Original subtitles

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ANNOUNCER: WHEN YOU SEE THIS SYMBOL YOU KNOW YOU'RE

WATCHING TELEVISION THAT'S EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL.THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: I'M DYLAN DREYER, JOIN ME ON AN ADVENTURE TO

THE WEST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES AS WE

EXPLORE THE HISTORY, CULTURE AND BEAUTY OF THE

GREAT STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

DYLAN: WE'RE ON THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME ACROSS THE GOLDEN

STATE TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE, PLACES AND

WILDLIFE THAT MAKE IT SHINE.

WE'LL MEET CONSERVATIONISTS AT THE

FRONT LINES OF ANIMAL RESCUE, DISCOVER

CALIFORNIA'S RICH HISTORY AND DIVERSE PEOPLE, AND

SOAR OVER SOME OF THE MOST BREATHTAKING LANDSCAPES ON

EARTH.

DYLAN: CALIFORNIA BECAME THE 31ST STATE IN AMERICA

IN THE YEAR 1850.

IT IS THE THIRD LARGEST U.S.

STATE BY LAND MASS AND HAS SINCE BECOME THE MOST

POPULATED.

PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE GLOBE HAVE SETTLED IN

CALIFORNIA, DRAWN TO THE STATE'S SUNSHINE,

RESOURCES AND NATURAL BEAUTY.

TODAY THE ECONOMY OF CALIFORNIA IS SO VAST, IF

IT WERE ITS OWN COUNTRY IT WOULD BE THE SIXTH LARGEST

ECONOMY IN THE WORLD.

DYLAN: CALIFORNIA SEEMS TO ATTRACT PEOPLE OF

ADVENTUROUS SPIRITS; EAGER TO FIND THEIR OWN WAY AND

TEST THE EDGES OF EXPERIENCE.

DYLAN: WHEN SPANISH EXPLORERS FIRST SET EYES ON THIS

WILDERNESS THEY NAMED THE LAND AFTER A MYTHICAL

WARRIOR QUEEN WHO WAS SAID TO FLY INTO BATTLE ON A

GIANT GRYPHON.

SPANISH MISSIONARIES BUILT A 300-MILE LONG CHAIN OF

CHURCHES AND MISSIONS TO BRING CHRISTIANITY TO THE

NEW WORLD.

HUNDREDS OF YEARS LATER OTHERS WOULD LEAVE THEIR

MARKS HERE TOO, LIKE THE EMPIRE BUILDING PUBLISHER

WILLIAM HERTZ WHO PERCHED HIS OWN CALIFORNIA

PARADISE ON A PRIVATE MOUNTAINTOP.

DYLAN: TODAY INNOVATIVE CALIFORNIA SURFERS

RE-ENVISION AN ANCIENT HAWAIIAN TRADITION.

ALL THESE ADVENTUROUS SPIRITS SHARE ONE THING IN

COMMON, A WILLINGNESS TO GO BEYOND WHAT IS FAMILIAR

AND SAFE.

DYLAN: FOR CENTURIES THE AMERICAN WEST HAS BEEN A

WILD HAVEN FOR THOSE WILLING TO REINVENT

THEMSELVES AND RISK FULFILLING THEIR DREAMS.

AND NO PLACE MORE SO THAN CALIFORNIA.

LIKE OTHER TRUE INNOVATORS, TROY HARTMAN

AND JOE JENNINGS HAVE CONJURED BOTH CAREERS AND

HIGH-FLYING LIFESTYLES OUT OF THIN AIR.

WHILE JOE AND TROY EARN THEIR LIVINGS FILMING

AERIAL STUNTS, THEY FIND THE TRUEST EXPRESSION OF

THEIR TALENTS AS A SKY SURFING TEAM.

SKY SURFING IS A COMPETITIVE, TWO-PERSON

SPORT, JUDGED BOTH ON TROY'S PERFORMANCE AND

JOE'S FREE-FALL CAMERAWORK.

JOE: HERE WHERE I'M COMING OVER THE TOP, I HAD NO

IDEA YOU WERE GONNA PULL THAT SPIN; THAT'S WHY I

WAS CRACKING UP.

TROY: YEAH, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT YOU WERE DOING ON

THAT.

JOE: WELL IF YOU NEED ME OUT THERE AS A CRUTCH....

TROY AND I DIRT-DIVE OUR ROUTINES ON THE GROUND

BEFORE WE GO UP IN THE AIR.

AT 150 MILES AN HOUR, THINGS ARE HAPPENING SO

FAST THERE'S JUST NO WAY TO REHEARSE IT IN THE SKY.

AND HIT IT...

MAN: THREE, TWO, ONE, GO.

♪ ADVENTUROUS MUSIC ♪

♪ ADVENTUROUS MUSIC ♪

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DYLAN: WHAT MAKES CALIFORNIA SUCH A MELTING

POT FOR INTREPID DREAMERS SUCH AS THESE?

THIS PLACE OF IMMENSE GEOGRAPHIC EXTREMES AND

PRISTINE NATURAL WONDER WAS DESTINED TO SHAPE A

CULTURE ALL ITS OWN.

DREAMS CAN HAVE NO LIMIT IN A LAND WHERE ONLY 80

MILES SEPARATE DEATH VALLEY, THE LOWEST POINT

IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE, FROM MOUNT WHITNEY.

DYLAN: NEAR PALM SPRINGS, EVEN THE DESERT CRADLES

PERPETUAL STREAMS THAT NOURISH THE WORLD'S

LARGEST PALM OASIS.

DYLAN: IN THIS REALM OF CONTRASTS, OCEAN KELP

FORESTS GROW 3 FEET IN A SINGLE DAY, WHILE GIANT

SEQUOIAS IN THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAIN RANGE HAVE

INCHED SKYWARD FOR OVER 3,000 YEARS.

BUT THE ULTIMATE TREASURE LAY BENEATH THE SOIL

WAITING TO LURE THE ADVENTUROUS WITH SIGHTING

OF PRECIOUS YELLOW METAL.

BY 1849 THE GOLD RUSH WAS ON.

MEN AND WOMEN OF EVERY ETHNIC BACKGROUND POURED

INTO CALIFORNIA BY THE THOUSANDS, EACH ONE DRIVEN

BY THE DREAM OF UNTOLD WEALTH.

[SOUND OF WAGON TRAIN]

DYLAN: EVEN WHEN THE GOLD THINNED OUT THE DREAM

CHASERS KEPT COMING.

IN CALIFORNIA IF YOU DIDN'T LIKE WHERE YOUR

PAST HAD LED, THERE WAS PLENTY OF ROOM TO INVENT A

NEW FUTURE.

LATER VISIONARIES SAW CALIFORNIA'S PERPETUAL

SUNSHINE AND WIDE-OPEN SPACES AS THE PERFECT

STAGE FOR A BURGEONING NEW INDUSTRY; THE MOVIES.

[SOUNDS OF SET} - ♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: CALIFORNIA IS HOME TO WORLD-CLASS TOURIST

DESTINATIONS INCLUDING THE MOST DIVERSE COLLECTION OF

NATIONAL PARKS THAN ANY OTHER STATE.

COMING UP NEXT, WE'LL TRAVEL TO CALIFORNIA'S

SIERRA MOUNTAIN RANGE AND DISCOVER ONE OF THE

WORLD'S LARGEST AND OLDEST LIVING THINGS; THE GIANT

SEQUOYA TREE.

AND LATER, WE'LL TAKE A DIZZYING TOUR OF ONE OF

THE MOST RECOGNIZED LANDMARKS IN THE WORLD;

THE FAMOUS SAN FRANCISCO GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE.

DON'T GO AWAY, THE JOURNEY CONTINUES

RIGHT AFTER THIS.

ANNOUNCER: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

.

ANNOUNCER: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO JOURNEY, I'M DYLAN DREYER.

THE INCREDIBLE GEOGRAPHY OF CALIFORNIA CANNOT BE

OVERSTATED.

IT'S HOME TO SOME OF THE OLDEST FORESTS ON EARTH;

TREES THAT FIRST SPROUTED 5,000 YEARS AGO.

THE STATE HOLDS THE HEADQUARTERS TO 3 OF THE

WORLD'S 20 BIGGEST COMPANIES, BUT ALSO

PRODUCES MORE AGRICULTURE THAN EVERY OTHER STATE.

AND THEN THERE'S MY FAVORITE PART, GREAT

SKIING.

DYLAN: IN THE LATE 1960'S WHILE MIKE DOYLE WAS SKIING

ON CALIFORNIA'S SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS, HE

SUDDENLY GOT A CRAZY IDEA.

HE CLAMPED TWO BOOTS ONTO ONE WIDE SKI AND CALLED

HIS INVENTION THE MONO-SKI.

UNLIKE SNOWBOARDING, BOTH FEET FACE FORWARD WITH

MONO-SKIING.

DYLAN: BUT JUST LIKE SNOWBOARDING, ONE OF THE

BEST PLACES ON EARTH TO EXPERIENCE A MONO-SKI IS

RIGHT HERE IN CALIFORNIA.

♪ ADVENTUROUS MUSIC ♪

♪ ADVENTUROUS MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: FEW PLACES IN THE WORLD HAVE INSTILLED

ADVENTUROUS TRAVELERS WITH SUCH REVERENCE AS THE

CROWN JEWEL OF THE HIGH SIERRA, THE YOSEMITE

VALLEY.

YOSEMITE AND THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAIN RANGE ARE

HOME TO THE WORLD'S LARGEST LIVING THINGS; THE

GIANT SEQUOYA TREES FOUND NOWHERE ELSE ON EARTH.

THESE MAGNIFICENT TREES HAVE BEEN ROOTED TO THESE

SLOPES FOR MORE THAN 3,000 YEARS.

DYLAN: UNFORTUNATELY EARLY SETTLERS' FIRST

IMPULSES WERE TO CUT THEM DOWN.

BUT AT LEAST ONE FARSIGHTED ADVENTURER HAD

A DIFFERENT WAY OF LOOKING AT THINGS.

DYLAN: JOHN MUIR ONCE RODE OUT A MOUNTAIN WINDSTORM

HIGH IN A SWAYING FIR TREE JUST TO OBSERVE THE

FORCES OF NATURE FROM THE TREE'S POINT OF VIEW.

THIS UNUSUAL MAN USED HIS PEN AND INKWELL TO WRITE

AGAINST THOSE BENT ON EXPLOITING THE WILDERNESS.

AND HE INSPIRED PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT TO

LAUNCH LASTING ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION.

FOLLOWING IN MUIR'S FOOTSTEPS IS BOTANIST DR.

STEVE SILLETT.

SILLETT AND GRADUATE STUDENT JIM SPICKLER HOPE

TO LEARN THE SECRETS OF THE SEQUOYA'S LONGEVITY IN

AN EFFORT TO ENSURE ITS SURVIVAL FOR CENTURIES TO

COME.

STEVE: NO SCIENTIST HAS BEEN TO THE TOP OF THIS

3,000 YEAR-OLD BEING UNTIL TODAY.

YOU GET THE ARROW OVER THE BRANCH, YOU DROP IT TO THE

GROUND AND THEN YOU USE THAT CORD TO PULL OVER THE

CLIMBING ROPE.

DYLAN: ONCE YOU FINALLY GET UP INTO THE TOP OF ONE

OF THESE GIANT TREES IT'S REALLY NICE NOT TO HAVE TO

GO BACK DOWN TO THE GROUND TO STUDY ANOTHER ONE.

SO WE RIGGED UP THESE TRAVERSES AS A WAY OF

QUICKLY GOING ACROSS.

IN THE ANCIENT FOREST EACH TREE CROWN IS UNIQUE SO I

WAS VERY EXCITED TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON IN

THE CROWN OF THIS GIANT TREE.

I CLIMBED AROUND TO ONE SIDE OF THE TRUNK AND I

SAW THIS VAST PIT OPENING UP.

SO I GOT THE ROPE SET TO THE TOP OF THE TREE AND I

THREW THE ROPE INTO THE PIT.

DESCENDING DOWN INTO THE PIT WAS LIKE GOING BACK IN

TIME; THE DEEPER I WENT THE OLDER IT GOT.

AT JUST A FEW HUNDRED FEET DOWN I WAS TOUCHING WOOD

THAT WAS GROWING WHEN THE PYRAMIDS WERE BEING

CONSTRUCTED.

AND THEN I TURNED OFF MY HEADLAMP AND LOOKED UP; IT

WAS AWESOME.

IT TRULY IS A SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE TO BE IN THESE

GROVES.

AND YOU GET UP INSIDE THE CROWN OF ONE OF THEM AND

IT'S VERY CALMING.

IT'S AN EXPERIENCE THAT TOUCHES ME DEEPLY.

I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE MADE CLEAR THAT THE

ANCIENT SEQUOYA TREES ARE SACRED.

IT'S A SACRED RESOURCE AND THE BEST WE CAN DO IS TO

BE STEWARDS OF THEIR HABITAT.

YOU LOOK OUT OVER THE GIANT DOME-LIKE CROWN OF

THE GIANT SEQUOYA AND THEY'RE LIKE MOUNTAINS.

IT JUST KIND OF BLOWS YOU AWAY AND EVERYTHING ELSE

SEEMS SO FLEETING.

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: DON'T GO AWAY, THE JOURNEY CONTINUES RIGHT

AFTER THIS.

ANNOUNCER: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC

.

ANNOUNCER: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: MAN'S BEST CREATIONS CAN BE JUST AS

AWE-INSPIRING AS NATURE'S.

EVEN IN THE MIDST OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION

CALIFORNIA'S SWELLING POPULATION DEMANDED A NEW

WESTERN LINK; THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE.

UNTIL THE MOMENT IT WAS COMPLETED MANY OF THE

NATION'S BRIDGE BUILDERS SAID IT COULDN'T BE DONE.

ONE RISK-TAKER BELIEVED OTHERWISE.

JOSEPH STRAUSS WAS AN ENGINEER WITH A VISION

THAT SPANNED INTO THE FUTURE.

WHEN WORK BEGAN IN 1933 STRAUSS'S OBSESSION WITH

WORKERS' SAFETY INITIATED THE WORLD'S FIRST USE OF

THE CONSTRUCTION HARDHAT, AND A STEEL NET TO CATCH

THE LESS SUREFOOTED.

LIKE THE TOWERING SEQUOYA, THE GOLDEN GATE IS WORTHY

OF OUR CONTINUAL STEWARDSHIP.

THE TOP OF THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE IS OVER 700 FEET

HIGH.

ALONG WITH THE WEST'S GROWING POPULATION, BRIDGE

TRAFFIC INCREASES.

WITH PROPER CARE AND RESPECT THE GOLDEN GATE

BRIDGE CAN LAST A VERY LONG TIME.

DYLAN: DESPITE INCREASING HUMAN PRESENCE ON THE COAST,

REMOTE BEACHES STILL EXIST ALL ALONG THE CALIFORNIA

SHORELINES, DARING WAVE-RIDERS TO VENTURE OUT

INTO THE SURF.

DYLAN: FOR YEARS SURFERS HAVE SCOURED THE WESTCOAST

SEARCHING FOR THE PERFECT WAVE.

BUT ALL THE WHILE MAVERICKS, ONE OF THE

OCEAN'S GREATEST MONSTERS, WAS BREAKING JUST 30 MILES

SOUTH OF SAN FRANCISCO..

...ONLY THE VERY BEST SURFERS ARE UP TO

THE CHALLENGE.

YOU DON'T RIDE THIS WALL OF WATER, YOU SURVIVE IT.

♪ MUSIC ♪ - [SOUND OF WAVES CRASHING]

DYLAN: 50 MILES DOWN THE COAST SARDINE FISHERMEN

ONCE MADE MONSTER HAULS AT MONTEREY BAY UNTIL 1946

WHEN CLIMATE SHIFTS AND OVER-FISHING CAUSED THE

COLLAPSE OF THE FISHERY.

MONTEREY'S STORIED CANNERY ROW BECAME A GHOST TOWN.

BUT ONE RISK-TAKER SAW A CHANCE FOR REPLENISHMENT.

DYLAN: DAVID PACKARD WAS A TECHNOLOGY PIONEER WHO

STARTED ANOTHER KIND OF GOLD RUSH JUST NORTH OF

SAN JOSE IN A REGION NOW KNOWN AS SILICON VALLEY.

WITH A $55 MILLION DOLLAR GRANT, PACKARD TURNED THIS

ABANDONED FISH CANNERY INTO THE MONTEREY BAY

AQUARIUM; A CENTER FOR MARINE LIFE PRESERVATION.

INCREASING HUMAN IMPACT ON OCEAN LIFE HAS MADE THE

AQUARIUM'S EFFORTS TO RESTORE NATIVE SEA OTTER

POPULATIONS ALL THE MORE CRITICAL.

DYLAN: ONCE, 30,000 SEA OTTERS SWAM IN BIG SUR

KELP BEDS LIKE THESE.

TODAY'S OTTER POPULATION HOVERS NEAR 2,000 AND

REQUIRES OUR CONTINUAL VIGILANCE TO SURVIVE.

DYLAN: AQUARIST SUE CAMPBELL SWIMS DAILY WITH

THIS ORPHANED OTTER PUP, A MODEL SURROGATE MOM.

SUE: OUR GOAL IS TO RETURN ALL ORPHANED OTTERS TO THE

WILD.

CARING FOR THESE ANIMALS IS AN INTENSIVE, DEMANDING

JOB.

BUT LET'S FACE IT, IT'S PRETTY HARD NOT TO LOVE AN

OTTER.

IT TURNS OUT OTTERS DEPEND ON THEIR MOTHERS TO

REINFORCE SURVIVAL INSTINCTS IN THEIR FIRST

FEW MONTHS OF LIFE.

ONCE A BABY HAS LEARNED A FEW SURVIVAL TRICKS WE'RE

READY FOR THE REAL THING.

WHEN YOU TAKE A PUP OUT INTO THE OPEN OCEAN FOR

THE FIRST TIME IT'S LIKE TAKING A BABY BIRD OUT OF

THE NEST AND SAYING "LET'S GO FLY."...

... OTTERS ARE USUALLY READY FOR THE WILD

WHEN THEY REACH 7 TO 8 MONTHS.

WHEN IT COMES TIME TO SAY GOODBYE IT'S A DAY OF

MIXED EMOTIONS.

BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING, IT FEELS GOOD TO PUT ANOTHER

WILD OTTER BACK WHERE IT BELONGS.

DYLAN: DON'T GO AWAY, THE JOURNEY CONTINUES

RIGHT AFTER THIS.

ANNOUNCER: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

.

ANNOUNCER: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: IN 2014 CALIFORNIA PRODUCED TWICE AS MUCH

RENEWABLE ENERGY THAN ANY OTHER STATE AND PRODUCED

MORE SOLAR POWER THAN ALL OTHER STATES COMBINED.

FOR DECADES CALIFORNIA HAS BEEN A PROUD WORLD LEADER

IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE, BECOMING A

MODEL FOR HOW MODERN SOCIETIES CAN BEGIN THE

TRANSITION AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUELS.

IF CALIFORNIA IS TO CONTINUE TO ACCOMMODATE

OUR DREAMS IT NEEDS THE NEXT GENERATION OF

VISIONARIES WILLING TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR

OUR IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT.

PEOPLE LIKE JULIE PACKARD WHO CONTINUES HER FATHER'S

TRADITION, TEACHING TOMORROW'S GENERATION OF

THE OCEAN'S FRAGILE BALANCE.

AND PAM DELANEY WHO HELPS GENERATE CLEAN ENERGY IN

THE DESERT SUN.

IN NAPA VALLEY FARSIGHTED GROWERS LIKE ROBERT

MONDAVE NOW PRACTICE BIODYNAMIC FARMING WITHOUT

TOXIC CHEMICALS ON THEIR VINEYARDS.

ON CATALINA ISLAND OFF LONG BEACH, BIOLOGIST DR.

PETER SHARP PREPARES BALD EAGLE CHICKS, HATCHED IN

CAPTIVITY, FOR RETURN TO THE WILD.

PETER: IN 1980 THERE WERE NO BALD EAGLES LEFT IN

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

SO WITHOUT OUR HELP THEY WOULDN'T EVEN BE HERE.

AS SOON AS A CHICK IS OLD ENOUGH TIMING BECOMES

CRITICAL.

WE HAVE TO GET THEM BACK TO THE NEST QUICKLY.

THE FUNNY THING IS, I'M NOT CRAZY ABOUT HEIGHTS

AND I'D NEVER EVEN BEEN IN A HELICOPTER BEFORE MY

WORK WITH EAGLES.

♪ ADVENTUROUS MUSIC ♪

PETER: ONCE THE NEW CHICK IS PLACED, IT'S TIME TO

LET NATURE TAKE ITS COURSE.

PETER: WHEN THE EAGLE MOTHER RETURNS SHE'LL

THINK A MIRACLE HAS HAPPENED...

...EVERY TIME I SEE AN ADULT BIRD ACCEPT A HEALTHY

CHICK IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE A PROUD PARENT...

... AND REMINDS ME THAT CARING ABOUT THE WILD

IS ONE THING, BUT CARING FOR IT IS ANOTHER.

DYLAN: WITH 40 MILLION PEOPLE LIVING WITHIN ITS

BORDERS, CALIFORNIA FACES MANY CHALLENGES BALANCING

THE NEEDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT WITH THE

NEEDS OF A GROWING POPULATION.

BUT CALIFORNIANS HAVE SHOWN TIME AND TIME AGAIN

THAT THEY CAN FACE ANYTHING THAT COMES THEIR

WAY AND LOOK COOL WHILE DOING IT.

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED OUR JOURNEY TO THE GOLDEN

STATE.

UNTIL NEXT TIME, SAFE TRAVELS.

♪ MUSIC ♪