I know many of you will find this hard to believe, but I am not exactly what you would call a "nature girl." I love cities; all of their lights and noises, their bustling people and convenient restrooms. I am not too much a fan of bugs, bears or any places that don't have cell service. That is why September I am deeming my "Month of Adventure!" due to the fact I spent most of it in the mountains.
Personally, I like to blame my aversion to "roughing it" on my mother. Sorry for throwing you under the bus here mom, but I believe in my whole childhood I spent maybe three nights total in an actual tent that wasn't set up INSIDE our living room.
It won't be a surprise then, that my little acorn (Noah) doesn't fall far from his mama Ponderosa Pine. On his third trip to the White Mountains, Noah encountered some mountain firsts; some of which he wasn't too sure about....
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| From September 2010 |
On his first pony. My mom said "He loved it." You check out the expression and decide.
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| From September 2010 |
If you can't read the caption over his picture, it says "I'm scared of crickets." Noah spent the first two nights waking up periodically freaked-out by the sound of crickets. I guess they just aren't as soothing as the sound of street cars and garage doors opening. City boy, ya think?
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| From September 2010 |
If you are a mountain man, you probably are a fan of NASCAR. After watching Grandpa and Uncle Jim do a test-run, Noah decided this was the one thing he was totally down with. 
| From September 2010 |
Watching the (big) boys do a test run with Nana and Tutu.
It took about 3 days to adjust, but by Friday, Noah finally started settling into his surroundings, right about the time it was time to leave again. Two weeks later, he's still talking about the crickets, but with slightly less fear around the eyes. I say that's an improvement.
The following week Mama took a trip back to a different set of mountains sans Noah and Papa. My lovely high school friend Beth was getting married and Cynthia (another lovely Troy buddy) and I decided to road trip it all the way from San Diego to Yosemite.
I am a little ashamed to admit that though I have lived most of my life in CA, I've never actually been to Yosemite. (Please see above paragraphs for appropriate blaming of parental figures). :P
Once Cynthia and I made it (11 hours later), we were treated to a gorgeous sunset and had to stop and take a picture.
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| From Beth and Kevin 2010 |
After the sunset, I realized that while driving in the park:
1. There isn't any cell service or 3G
2. There aren't many road signs, but damn, there are a lot of BEWARE OF BEARS signs
Due to a combination of #1 and 2, I made Cynthia drive really slowly, all while keeping my eyes out for directions to where we were going and for all those bears that were sure to jump onto the car, rip of the roof and eat us.
Fast forward to the next day....
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| From Beth and Kevin 2010 |
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| From Beth and Kevin 2010 |
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| From Beth and Kevin 2010 |
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| From Beth and Kevin 2010 |
I forget about bugs, bears and nature "trying to get me" and simply enjoy the warm, comfy feeling of being with friends you have known for 15 years.
Cheers to Beth and Kevin, not only for a happy, beautiful lifetime together, but for being the kind of friends to drag this city girl out of her comfort zone and to see a little bit of this beautiful state we live in.
I just might bring Noah back for a trip. In a cabin with sturdy, "bear resistant" walls, of course.
4 comments:
Rachel, I love you!! Unfortunately I am equally afraid of the city. Fun pictures, and looked like a super awesome wedding! Looking forward to our visit!
Rachel! I am envious! Yosemite is such a beautiful place! They do have lovey cabins there with showers and warm beds and all if you don't want to "rough it."
As for Noah, poor boy! Perhaps the mountain would not have been so harrowing of there were sheep and llamas around (i.e. a'la the petting corral @ WAP).
Cant' wait to see you this weekend!
Haha! Great post Rachel! Was Yosemite as beautiful as I talked it up to be? I hope so! I am deathly afraid of great white sharks and bears too and I had to backack for days and sleep outside without even a tent more times that I care to remember.
Also, Sorry Grandma, but I'm not voting for the "loved it" category.
Gramps and TuTu will make a "mountain guy" out of Noah yet! Next year we will actually trail ride that pony. So glad you were able to experience Yosemite. Dad and I didn't till we were 50. And until they take helicopters down, I will never take that road again!! I'm so glad I didn't know you took that road in the dark, thanks to Cynthia for her excellent driving. Congrats to Beth and Kevin!!
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