For I don't know how long, I've wanted to return to Muir Woods National Monument. I was just a kid the last time I visited, so my memories of the redwood forest are distant ones. I chiefly remember trees, towering trees, the tops too high to see and the trunks too wide to hug (something parents advise children to do if they lose their way in the woods).
For all my desires to see the park, I hadn't made much of an effort to set aside time, but an impulsive decision on Saturday changed all that. Thank goodness for spontaneity. Of course, spontaneity does have a drawback, namely, it doesn't allow a great deal of time for preparation. Had I planned a visit even a day in advance, I would have worn proper attire and brought extra snacks and a camera with me.
Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on you like to experience nature), Muir Woods is very visitor friendly. It has a full-fledged visitor center, gift shop and cafe (with both indoor and outdoor seating). Paved asphalt and boardwalks cover the most heavily traveled trails, making them easily navigable by wheelchairs and sandaled feet alike. Every fifty yards or so, signs on the path ask visitors to stay on the path. Muir Woods isn't so much a walk in the woods as a walk in a well-groomed tree museum.
This isn't to say it wasn't an impressive tree museum. It was. The trees were as majestic as I remember them. After all this time, they haven't lost their ability to awe. It made my day to see people stop and gape at the magnificence of the California coast redwoods.
The weather was sunny and mild, a pleasant escape from the heat of last week. Benches in the sun were perfect places for basking. The trail was bustling with folks, but once one got beyond Cathedral Grove, the crowds vanished and it was possible to find a few minutes of solitude and silence, for which I'm grateful.
Before leaving, we stopped by the cafe for coffee. While waiting in line, I noticed a large jar of pickles on the counter. I've rarely seen pickles sold individually, but there they were, available for $1.25 apiece. Feeling a sudden craving, I gave spontaneity another go. When we reached the head of the line, I said, "Two coffees and a pickle, please."
The man behind the counter started to say okay, stopped suddenly, started to say something, stopped again and finally said with a puzzled look, “Really?"
The next time I visit (and I hope it's soon), I must bring a camera. I must also stop by the cafe for a pickle. It was pricey, but delicious.
