Category Archives: Travel

On the long road ahead

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On my drive home yesterday from my friend’s wedding in Lawrenceburg, KY I had a long beautiful drive to evaluate my life, my career, and the things that make me happiest. There have been a lot of thoughts rolling through my head recently about my career path, what has kept me happy recently and from that, what it’ll take to keep my happiness for the long-term. Driving yesterday answered some of that. This weekend adventure helped me realize that each time I am able to get away and see things that I don’t see every day, all of those stresses that I hold onto disappear, even if only for those few days. Now, I know that I can’t afford to do adventures like this every weekend… but I’ve realized that the monotony of going to work in the same environment every day, coming home to work more in the same environment every day, and having such a jammed pack schedule that consists of a lot of work (I’m not complaining about working… just the monotony of the schedule) is really wearing on me. I need change, I need flexibility, and I need a little adventure.

You see, I was blessed and cursed at the same time by having the parents that I have. They exposed me to long road trips up and down the east coast, to camping, tubing, state parks, crowds, and a variety of other adventurous outings. They reminded my sister, brother, and me that we could do anything that we put our minds to (and actually meant it), that we were responsible to make our own decisions (which meant we were also responsible for accepting all consequences when we made stupid decisions), and that life should be whatever makes us happy. Blessing right? I think so. Yet, at times I also find it to be a curse because I’m unable to find contentment. And maybe that’s a good thing, but sometimes… it definitely causes an unsettling stir in my lifestyle.

Due to my inability to find contentment with my lifestyle and constant desire to want more, I often hear that my head is in the clouds, I live far from reality, and that it’s all just a set up for disappointment… don’t worry, sometimes I think that too. But when I make those long drives and I have the opportunity to see parts of the world through fresh eyes, I’m reminded that anything is possible and that there is a lot more out there. The world was meant to be explored, not overlooked by monotonous activity.

I want to see the world. I want to make a difference. I want more.

That road gets me every time…

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http://www.becomingwhitney.com/date-day/

The other night I found myself driving late in the night down a moonlit, abandoned road distracted by my thoughts. Still in my pearls, black dress from work, and heels with my hair pinned perfectly back, I rolled down my windows so I could feel the Summer night rush through my car as the Avett Brothers‘ lyrics echoed along the empty street. As the wind moved through me, I unpinned my hair, letting the wind breeze tangles in what once was perfectly restricted from any movement. I leaned down with one hand still on the steering wheel and slipped my black peep-toe heels off so I could better feel the path I had found myself traveling down.

These nights are the nights that capture my soul and let my mind wander to places my focus conveniently ignores during the week. It was at this moment I realized the last few months I have truly just been going through the motions of daily life obligations. Work has consumed my mind, focus, and everything inside of me to the point that I’ve forgotten much of what I found when I began this path of redefining my independence. I thought back to how much I’ve grown into my skin over the last ten months, but for whatever reason, I’d lost a bit of that while getting caught up in the old insecurities, unrealistic fears, and those unworthy, yet quite influential opinions. That comfort I found in myself had tip toed out for a break without me even noticing. But the world wouldn’t sit quietly any longer and watch… the wind wanted to break my rigid motion, the stars wanted to spark my curiosity, and the moon wanted to guide me down an untraveled and quite unrestricted road… focus has been recaptured and awaken from the hazy daze of routine life I found myself in and I’m reminded:

“Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don’t, and believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.” ― Harvey MacKay

I’m trying to fully let go Harvey, really trying.

I watched the sun set from the top of the world

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… Or so it felt. Last weekend Mr. Gentleman Caller and I took quite the adventurous journey to the highest point in West Virginia, which just so happens to be only about a three hour drive from my apartment. The original plan didn’t begin here however, the top of the world sensation only happened by chance… and it was one hell of a breathtaking  chance if you ask me.

Originally we had goals of camping in a National Park and walking almost type-rope across this incredible swinging bridge we found in a picture online… we had no clue if it really existed, but we were determined to find it.

Saturday morning we began our venture west. Remember earlier how I said it was a three hour drive? Well we turned it into a full day of driving (do not mistake that fact for complaint… it was part of what made this adventure adventure-worthy). Driving with no set time, directions, or pre-planned destination is one of my absolute favorite things. So that’s exactly what we did. I sat shotgun with an atlas and a camera as we found ourselves on roads you could never find on Google Maps, no matter how close you zoomed in on satellite view. Thank goodness for my mom’s sense of adventure and my dad’s impecable sense of direction that I’ve graciously inherited.

In search of our old swinging bridge, Mr. Gentleman Caller zoomed around turns and down mountain sides that tricked my stomach into thinking I was on the most beautiful roller coaster any life could have experienced. The swinging bridge was found, but unfortunately it was a four to six hour hike and being that we turned our adventure into a roadtrip extravaganza, this would have to be saved for another trip (*fingers crossed* with hope there will be a next trip). Upon finding this bridge, we also came across this newly opened log cabin adventure motel & rustic cabin rentals aka Nelson Rocks Outdoor Center (if you ever find yourself near the top of the world of WV, definitely check into this spot, I loved every bit of it!).

Since the bridge was out, we ventured on to accomplish original goal number two of our adventure: find a breathtaking location to photograph the sunset. See, Mr. Gentleman Caller and I may possibly have this ongoing bet of who is more obsessed with sunsets (I obviously am… he just hasn’t been clued in yet). There will be more on this bet in coming posts… you will be asked to weigh in, so get your poker faces straight and your voting fingers ready (because I will win… and you will assist me in this… duh).

Back to the goal! We heard that Spruce Knob was 17 miles from where we were and it just so happens Spruce Knob is the highest point in all of West Virginia (do you feel my story getting climatic? Are you connecting the dots? Yeah? Okay… I’ll continue). So these 17 miles possibly took all of an hour to drive because those 17 miles were made up of one long pin-curve, windy, dirt road only wide enough for one small car that we managed to fit a large vehicle on it’s path… it was working out for the most part until we came head on with a rather large RV that was most definitely no small car… predicament? Yes slightly… Well, it only made it a bit more exciting… or at lease I, as co-pilot (not driver with someone else’s life in their hands, no pressure right?) thought it made it a bit more exciting.

Finally we made it to the top… the breathtaking spot to properly photograph a Saturday evening sunset. Only, we had no idea just how breathtaking it would turn out to be. The hike to the highest point turned into hiking off the trail to find ourselves on this grassy knoll that had a 360 degree view of the entire state… no big deal right? Possibly one of the most beautiful views I’ve ever had the pleasure of witnessing. Mr. Gentleman Caller lucked out in his chivalrous courting extravaganza with this spot where we sat and ate our picnic dinner as we nerd-ishly shared photography tips while the sun set it’s pink and orange tints over the blue-hued mountaintops. Breathtaking? No, I think there are no real words for what this truly was… breathtaking was only one aspect of it.

Take a look for yourself, but know that no photograph will ever do this view justice, not even in the littlest bit.

On the drive up the mountain

Setting up the picnic exactly in the middle of this grassy knoll

I need to be polarized

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The g-chat of hope:

me: https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=10150488721111751
can you see this?? This made me think of you

Pretty lady who shall remain nameless: hahaha that’s so me, crawling through the mud then a proposal hahah

me:  awe it may have also made me think of playing king of the mountain with him tackling me and hiding me behind the mound of dirt to kiss me…    that was a cute moment… we had cute moments… damn him. stupid d-bag haha
Pretty lady who shall remain nameless: awww when was that?… that’s adorable
me: right before he asked me to be his girlfriend when they were digging up his property to build the foundation
Pretty lady who shall remain nameless: omg adorable
me: lets go find some cute moments pretty lady
Pretty lady who shall remain nameless: let’s sneak up on those cute moments
me: oh hey moments who you hiding from we gonna get youuuu
Pretty lady who shall remain nameless: let’s go to south dakota….there are sweeties there right?
me: south dakota? really?
Pretty lady who shall remain nameless: hahah I dunno where do nice boys live?
 me:  you’re asking me?
 Pretty lady who shall remain nameless: HAHAH
 me: I’m the queen of  d-bags… a d-bag magnet to be exact………I need to be polarized.
 Pretty lady who shall remain nameless: HAHAHAH

Thanks for putting your faith into my ability or knowledge of where sweet guys hang… but, let’s be honest.

The Greater The Risk (with more than one meaning)

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Packed in a creepster van with instruments, a fair amount of equipment, 4 band guys, one talented young lady, annnnd my bee slippers (yes I said bee slippers… keep reading and I’ll kindly introduce you) we made our way north on I-95 towards New York.Yep, my groupie status may have hopped up a notch this weekend. It’s cool, they’re my friends… I was their first fan… literally, but that’s another story… this one is good too, or at least I think so (is that like laughing at your own jokes?… gosh I hope not, because if so… that makes my stories pretty lame… I do laugh at my own jokes though… dang it). Anyway! Focus! Back to the van…

Now don’t get the wrong idea, while my trip was not fully planned out past the fact that I knew I needed to be in New York this particular weekend, (the greater the risk… the more fun the trip (sometimes))… there was no hitch-hiking involved (see parents, I’m a pretty reasonable child, I don’t take rides from strangers… please enjoy a proud moment here) just maybe a Facebook stalk or two of a few wall posts back and forth between a couple Ashleys that may have involved a really rad band tour along the northeast coast with possibly 6 inches to spare for an extra booty in exchange for a video camera at their Angels & Kings debut in the Lower East Side. I so kindly volunteered myself (or invited myself… however you wish to view it) for this fantastic adventure north, well because of course, I had ulterior motives (it’s cool, they know)… and what’s a road trip without me? (Yes… inappropriate cockiness, please pretend you never read that… strike through & re-read).

What ulterior motives? Oh so funny you should ask (I was going to tell you anyway). You see, Jan. 17th was one of my best friend’s… let’s call him J-Weavs… birthday, his 25th to be exact. Now since we were sophomores in college, I’ve graciously par-taken in these outrageous celebrations each year and I realized this would be the first I would miss… how could I miss this one? Nope not gonna happen. “Here’s the plan…” whispers MJ-Lucy into the phone, “I’ll get J-Weavs into Doc Holliday’s, distract him as you walk in, you come tap him on the shoulder and confuse the poor guy!” Done. Good ol’ J-Weavs never saw it coming. Fantastically planned. Hats off to you MJ-Lucy, an accomplished actor you are. A few beers and many bourbon & Cokes later, J-Weavs, MJ-Lucy, Ash-key & I  found ourselves participating in old Richmond antics of leaving outrageous voicemails to those innocent bystanders so sadly missing out (we will not apologize for the inappropriateness of these messages), getting asked to close our tabs because we were being… well too “Richmond,” and 4:30am scavenger hunts back to the world of spanish music and turkey sandwiches in the snow.

This weekend, New York literally became a Richmond playground for The Greater The Risk (like them on Facebook, they’re awesome), J-Weavs, MJ-Lucy, Ash-key, and me. Even Lady Liberty decided to come out to play. BOOP. (Watch Superbad if you’re lost… or refer to the life and times of Re-Becky & Em for further explanation of the disastrous dangers of booping). I must say, these cities, get me every time… they make it harder and harder to return back to my stomping ground of crickets and star-gazing (as peaceful as that is), my bees for one sure do enjoy the socialization…

Thank goodness for band vans, groupie supporters (aka The Greater The Risk – you all are wonderful), the mega-bus, birthdays and sneaky college friends that are up for surprising clueless J-Weavs. NYC = success.

(Now, let me introduce you to my bee slippers… I hope you aren’t too disturbed… I swear I’m sane, they’re just too cute not to travel with):