Roaring Camp, Felton, CA

An old burned out bridge...

The kids had no idea why I asked them to do this...

Jack- being a such a boy...why do they always turn everything into a weapon?

Apparently, a lot of these trees do not come from seeds. There is one tree that simply grows other trees from their roots surrounding them and giving them a stable base. And the ground is not "earth" exactly...just thousands of years of tree litter built up.

We actually got to see the engine get filled with 600 gallons of water from this water tower.

The girls thought these hills looked like mashed potatoes. (I think that was just Emily and wishful thinking.)

One of the highlights of our trip was this stop at Roaring Camp in Felton. We got to ride on a train through a redwood forest. We marveled at the 3000 year old trees and got to experience our first steam engine ride. Jack, of course, had a great time...I had forgotten how serious he gets on train rides. It was a little pricey, but we would definitely recommend checking it out if you're in the area.

From the website: In the 1880s, narrow-gauge steam locomotives were used to haul giant redwood logs out of the mountains. Roaring Camp's steam engines date from 1890 and are among the oldest and most authentically preserved narrow-gauge steam engines providing regularly scheduled passenger service in America.In the 1880s, narrow-gauge steam locomotives were used to haul giant redwood logs out of the mountains. Roaring Camp's steam engines date from 1890 and are among the oldest and most authentically preserved narrow-gauge steam engines providing regularly scheduled passenger service in America.