The entire trip was such a positive uplifting experience. It put so many things into perspective. Not only how small I really am in the grand scheme of things, but how important other things are, and how amazing things can be. I found almost everything absolutely inspirational, which was the main reason I started this blog in the first place. I wish I could detail every moment of my journey, but I would be typing forever.
So I figured I highlight some things and describe them as best as I could.
First, some pictures to butter you up.
The eerie contrast of seeing the advection fog rolling over San Fransisco and the bay from a distance, and actually being in the fog. We hiked along the Land End trail, and experienced complete California sunshine as we overlooked (what was) the Golden Gate bridge, even though it was hidden from our view by the heavy fog. We knew it was there, from the blaring fog horns. In contrast, while we were driving and hiking along Stinson Beach, the fog was so heavy that it literally clung to you, chilling you to the bone. You would never be able to tell the brightness of the colors that surrounded you, because the fog dilutes the sun so much that everything comes off as having a gray tint.
Seeing and hearing the ferocity of the Pacific Ocean slamming on the cliffs along the coast of California was unreal. It put the Atlantic Ocean to shame.
To hear absolutely nothing. You don't realize how silent nothing is, until you're standing deep in the woods, surrounded by towering Redwoods that absorb every sound of the outside world.
To hear a coyote barking its' way around the campsite you're staying at.
Seeing Mount St. Helens as a small hazy peak from 70 miles away, and then watching it grow before our eyes into the 8,300+ ft. behemoth of a volcano it actually is. As we climbed higher and higher and twisted through slide-repaired roads (99 was still closed because of snow!) the volcano would magically appear in front of us, larger each time. And every single time, I exclaimed "Hooooooollllyyyy shiiiiiiiiitt".
Being behind a waterfall in the middle of July, and being FREEZING cold. The sounds is deafening, and the feeling was unbelievable.
The experience of utter confusion, then wonder, then complete happiness as the boyfriend I love so much asked me to marry him. The range of emotions I felt was like nothing I ever felt. And I'm glad I got to experience it. I wasn't expecting him to ask me that, so I'm pretty sure I muttered a "are you serious" and a "FO REAL?" at some point. But of course I said yes. Well, actually I said SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURE! Then I said yes when he asked "is that a yes?"
Best Vacation Ever.
