Today’s post is 1600 words, 33 photos, and a 7-minute read. Enjoy!
Hi everyone,
This week, I start a new series on my recent journey to Sacramento. You might be wondering, “Why Sacramento?” I’ll explain that along with an introduction to the city and area. Then I’ll take you on a jaunt to see some really big trees.
Before we start, thanks to everyone who viewed last week’s post on some of the summer activities here in Madison. If you missed that episode, click here.
A Bit About Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital city of California. The city has a population of about 536,000, with the greater metro area home to over 2.5 million people and growing. The area’s economy is among the most diverse and stable in California. Of course, as the state capital, the government is the region’s largest employer. Thousands of people work for state agencies and related organizations.
Sacramento is also a major center for health care, education, technology, and financial services. It also plays an important role in California’s agricultural economy, with the surrounding fertile farmland of the Central Valley. Tourism also contributes to the local economy with its connection to the Gold Rush, museums, the riverfront, and cultural events.
Sacramento’s location between the San Francisco Bay Area and Lake Tahoe attracts new businesses while maintaining a high quality of life.
You may wonder how Sacramento, the 6th largest city in California, became the capital. Sacramento was founded during the discovery of gold in 1848. It quickly grew as a commercial center supplying miners and as a transportation hub. In the 1850s when California was struggling to find a permanent seat of government among several cities, Sacramento was selected due to its central location. In addition, they offered the use of their courthouse as the temporary Capitol building. Thanks to gold, location, and warm hospitality, it has thrived as the capital of the most populous state in the U.S.
The Trail to Sacramento
Here’s the answer to your question, “Why Sacramento?” In 2025, our Friendship Force club was assigned a domestic journey to Sacramento. That’s how. Ten members from our club and four from the Milwaukee club arrived in Sacramento in mid-May, most by plane, some by train, and some by car. I flew from Madison, via Denver, into the busy Sacramento airport. I have to say both legs of the flight featured heavy turbulence. I was happy to arrive in one piece!
Upon arrival, I was met by Elaine, the Journey Coordinator. Her husband, Rick, gave another Madison member and me a ride to their lovely townhouse on a small man-made lake in Elk Grove, one of the southern suburbs of Sacramento. My hosts, Todd and Leslie, were working, and Rick would deliver me to their house later in the afternoon. Upon arrival at Rick and Elaine’s place, I was immediately drawn to this 1956 Thunderbird Convertible. I may or may not have drooled over this sweet, beautiful car. I learned Rick is a car guy. In a future post, I’ll take you to the California Automobile Museum.
After Rick dropped me off at Todd and Leslie’s house in Elk Grove, we got acquainted. Todd is a Coast Guard veteran and teaches 6th grade. I consider him a saint for his dedication to the teaching profession, one of the foundations of our democracy. Leslie has five jobs. A few relate to teaching yoga, one to teaching at the local college, and another as a health coach for a large healthcare system. I also met their youngest daughter, Reede, and two dogs, Manny and Teddy. 
That evening, we drove into Sacramento for the welcome dinner at Chevys in the Riverbank Marina. We enjoyed a Mexican buffet, margaritas, fellowship, and getting to know the Sacramento Friendship Force club members.
During this series, you’ll hear a lot about the Sacramento and American Rivers that converge at Sacramento. The rivers are a big part of the development and contribute to some of the challenges in the Sacramento area.
I learned that Todd has mastered making a perfect cup of coffee. The beans are weighed and ground; the hot water is set to exactly 204° F, poured over the grounds, then hand-pressed. I have to say it was an excellent cup of coffee. He does this every day and has a similar setup in his Rivian truck. Now that’s livin’!
Todd rescued this discarded sign from a ditch, made a frame for it, and mounted it in the pool room. That and the map of California added a nice touch to the room.
Calaveras Big Trees State Park
The next morning, Leslie dropped me off at Rick and Elaine’s, and I would ride with them to Calaveras Big Trees State Park. The 90-mile drive took about an hour and 45 minutes through changing landscapes. First, it’s the flat valley of fertile farmland that gives way to the Sierra Nevada foothills, where gold was mined, and then to the mountain forest with towering trees.
We passed Angels Camp, also known as Frogtown, where the Calaveras County Fair and Frog Jumping Jubilee are held. This is the place where Mark Twain had his first major success as a writer. Written in 1865, “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” brought him national acclaim. I thought about that story I read as a kid in country school, when we drove past the signs advertising the Calaveras County Fair.
The air was much cooler and fresher when we entered the park. I couldn’t help but notice the majestic trees surrounding the picnic area as we enjoyed lunch. That was before I saw the ancient giant sequoias that made the park famous. This park was established in 1931 to protect the remaining giant sequoias. We would learn that these trees can live a couple of thousand years, with some documented as old as 3000 years. These trees occur naturally only in groves on the Western slope of the Sierra Nevada. 
I took a few photos of some of the trees before we set out. These are not the biggest trees we would see.
The North Grove Trail
The North Grove Trail at Calaveras Big Trees is about 1.5 miles on a relatively flat surface. We were led by Sacramento Friendship Force member Helen, who spent her career working in conservation.
Our first stop on the trail was The Big Stump. The story goes that a man was chasing a wounded bear in an unfamiliar forest. When he saw the huge trees, he lost interest in pursuing the bear and spent the rest of the day exploring the grove. He was known to be a colorful character, and when he shared his story about the big trees, it was met with skepticism. He coaxed a group to see the trees for themselves. Word got around, and soon visitors began making the trek to see these trees.
The next year, the Discovery Tree was felled by ambitious speculators. No saw was big enough, so they used long-handled pump augers and wedges. It took 22 days to drill all the holes, but the tree didn’t fall for a few days. This group photo was taken on top of the stump. At one time, the stump was planed smooth and served as a dance floor. Preservations such as John Muir were angered by this event, and he wrote, “The vandals then danced on the stump!”
This tree was over 25 feet in diameter and over 280 feet tall. When the rings were counted, it was found to be only 1,244 years old, relatively young given its large size. Giant sequoias are the largest living things ever to exist on Earth. Fossil records date back 180 million years to the age of the dinosaurs. Once widespread, there are only 75 groves growing naturally in the Sierra Nevada range.
This photo is of a section of the Discovery Tree lying next to The Big Stump. It’s big!
For the next couple of hours, Helen led us down the North Grove trail, stopping periodically to provide insight to what we were observing. There were trees that had naturally fallen, with huge root systems. We learned that the roots of giant sequoias grow 100 feet in every direction. She also shared that a single cone can hold over 200 seeds. Branches that fall from the upper canopy of the tree can be as long as 100 feet and measure up to seven feet in diameter. I wouldn’t want to be standing underneath when one of those fell.
The tree in the North Grove that has the greatest mass is known as the Empire State. Its diameter is 30 feet. Giant sequoias are known to twist, usually to the right. This makes them more flexible to withstand wind and snow loads.
At the Mother and Son trees, visitors can relax on the reclining bench to observe the giant sequoias. 
Under good growing conditions, a giant sequoia can grow 1-2 feet per year for the first 10 years. This little tree is in its first year or two. It’s hard to imagine it will be about 100 feet when it turns 100. 
Two friends from Madison are enjoying getting lost among the trees.
Similar to the tunnel tree in Yosemite, North Grove had its own version. In 2017, after heavy rains, the soil liquefied and the tree fell and shattered. 
A grove of giant sequoias was named for Désiré Tricot, a leader in the campaign to establish lasting protection of the trees in the North Grove. 
It was a fun and interesting walk. The day was pleasant, and it was great to be outside among these majestic trees.
Murphys
On the way back to Sacramento, we stopped in the historic gold mining town of Murphys. In modern times, it has become a tourist destination with quaint shops, restaurants, and at least two dozen nearby vineyards. I walked along the town’s main street and snapped a few photos. By chance, we all ended up at the ice cream shop, JoMa’s Artisan Ice Cream. I had salted caramel.
It was 6 PM when we got back to Elk Grove after a lovely day in the mountains. After a relaxing dinner with Todd and Leslie, it was off to bed. Tomorrow will be another beautiful day in Sacramento.
But before I go……
THE FIVE SENSES PLUS ONE
Saw – airport terminals, giant sequoias, baby sequoia, trees, foothills of the Sierra’s, historic towns
Heard – engine and road noises, loudspeaker, birds singing, people talking
Touch – tickets, luggage, door handles, trees, soft bark, railings
Smell – food cooking subs, oranges
Taste – ham and cheese empanada (very good), sub, chips, cookie, salted caramel ice cream, beer, salad, tater tots, beyond burger,
Learned – a lot about giant sequoias – how they start from seed, live, and fall
Until next week, happy travels!
Tom
PS: Click here for a link to the post about my book “Farm Boy.” Contact me if you are interested in purchasing a copy. Thanks to all who have plunked down your hard-earned dollars and read the book. TM