For as long as I can remember, I have loved trees and wildflowers, camping and exploring among the wildernesses of our country. My mom was an avid camper and we often spent weekends among the trees, so naturally, forests have held a very special and very large place in my heart. I’ve long realized I feel better in the woods, from being much more at peace, and relaxed, but what’s more I feel like I’m being recharged and renewed when I’m in a place surrounded by greenery, and when there are little to no sounds of humanity. No cars, no planes, nothing. That’s where I feel at home.
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Clouds shrouded the base of the mountain and mist hugged the white caps as I entered the farm lane of Ovenell’s Heritage Inn in the North Cascades range of Washington state. The mountains hid just barely as the sun began its brilliant and colorful show of setting. Blues, purples and subtle teals blended stunningly into pinks, oranges and yellows, painting the mountain in a mystical shroud like an artist’s vision.
Life has been a whirlwind of new experiences and responsibilities since I became a father in 2019. A year before the pandemic, my wife and I learned we were pregnant, which was a surprise, but a very good one. As with most new parents, we never felt ready, so with the first news we were freaked out and we went through the motions as most do. My lifestyle as a traveler took a hit, and then the pandemic happened a few months after my little boy’s birth. As with everyone in the world, the pandemic halted all travel, grounding flights and scaring everyone to stay in their homes. Being new parents, we took the pandemic seriously and stayed far away from everyone, even family. It was tough, but here we are a few years removed and travel is once again possible.
For as long as I can remember, the Pacific Northwest had long intrigued me and has been near the top of my wish list. I’ve dreamt of experiencing the old growth forests and the white-tipped mountains of the Washington, with the massive trees reaching skyward, air plants hanging from every branch, and blankets of moss littered with mysterious fungi. Being that I’m from Ohio, we have some lovely forests and rolling Appalachian foothills, but they’re all young growth due to human’s clearcutting everything ages ago. I’ve long considered the trees in Ohio to be toddler trees, and I've yearned to see land undisturbed by human presence.
Ever since the pandemic started, travel writing has been one of the industries that's gone by the waste side, but as our world opens back up, travel is very much a possibility. You can still do some travel that's safe and without many restrictions, like road tripping to a beautiful natural area like Virginia. That's exactly what I did! Any nature area in the USA is a good option for those who wish to stay away from people, yet still have a fulfilling experience away from home. Being from Ohio, and having only experienced south parts of the Appalachian mountain range, I knew Virginia would be the perfect place for me. Plus, I was out to see what the area is like due to recent genealogy discoveries within my family and heritage. I found out that my family was one of the very first to settle the Shenandoah region and I found some remnants of their time there.
Since the pandemic started, travel writing has been one of the industries that's gone by the waste side, but as our world opens back up, travel is very much a possibility. You can still do some travel that's safe and without many restrictions, like road tripping to a beautiful natural area like Virginia. That's exactly what I did! Any nature area in the USA is a good option for those who wish to stay away from people, yet still have a fulfilling experience away from home. Being from Ohio, and having only experienced south parts of the Appalachian mountain range, I knew Virginia would be the perfect place for me. Plus, I was out to see what the area is like due to recent genealogy discoveries within my family and heritage. I found out that my family was one of the very first to settle the Shenandoah region and I found some remnants of their time there.
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