Spring in the Merced River Canyon

A road trip. A quiet time. Four days by myself to get back to nature, to re-experience the rebirth of spring. I found myself in Mariposa, at the gateway to Yosemite. Exploring the Merced River Canyon on Highway 140 turned out to be....soul quenching, taking my breath away, living deeply in the moments...gratitude that I can have this experience here and now. The wildflower bloom is said to be the most abundant in more than 30 years. At the feet of burned out trees from last summer's fires, the poppies carpet the hillsides in a thick mantle of orange. Along the Hite Cove Trail, further up on Highway 140, poppies, lupines, bluedicks, and all manner of wildflowers white, yellow, purple, blue, and pink cascade down to the south fork of the Merced River. I have never seen such a profusion of spring color on such a massive scale.

I feel alive and renewed.