I learned a little bit about Hoboes in John Hodgman’s The Areas of My Expertise.

Inspired by that book, The 700 Hoboes Project resulted.

Turns out there’s a Hobo Convention each year in Britt, Iowa.

Buzzfeed – Matt Stopera – 61 Things I Learned At The National Hobo Convention:

3. The difference between hoboes, tramps and bums. Hoboes are not bums!

Hoboes are people who travel to work.
Tramps are people who travel and don’t work.
Bums are people who don’t travel and don’t work.

10. Hoboes show respect for their dead by tapping their walking sticks on gravestones.

There but for the grace of God, go I.

(via Kottke)

My first visit to these famous trees.

General Grant Grove is a section of Kings Canyon National Park established to protect a grove of giant sequoias (Sequoiadendron giganteum).

It includes the General Grant tree, the second largest tree in the world. …

Later I visited the Mariposa Grove in Yosemite.

It’s home to the Grizzly Giant. And the California Tunnel tree. Here I am driving my rent-a- jalopy.

GREAT idea cutting a hole in one of the world’s most important trees, don’t you think?

Another like this, the Wawona Tree, weakened, fell in 1969 under an estimated two-ton load of snow. It was rebranded the Fallen Tunnel Tree.

At Woodward West Sports Camp, California.

Contemplating.

Only contemplating.