Beauty away from the crowds 4/2/2019

We spent Monday in town DC at the Tidal Basin and on the Mall. The crowds at the Tidal Basin had been attracted (like us) by reports that peak bloom of the cherry trees would probably be (and were) on that day. As we strolled on the path there, we were joined by throngs of selfie-takers, running children, and shouting adults. The views were, admittedly, stunning. But we were ready for, as Monty Python would put it, something completely different.

Stachyurus

So yesterday we drove the 20 minutes or so from our campground to the National Arboretum, a treasure of a place that presents thousands of species of trees, shrubs, grasses, and plants on 446 acres in northeast Washington DC. Even though the parking lots were full, the place is so large that it was easy to enjoy the peace, quiet, and serene beauty the place affords. The cherry trees of all types, redbuds, camellias, and magnolias were in bloom as well as many other species we didn't recognize, from winter hazel to Stachyurus (in winter, the pre-emergent flowers look like strings of pearls) and more. Although the oaks and other hardwoods weren't in leaf, the imposing presence of some of the larger specimens was impressive. We were struck by one giant willow oak that stood in a field. What a beauty!

This should be a must-see place to visit if you're in DC.

Photos are here.

DC Day 1--Cherry Blossoms 4/1/2019

From 1912 to 1920, over 3,000 cherry trees, a gift from Japan, were planted around the Tidal Basin in DC. We've always wanted to visit DC during cherry blossom peak time. So this year we did it, and were fortunate enough to get here just in time for the peak bloom. Although it's really cool here (by Florida standards--a high of 50, with wind), it's beautiful. We also took the opportunity to stop by the WWII Memorial (inspiring), and the Smithsonian African American History Museum.

The path around the Tidal Basin was packed with people, but the views were great. 

Photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/X7b4XWc73PAUSgSN6

Congaree 3/31/2019

When we first decided to visit Congaree National Park in South Carolina, our concern was finding a place to stay in our RV. Fortunately, we found a place 30 minutes away near Columbia, SC. So on Saturday, with dry, comfortable weather in the 70s in our favor, we headed to the park.

Congaree was added to the National Park system in 2003. It includes almost 27,000 acres, and the largest tract of old growth hardwood forest left in the US. An old growth forest is one that has attained great age without significant disturbance. Congaree has some of the tallest and largest trees of 15 particular species, and has one of the largest concentrations of Champion trees in the world. We took this opportunity to view some of these giants by walking the trails.

We started on a boardwalk that soon took us down to the forest floor. There is an elevated boardwalk here because 80% of the park floods up to 10 times a year. That boardwalk during those floods provides the only access to the park. This shows the extent to which the flooding can go. Fortunately, the forest was mostly dry during our visit. On our walk, we found ourselves scrambling over huge logs, mucking through deep mud, and picking through fields of downed branches. Incredibly, there were no mosquitoes. (We were amused by the t shirts sold in the visitor center proclaiming: "I gave blood at Congaree National Park", with a large mosquito pictured on the front.)

What a beautiful, serene place. The forest is studded with giant trees, ponds are everywhere, as are

Lunch with a turtle  friend

bald cypress trees with fields of "knees"(see photos). We walked for a few hours, then sat on a log to

Traversing the mud

eat lunch. I was half way through my sandwich before I realized that there was a turtle on the path not 4 feet away. A bit further on, we found ourselves with a 30 yard long field of deep mud through which we needed to proceed if we wanted to get to the trail ahead. We picked up branches and used them to balance on a few branches embedded in the mud to get through.

If you are ever anywhere near here and love the forest as we do, we strongly recommend a stop here.

Our photos are here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/e3jpB5aYmTz9C3eKA