Camping!

What did you do this weekend? Something fun?

I went camping!

If you know me, you know that I'm a beginning camper. As in, I like to camp but only at real campsites where I'm not required to hug a tree. Which is an opinion that I was threw out when a few guys in the lab started talking about us all going camping. Thankfully, the great state of California has some incredible state parks with beautiful, well-kept campsites...

... including a park that is supposedly the largest state park in California, and which has (again, supposedly) the largest viewshed (area of land you can see from one point) in the world, next to Mt Kilimanjaro. Plus it's only an hour away! So off went the entire lab, on our first California outing.

First thing after setting up our tents: hiking! We went up to this ridge first:

Where T(m) found out where helium balloons go to die.

Me at the top of the ridge at the beginning of the hike:

Between the ridge and the summit, I found my new favorite tree in all of California under which I want to have a picnic:

And finally, we made it to the top! Here I am with M with one of the beautiful vistas behind us (looking south).

And now with the view looking towards Nevada behind me (and lots and lots of wind!)

Our two fearless camping organizers (J and T(m)).

The whole group at the very top of the summit.

The view of sunset from under my 2nd favorite tree on the mountain.

A better view of the sunset.