Jon and me on a hike in Yosemite, February 2005.
Thankfully my parents were big fans of camping. They took me on my first camping trip when I was less than a year old. There are some great pictures of my dad with me in one of those little carry-the-baby-everywhere contraptions, pitching the tent. I'm smiling.
So when I married Jon, I was prepared for the outdoor adventures. While I can't seem to workup an unbridled desire to climb the highest mountains, I still enjoy the little things that camping involves. The campfires, the s'mores, the chilly mountain air, the bacon crisping on the camp stove.
Our favorite place is Yosemite, naturally. The first time we ascended Half Dome was a mere 5 months after we began dating. I'll admit right now that I agreed to the challenge simply to make my new boyfriend proud of me. In the end, having reached the top and come all the way back down successfully and safely, I'd never been more proud of myself.
Half Dome is still the hardest thing I've ever done. And now we're planning to do it again. I'm looking forward to it, actually. I do love camping. (Now that I'm a Camp, technically everything I do is "Camping", eh?)