck

Well, this is embarrassing.  Mom doesn't remember what this is.

Gauge used to determine wind speed.

View from Signal Bridge

 

Part of Old Fax Machine

Another part of the fax machine

The captain's bed and bath.

The folks toured the Hangar and 2nd Decks on their own.  The Hangar Deck had planes, helicopters and Astronaut items.

 

Isolation trailer for astronauts.

President Nixon talking to the astronauts while they were in isolation.

Visitors can sit in a jet fighter.  Mom thought it looked really difficult to get in and out of it, so she passed.

This helicopter was involved in Apollo 11 and 12, but Mom was most excited because it was in the Apollo 13 movie.

 The 2nd deck included living quarters, medical offices, post office, library, chapel, laundry, etc.

Torpedo Shop

Operating room

Post Office

The area with the windows is where the folks took the tour.  Five ladders - Mom wanted me to repeat that.

After the tour, the folks ate dinner at Johnny Garlic's.  It is a restaurant owned by Guy Fieri.  They ate at one of his restaurants and really liked it.

Wings with a verde sauce.

Guy's Big Bite Burger.  It had bacon, cheese, onions straws and lots of toppings on a pretzel bun.  The fries are garlic fries.

 Mom enjoyed the burger, but it was very messy.  The garlic fries had too much garlic for her.

Pasta dish with shrimp and sausage.

They liked the food, but it is pricey.  The service wasn't very good and the floors needed to vacuumed. Sometimes we have that same problem at home.  BOL!  Mom would like to go back and try the Mac and Cheese Burger.

Joey,

The Greyhound Who Enjoys Getting Treats And Love From The Office Staff Here