Travel Blog
I saw Amish kids going to school. It reminded me that I'd have to go back to school on Monday! A bunch of the kids were playing baseball... I saw 3 different schools and the kids were playing baseball at each one. The kids were wearing clothes that looked like uniforms but my parents told me those are the clothes they wear all the time.
I went on a hayride that was supposed to be "magical" where you plant "magical pumpkin seeds" and use "magical water". After planting we went on a little hayride... when we returned "magically" pumpkins appeared. I caught on to what was really going on, because pumpkin seed was still there... it was a dead give away!
Probably one of the most interesting parts of this trip was me carving a pumpkin by myself! It was really fun to make my pumpkin look however I wanted.
Before I went trick or treating my mom made me go in the parade with Yogi Bear. It was kind of embarrassing when my mom kept walking next to the parade and saying "Daniel I'm right over here"! I almost jumped the line!
When I went trick or treating I got a full bucket of candy! Probably the best I got were Twix and Kit Kat. I know my mom is just waiting for her chance to swipe some... I wish I had a safe!!!
In Amish Country we didn't go out a lot... but one of the interesting things I had was lots of candy! The candy was really good. I got Sweet Tarts, Heath, Twix, Kit Kat, Tootsie Pop, Reese's, Whoppers, Almond Joys... stuff like that. If I was going to say the whole list it would probably be 10 feet long!...
As we planned our hiking retreat to the Blue Ridge Mountains we read a lot about the great hiking trails and our expectations were pretty high. We expected amazing natural beauty, lots of trails to choose from with different intensity levels, and varied experiences from high mountains to river valleys and waterfalls. Did the hiking trails meet our expectations? Yes... they exceeded our expectations! We have so much information to share that we’re dedicating this entire post just to the trails we experienced…
We wanted to take one last trip with the trailer in 2016. We looked for a place within 2 hours of home, that would be fun for Daniel, with some local attractions, and that’s naturally beautiful. We thought about Amish Country and did a search for campgrounds… Yogi Bear’s Whispering Hills Jellystone Camp Resort in Big Prairie! Perfect!...
A couple weeks ago we shared our plans for a hiking retreat in the Blue Ridge mountains… We felt a pull to get out of the noise, gain clarity, and consider our path forward. We were looking for a transformational experience and were very intentional about planning the trip to get us out of our comfort zones, allow us freedom to go with the flow, and to give us space to gain new perspectives. So, how was it? Fantastic! We learned, grew, worked on areas of personal challenge, and came back with a fresh view of our path forward...
Do you ever feel like you need to get away from the noise? Do you crave an experience that unclutters your mind? Do you want to come away with clarity and peace? Do you feel that you need to be more intentional about your objectives than when you simply need to relax?
This is how Todd and I feel… the last 21 months of our lives have been intense. There have been highs and lows for each of us personally, and for our family. Change is fabulous and one of the most amazing parts of life, but it is not always easy…
A couple weeks after returning from our Great Lakes adventure we were reflecting on the journey… what we learned, how we want to grow from the experience, and what’s next. There’s a lot going through our minds… ideas, new projects, personal challenges, and big dreams. We know there’s a path ahead and we can see it… we just need some clarity to get there.
Our intuitions tell us that we need to get away from the regular noise of life… We don’t need a vacation, we need a retreat with minimal complications so we can focus…
· Nothing fancy, no airports, and no crowds
· Natural and quiet
· Lodging, food, and hiking at the same place
· No schedules to box us in
With this vibe in mind we started to do some research. Our first search was for lodge to lodge hiking. We found that there are some really great looking trips in a few areas… in Minnesota by Lake Superior, Estes Park in Colorado, and in Vermont. Estes Park would require a plane so we ruled it out. The others look nice, but there are planned activities and schedules to follow daily. We went back to one of our trip requirements… no schedules.
After ruling out lodge to lodge hiking we had to refocus… We looked for areas east of the Mississippi that are naturally beautiful. We added another requirement… we want height… we want to hike up and look out. We want a different perspective to view the world. Our journey needs a mountain! We zeroed in on the Blue Ridge Mountains and the highest peak east of the Mississippi, Mt. Mitchell. There are several fairly well known areas close to Mt. Mitchell… Gatlinburg, TN and Asheville, NC. Both look like great areas, but offer more than we’re looking for…
With focus on the Mt. Mitchell area, we dug deeper… What’s available away from the larger cities? Are there any places we can hike out of? Our search led us to “Little Switzerland”, which is a little town on the Blue Ridge Parkway. There’s not a lot in Little Switzerland, which is great for us…
We have a hotel room at the Switzerland Inn and are looking forward to our retreat out of the noise filled with reflection, meditation, and transformation!
hhh… Amish Country… it makes me think of long rides through beautiful countryside to experience the simple life, open space, and fresh air. When I was a kid my mom, grandma, sister, and I would go to Amish country every fall… we’d stop at cheese places, walk through the towns, and sample great food. Last fall Todd had some photo assignments in Amish Country and we decided to take an overnight trip to the area. I hadn’t been to Amish Country in years and was excited to reacquaint with the area!...
