Calistoga was such a cute little town. Known for its mineral hot springs and famous mud baths (which were closed because of Covid), the town got its name from a drunken boast of the town's founder, Samuel Brannan, who claimed that he was going to make the place the Saratoga of California only to say the "Calistoga of Sarifornia".
So I turned 41 a little bit over a week ago. Apart from my Hawaii trip last year, I usually spend my birthday overseas, usually in a country I have never been before. With COVID putting a damper on international travel, I decided to go on a camping and hiking trip to the West Coast.
I went with a good friend, Aileen, who usually spends her birthday overseas as well. We decided to go to Yosemite National Park as both of us have never been and planned to summit Half Dome on my birthday.
