Hiking through Yosemite reinvigorated my love of camping
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| Half Dome towers over the Yosemite Valley in Northern California. Lauren J. Mapp |
Hours after attending our first wedding together in July 2015, Peter and I drove up to Yosemite for a week of camping under the stars.
Only weeks into our relationship at the time, this road trip was our first trip together and the first time I had ever been camping in California.
Although I had enjoyed many hikes during my decade of living in San Diego at that point, I hadn't ever had the time or money to invest in camping gear since moving from New England. I was afraid this would be a make or break moment for us as Peter was a well-seasoned camper, but it really illustrated how seamlessly we and our travel styles meshed together as a couple.
This visit to Yosemite resparked my love of camping and is one of my favorite memories of the early days of our relationship.
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| Moss trails down the branch of a tree. |
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| A moment of rest at Vernal Fall after 1,000 feet of elevation gain during our hike. |
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| Viewing the Yosemite Royal Arches from high above the valley. |
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| Water streams down the Lower Yosemite Falls. |
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| A deer nibbles on grass in a meadow in the Yosemite Valley. |
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| A stone wall covered with moss. |
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| Half dome. |
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| The exposed roots of a fallen tree near the Lower Yosemite Falls. |
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| Clouds loom over the Yosemite just before rain begins to fall over the valley, and hail drops in the mountains. |
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| After hiking in the Yosemite Valley all day, we returned to a hail covered campsite on the last night of our trip. |
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| More clouds over the valley. |
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