Being from the Midwest, California in my mind consisted of beautiful beaches, surfers, the Hollywood sign, and the Golden Gate Bridge.  Yosemite National Park, among other explorations, disproved my preconceived notions.  Simply put, Yosemite is a ton of tall trees and big rocks.  But this is a belittling description.  Part of Yosemite’s charm is feeling incredibly tiny as you hike through the beautiful pines and your neck begins to ache from continually looking up in awe of nature’s vastness.