I had never been to a U.S. National Park until this past summer of 2019. It was over this summer that my significant other (Kara) and I, and two of our closest friends took a 2,000-mile road trip. We found ourselves in many of the United States' most beautiful places, including national parks like The Arches, Zion, Death Valley, the Grand Canyon, and more. To see all of this magnificence in a few weeks span was a sensory overload, and I am sure I did not get the chance to fully appreciate even a fraction of the beauty of these destinations, despite each location feeling life-changing.
 |
| Kara and Me in Death Valley - 113 Degrees! |
There was one location in particular that left me not only speechless but in pure awe. It was Yosemite National Park. Driving up the steep, winding, anxiety-inducing roads to the first turn out of Tunnel View and seeing El Capitan and Half-Dome towering across the lush meadows of the valley for the first time was unfathomable. I was immediately taken aback with a sweeping sense of vertigo as I stared up at the giant north-facing wall of El Cap. I had never seen anything like it, and no matter how much I stared it down, it didn't become any more real feeling than the moment I first set eyes on it.
 |
| Kara and Me at Tunnel View in Yosemite National Park |
From the bottom of the valley floor, you look out into an endless canvas of beauty and adventure: Waterfalls coming out of 1000-foot cliff faces, towering geologic structures, the stunning wildlife. For those who love the outdoors, it is heaven; for those who don't, it will make them a believer. I can not wait to go back and hope to visit and explore its beauty many times in my life.
Oh, that picture with the thermometer is fantastic, Mason! And Yosemite really is breathtaking. I wish we could magically visit the mountains of India for this class... alas, not possible, but if you want to use this class to learn about the geography of India, that is very doable, as the heroes of the epics are going to travel all over India from north to south, and east to west. You can even look at it on Google Maps: the first journey you will see in the Ramayana is when the hero Rama goes from his home in Ayodhya to Janakpur in the mountains of what is now Nepal: map from Ayodhya to Janakpur.
ReplyDelete