There was a heartbeat that wasn’t my own beating away inside me while I jogged down the trail (feeling barfy).
Amidst finals and nursing jobs with the health corps last December, I managed a couple fun weekend long runs, and a long weekend getaway to Yosemite Valley to pop the big question to my partner.
Of course, the highlight of the month was the engagement in Yosemite. Due to the pandemic, Yosemite was practically empty. No camping or lodging was open in the park, and the wintery temperatures kept the park nice and quiet.
Day 1 in Yosemite was spent hiking up the John Muir and mist trails to the top of Nevada Falls. The day was sunny and crisp- perfect for a brisk and strenuous December hike! The trail conditions were icy so we wore our yak tracks- making other unprepared hikers slipping and sliding on the trail jealous of the ease with which we flew up the steep trek.
Once at the top of Nevada Falls, we enjoyed a blissful little lunch of leftover gourmet pizza from the Cheeseboard Collective in Berkeley and sat in awe of the views around us.
Back at the hotel in El Portal, we fed our hungry bodies with the only food available since covid shut down most amenities – a veggie pizza sans cheese and some veggie ramen to satisfy an early pregnancy craving.
Next day, I awoke nervous about the proposal. The plan was a 11-15 mile run around the valley floor. I planned to drop some sort of hint on wanting to take photos and explore the base of El Capitan once there (around mile 8 for the run), and I’d pop the question there. I hid the ring in a simple box in my race pack, and we set off at a reasonable pace given my nausea and fatigue.
The Valley was simply a wintry wonderland- magical, empty, and serene. Once at the base of El Cap, I casually suggested a little break be the rock face, and as my partner gazed at the sheer wall, I took the ring out of my bag, got on my knee and asked if he would be my forever person. (He said, “yes!”)
Our very good friend, KK and I planned on her coming out and being our photographer for after the proposal-all of this unbeknownst of my partner. What an amazing human!! So after hiking back to our car near the village store, we met up with her just in time for sunset at Tunnel View for some photos of the epic Yosemite alpine glow.
The trip ended with games and hot tea by the fire at a B & B in Groveland, laughter and plans for our forever future. The day couldn’t have been better (well, besides the nausea and fatigue that is!!)
Flights of a hummingbird 