F or CompleteTravel PlanningCall Your AAATravel Agent Today! Tami DiGarolamo559- 636- 5706Don't forget, members receive additional benefits! Cruises ?? Vacation Packages ?? Domestic and International ?? Car and Hotel Reservations ?? Group Specialist ?? CRT # 1016202- 80. Copyright 2008 Automobile Club of Southern California. All Rights Reserved. COME SEE OUR NEW LOCATION You don't need to be a member tobook a trip! WE'RE ALWAYSWITH YOU. ® Ask about ourSpecial Offers! Nancy Irwin559- 636- 57360000128074Visit or call AAA Travel today! 636- 57584228 S. Mooney Blvd., VisaliaNext to Best Buy ElectronicsTravelNOW OPEN SATURDAYSMonday- Friday 9 am - 5 pmSaturday 10 am - 2 pmliving here OUTDOORS: NATIONAL PARKSequoia National Park is thesecond- oldest national parkin the United States, secondonly to Yosemite, and sinceits inception in 1890, KingsCanyon Park became its sis- ter. The two parks are filledwith opportunities for hiking, photographing the sights, observing wildlife, camping, enjoying guided walks and fishing. WHAT'S THEREThe General Sherman Tree, Giant ForestMuseum. Named for American Civil WarGeneral William Tecumseh Sherman, theGeneral Sherman tree in Sequoia NationalPark is between 2,300- 2,700 years old and isabout 275 feet tall. iAdditional attraction: Tickets for guidedtours of Crystal Cave must be purchased inperson at the Foothills or Lodgepole visitorcenters in Sequoia National Park. Tickets forthe regular tour are $ 11 for adults, $ 10 forseniors age 62 and up and $ 6 for childrenage 6- 12. There is also a one- and- a- half- hour See PARK, 26Majestic national parks await the adventurousSnow coverstreetops inSequoiaNationalParkSteve R. FujimotoLIVING HERE| May 21, 2009| 25S

0000128047 DiscoveryTourandsix- hourWildCaveTouravailableatahighercost. HOWFAR? FromVisalia, ittakesaboutonehourtodrivethenearly40milestoentertheparks. WHATTOTAKEComfortablesneakers/ hikingboots, warmclothesfordressinginlayers, water, food. Alwayscarrychains. Theyarerequiredinwintermonths, evenwithfour- wheeldrivevehicles. HOWTOGETTHEREFromVisalia, takeHighway198eastpastThreeRivers. Whilepausingattheparkboothatthebaseofthemountainandpaying, pickupaparkmapandnewsletter. TaketheGeneralsHighwayup. TheGiantForestMuseumandGen- eralShermanTreearesomeofthefirststops. Afewmilesup, theLodgepoleVisitorCenterandLodgeisagoodplaceforcross- countryskiing. Beyondthat, theWuksachiLodgefeaturesguidedsnowshoewalksonweekends, andit'sfree, butparticipantsmustmakereser- vations. TherewillbeconstructionthissummerontheGeneralsHighwaystart- ingjustpasttheGeneralShermanTreeandcontinuingtoLittleBaldy, rightbeforetheNationalForestbegins. Thosedrivingfromoneparktotheothercanexpectdelays. HOURS24- houraccesstohiking. GiantForestMuseumisopenfrom9a. m. to4: 30p. m. Somefoodandgiftshopsarecloseduntilmid- April, includingtheLodgepoleVisitorCenter. Potwisha, LodgepoleandAzaleacampgroundsareopenyear- round. WuksachiVillagedin- ingroomisopenforbreakfast, lunch, anddinner. Info: 565- 4070. COST$ 20pervehicleforsevendaysand$ 30foranannualpass. INFORMATIONForroadconditions, constructioninformationandweather, call565- 3341, thenpress9, then4. Inthepark, AAAisavailableforminorcarrepairsat565- 4070. Toreserveaspotforsnowshoe- ing, call565- 4480. Information: www. nps. gov/ seki/ indexPARKContinuedfrompage25JohannaCoyneJeanneBryonandgranddaughterBreBuchanan, ofPrather, ridehorsesoutofHorseCorralPackStationatBigMeadowsintheGiantSequoiaNationalMonument. livinghereOUTDOORS: NATIONALPARKS26| May21,2009| LIVINGHERE