Places I have been….
I’ve been a lot of places. Really, I have. I’ve been in every state on the East Coast. I’ve to beaches, lakes, mountains, ski lodges, campsites, rope courses, zip lines, amusement parks and so much more. A lot these I have a hard time remembering since most of them have happened in my teen years and before. I’ve ridden in trains, planes, taxis, buses, and carriages. And I’ve walked more miles than I could possibly fathom.
But once I became an adult, those adventures became few and far between. Exploring the world kind of sucks when you are paying your own bills. And I get a little sad. Sad because my kids aren’t seeing the things that I got to see.
And then I realize something. Some of my favorite places, and favorite trips, are our little day trips around here. We’ve seen a lot, some of which isn’t on your maps.
Here are a few for you:
1. We spend a great deal of our time in Middle Earth. I mean Paradise. Wait. I mean Trough Creek State Park. I grew up camping, hiking and just plain exploring this park. It takes me 30 minutes to get to the main gate. The main gate. But it takes me only 10 minutes on any of the back roads right out my door. We knew it as Paradise Furnace growing up. Often in my family, if someone says something smells like Paradise, they are referring to the fresh woodsy smell from the park. To me, hiking around the trails automatically takes me to Middle Earth. Because that is what all the scenery reminds me of. And there is so much history there. Anyone ever hear of Edgar Allen Poe? Poe used to be friends with the people who ran the park in his time period. He would visit often, just relaxing in the woods. One day he became completely intrigued with the sounds the ravens were making while they roosted on the rocks by the creek (an area now known as Raven’s Rock.) Shortly after he returned to his home and wrote ‘The Raven.’
Here is what Trough Creek looks like through my eyes:
2. Nirvana. Otherwise known as Flag Pole Hill and The Peace Chapel trails. From Flag Pole Hill you can see most of my neighboring town. And the trails all connect, so you can walk the distance between the two easily. And a lot of other trails the high school and college have added. The Peace Chapel is a circle of rocks used from anything from meditation, to our local “witch” and her friends for their events. Students of all ages jog and hike the trails. My favorite area in this mix is Meditation Outlook. Someday I will venture without children to this spot and fully explore my yoga and meditation abilities.
From our minds:
3. The rocky path into Mordor. Only prettier. And named Thousand Steps. There is a building at the top of Jack’s Mountain, where workers used to repair parts, cars and engines for the railroad. Every day the workers climbed Thousand Steps to get there. It also connects trails across the ridge, that legend says indians and travelers used. It is a long hike up. But it is well worth it. And it cracks me up the way people react to seeing us hiking it with the twins on our backs. Now however, they’ve started walking it too. And that amazes people even more. It actually is 1,031 steps to the top. And then another trail off to the workhouse. Oh yeah, and the steps actually start about 1/3 up the mountain, so you have to hike to that point as well.
Here you go:
And there you have it. The places I’ve been. Who needs to trek the world when you have this at your footsteps?
*The 50-50 Challenge is an idea that Lori and I came up with. Go read her awesomely brilliant blog, and her challenge along with mine. We got the idea after reading another random blog post from Demanding Joy on 50 Lists to Write to Lift Your Spirits. And well, we were inspired.
i LOVE the way you’ve done this, Chrissa 🙂
the collages look great, and i’m really happy to see some of my fave shots in there. plus, the way you’ve described the places is just stellar.
thank you!
*jughugs*
Hahahaha I love how you added the *jughugs*
Sometimes I think you should know those places just as well as I do, from all the pics I post. 🙂
Thanks!!
*jughugs*
excellent, sometimes people don’t utilise/realise what wonders they have on their doorstep because they think it will be more exciting to travel to ‘far off’ places.
You clearly live in a beautiful part of the world.
; )
Thanks Phil! All around for that. 🙂