I’m an island girl, born and raised on a Caribbean island. So as of my mid 20s, I had never gone skiing or snowboarding, nor did I really have any intention of ever doing so. Going down a mountain at high speeds? In the cold? No, thanks.
Of course, that changed when I met Will. In January 2010, we went snowboarding at Snow Summit, a mountain resort in Big Bear Lake, California, with our friend Ron.
I don’t remember much about the trip, except:
I’m glad I took the beginner classes first. The hour or so really helped, I think.
As we approach our second wedding anniversary next week, I’ve decided to embark on a new blogging journey — The Dating Years. I’m sifting through all of my old photos and videos from the five years we dated, looking back at some of the adventures we had before becoming husband and wife. There were many! It only makes sense to include them in this blog. After all, it’s a big part of what brought us together in the first place, our knack for traveling, seeing new places and trying new things.
In May 2009, we drove up to San Luis Obispo from Los Angeles. Our first road trip as boyfriend and girlfriend. If you’ve ever driven along the Pacific Coast Highway in California, you know what a treat that is, in and of itself.
Quite a few things have happened since our travels across Southeast Asia. We finally returned to Los Angeles from living abroad and were just getting settled in and readjusting to life in America, when, several weeks later, we got news we would be moving to Virginia. Yes! On the move, again.
When you’ve lived somewhere for 10 years and then find out you’re moving in just a few weeks, reality hits. Wait, I haven’t done this! Or been there! Or seen that! Thankfully, we were able to check off a couple of sights before leaving SoCal. Can you believe I’d never been up to the Hollywood Sign? So we finally hiked up to the sign, starting at the Griffith Observatory trailhead. Check. Phew.
Hollywood Sign hike – you can either hike to the front of the sign, or behind it.Hollywood Sign hike – finally!
I wish I’d made more of an effort to visit the many national and state parks in California. One of our last weekends in LA in late August, we drove up to Yosemite National Park. Let me tell you — it may not have been peak waterfall season, but it was still absolutely breathtaking.
Our plan was to spend a full day there, including the four-hour drive up. We headed straight into Yosemite Valley, where you can basically loop around multiple viewpoints and trailheads. Once you drive through the park’s main entrance, you still have to drive another 45 minutes or so to get up to the valley. No complaints there.
Traveling, exploring, experiencing new things. It's what we do. Read about our 7 months living in Seoul, South Korea, our travels across Southeast Asia, the United States and more.
Continue reading The Dating Years: Snowboarding in Southern California 
