Fresh Air

Coniferous trees release a chemical compound into the air that helps you breathe more freely. Whether you’re walking through a pine forest, a stand of firs, a sequoia glade, or even some citrus orchards, your lungs will open up in response to these terpene chemicals. I could feel it happening right now. Not only were the enormous sequoias peaceful and majestic, but they were physically connecting me with my surroundings by bringing more air into my lungs with every breath. I had never felt so at one with nature. I pulled out a can of Coke to commemorate the moment.

The cold, bubbly, sharp and yet somehow smooth-tasting liquid splashed into my mouth. Images of parties and polar bears sprang to mind. What a beautiful way to experience this park. I cracked open a second can. My thirst thoroughly quenched, it was time to find a good spot for a picture.

I may not be the best iPhone photographer, but I do know that trees are notoriously hard to take photos of. Unless you can get far enough away from them to establish a silhouette, you are better off using them as a backdrop for something else. These trees were as tall as any building I’d seen. There was no chance I could get a clear shot of them. I walked over to the cliff, hoping that there would be a good vista.

After a few minutes of walking I realized I might have a shot after all. The cliff hadn’t opened out onto much, just the tops of lots more trees, but when I looked back it seemed that one tree stood out apart from the others. It was just separate enough that it could frame up nicely in a picture. I squinted at the screen, trying to balance the composition. The top of the tree was too close to the top of the picture, then trunk of the tree was getting cut off.

I wrestled with these adjustments for a while, moving slightly, taking a step here, zooming in there. Without warning my foot didn’t land on anything when I stepped backwards. I tumbled into space, flailing my arms for some semblance of balance, but it was too late. I was free falling hundreds of feet towards the tree tops at the base of the cliff. I realized I was yelling—my lungs still weren’t empty when I hit the ground.