There’s a backstory.
Rex and I had been talking about getting married for a while. Early on, he asked me the very important question, “When it comes to a wedding, what’s important to you?” and after much thinking I responded with, “Being married to you, and having pretty pictures that can live on our walls forever.”
In February of this year Rex proposed, and we began talking about what our wedding would look like. We decided we’d get married at our kitchen table and head out on a road trip through California with a trailer we were going to build specifically for the trip. Along the way, we planned on hiring a couple different photographers to capture us in the beautiful places. When we got back, we planned to throw a huge party with all of our friends and families, where we’d display all the pictures from our trip, and celebrate our marriage with the important people in our lives. Obviously the world had different plans and we ended up moving our celebration to next year. After the pandemic hit the States, forcing 3 reschedule attempts, we were able to make our road trip dreams come true.
The Trip
SLC > Sacramento (approximately 700 miles)
Rex spent the day on Thursday (June 30) prepping food and packing up the trailer while I worked. As soon as my work day was over, we hopped in the truck and began our drive to Sacramento. I spent a lot of the drive listening to business law lectures and preparing for my final exam. Rex was a champ about talking through all of the topics with me. We were projected to get into Sacramento at 1:00am, but ended up peeling off in Fernley, NV to sleep in the Walmart parking lot before continuing our journey the next morning.
I spent the morning studying and took my last final for the semester while Rex relaxed and road his bike around the town. Once I finished my exam, Rex and I hung out and rode bikes until our friends were off work. We went to a local restaurant, ate delicious pizza, and reminisced with our friends. The next morning, Rex and I planned on leaving by 9:00am to head to Guerneville. We decided to take a quick dip at the pool owned by our friends HOA. The 15 minute swim turned into hours, and we ended up grabbing lunch (and the most delicious chocolate chai tea shakes EVER) before heading out of town around 2:00pm. Worth it!
Sacramento > Guerneville (Approximately 120 miles)
The drive to Guerneville was through wine country in Sonoma County. Miles and miles of rolling hills with vineyards on either side. We made a pit stop in Santa Rosa to buy boots for Rex to wear in our photos. He’d had his mind set on a pair that they didn’t have, but landed on Blundstones, just like the ones he bought for me and used to propose to me. Turning off the freeway to the two-lane highway that took us to Guerneville was a dream. A windy road with redwood trees on both sides for the 30 minute drive to our destination. My favorite part of this whole drive was the very real and vulnerable conversations Rex and I had the whole way.
We drove up to Armstrong Forrest, and began to explore.
This was my first time in a redwood forrest. I’d never seen anything like it! Rex seemed excited to show me this place he’d been excited about during his time in California. We spent a couple hours walking around the park and gawking at the giant trees before heading out to find camp and make dinner.
We decided to run into town to the Safeway for a few items and ended up coming across an old school bus full of free souls who were parked and hosting a jam session. They placed music that reminded me somewhat of old blues music. Rex and I parked, opened the back doors to the trailer, made dinner and had a beer. We ended up listening for hours before taking off and parking on the side of the road for the night. The next morning, we grabbed some overly expensive breakfast sandwiches and drip coffee from The Market in town before making out way down the coast.
Guerneville > Point Reyes (approximately 60 miles)
We came across so many cute towns on the way to the coast. We pulled off in Monte Rio to check out a surf shop that was set up in a quonset, walked across a bridge to find people below having fun and playing on the beaches. If you find yourself in this area, stop by and check it out!
We took our time on this drive. Stopping to take in all the sites.
After we reached camp, our friends from Sacramento made the drive out to meet us for dinner. We drove up the PCH to Nick’s Cove in the Tomales Bay area. I had my first Pliney the Elder beer (Rex’s favorite beer from College). We ate oysters, walked onto the pier, and enjoyed each others company.
After they headed back home, we decided to drive into the park to check it out before the sunset. We got a peak at the Cypress Tree Tunnel and gave us all the excitement we could have wanted before meeting our photographer the next morning.
We woke up at 4am to start the drive to Mclure’s Beach. We had no idea the road to the beach would buck our trailer around like crazy. After getting to the parking lot we opened the door to our trailer to see that everything inside had been tossed around. The time I planned to spend getting ready turned into time cleaning up the water that’d spilled everywhere. I threw up my hair, grabbed my dress, and we headed to the beach. We had the beach completely to ourselves, the weather was AMAZING, and our photographer was a complete sweetheart. If you’re in the Bay area looking for someone to capture your moments, reach out to @danashularphotography on instagram!
I was excited about the idea of having beautiful photos, but having this experience with Rex was more than I could have hoped for.
After a few truly magical hours, we left Point Reyes and headed toward Yosemite.
Point Reyes > Yosemite (approximately 300 miles)
We pulled off in Olema to make some roadside breakfast burritos and jetboil coffee before beginning the long drive to Yosemite. After driving over the Golden Gate Bridge, and up the steep streets of San Francisco with our trailer in tow, we found ourselves in Hayward. Rex took me by Chabot Park where he used to play disc golf with his friends. By Roxanne Ave, where he lived in college. Through Cal State East Bay’s campus, and to the baseball field. We ate at Branco Billy’s pizza, and I loved seeing the places that helped shape him.
We pulled into Summerdale Campground at 8:30pm, sick as hell of being in the truck. We kicked off our shoes, laid in our traveling bed and went to sleep.
The next morning Rex fished the stream that flowed past camp while I used an extension cord outside of the camp hosts trailer to straighten my hair, and soon it was time to head into the park with rad photographer, @forrestblakephoto.
Coming around the corner and seeing Yosemite for the first time, my mind was completely blown. It was hard to comprehend. We spent some time in The Valley, and then made the drive to Glacier Point before hiking to Taft Point. The hike was just over 2 miles round trip, and I was soaking in every minute of its beauty!
Although we were not the only ones up there, we found our own rock to perch on and have a couple beers while Mother Nature gave us a show.
It was an experience we’ll never forget. The next morning, we spent some time fishing the Merced River in The Valley before heading off to Tuolumne Meadows. The drive through the park is so under rated. Everyone focuses on The Valley, but the park surrounded The Valley is just as majestic.
We spent the evening fishing in Tuolumne Meadows. We knew this was our last evening to take it all in before making our trek home. Filled with gratitude and fresh air, I watch Rex pluck fish out of this beautiful river and reflected on the trip of a lifetime.
Yosemite > Home (approximately 625 miles)
Home. After an all day drive, we made it back home. We concluded that:
We will be going back to Yosemite to spend more time and rock climb
We spent more time driving than we’d prefer, but the company, conversation, and experiences along the way made it all worth it
We are somehow not sick of Surfaces or Forrest. yet (check them out on Spotify!)
This time in our lives is one we will never forget
If you’re still reading and not sick of this story yet, check out our montage to see some of these things yourself!
