Embracing Fear: Big Sur, California

My good friend and travel inspiration, Kate, is on a journey to visit 40 U.S. National Parks before she turns 40. On the heels of such an audacious goal, and in a state where one has to book campsites 6 months in advance, Kate has become the queen of Reserve America. I've had the honor of joining her on a few local journeys when she has space in her car for a guest, and when she invited me to join her at Julie Pfieffer Burns State Park, where she managed to score ONE OF THE TWO coveted campsites, I jumped on the opportunity.

But Kate blows with the wind. When the chance came up, she quit her job to travel the world for an indefinite amount of time. Our trip to Big Sur became my trip when she told me she'd be in Iceland that weekend.

The anticipation of sleeping in the woods without a friend made me nervous if I thought too much about it. But once there, camping becomes methodical: set up, make fire, make food, sleep, take down.

The views assuaged all uneasiness, and my first overnight solo camping trip was a great success.