The Need to Kick Rocks

I work in an interior office with absolutely no windows. Unless there are torrential downpours, there’s no way to tell what the weather is like from my desk in the back corner of our cave. While I like the seclusion in terms of keeping customers away, I often imagine this is what it must feel like to be trapped in an underground bunker. It’s fair to say I’m not a fan of our “new and improved” office.

My incredibly talented daughter, under protest, painted me a few small canvases to adorn the otherwise dull gray walls that surround me nearly nine hours a day. She painted for me the Northern Lights, a silhouette of a swing hanging from a tree branch at sunset, and a night sky with a moon and stars and a reminder to look up. They are a beautiful addition and have been complimented by nearly everyone who’s seen them. Typical of every artist I know, my daughter thinks they are terrible. Hanging right next to them is the fourth piece in her collection, and perhaps my favorite. It is a beautiful watercolor that reads “Adventure Awaits.” The mountains, tents, and trees remind me that there is still so much to explore.

The first picture I ever saw of my husband was one of him on the trail. We met online, and it was that picture that caught my eye and piqued my interest. The first night we talked on the phone, he spent hours telling me about the hikes he’d shared with his best friend. I remember thinking that I was so jealous that he had someone to share in such adventures. None of my friends had ever even remotely shown an interest in hiking. He told me how it was invigorating and relaxing at the same time. The peacefulness of nature, the fresh, clean air, the sense of accomplishment when you reached the summit or completed the trail….his passion for hiking ignited a fire in my soul. I didn’t just want that experience for myself, I needed it.

For my first adventure into the great outdoors, my future husband and his best friend and best friend’s girlfriend took me the the Quebec Run Wild Area. I found myself a good pair of hiking shoes, borrowed a pack, and followed them into the forest. I will never forget the exhilaration I felt when we climbed out of the car and geared up for our afternoon adventure. Three steps deep and I was hooked.

Quebec Run Wild Area is one of my favorite places to hike. We found a few perfect places along the stream to stop for lunch or just to sit and soak in nature’s beauty. QR was also the sight of my first overnight adventure with my future husband. There is something magical about pitching a tent, cooking dinner over an open fire, and falling asleep to the soothing sounds of the water rushing over the rocks as it winds its way through the forest. There’s also something terrifyingly heart-stopping about waking up the next morning to hike back out and encountering a forest ranger who calls you by name and tells you to call your mom! But I digress, like my sister often does. That’s a story for another day.

Southwestern Pennsylvania is home to many awe-inspiring hiking trails. Another favorite is Bear Run Nature Reserve. About a mile and a half from Fallingwater is a breathtaking view of the Youghiogheny River, and according to my husband a great place to nap when you’ve forged on ahead of your hiking companions and have to wait for them to make it to the overlook for lunch.

The longest hike I’ve shared with my husband was a 14 mile, two day stretch on the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail. The LHHT stretches 70 miles from Seward to Ohiopyle, and a few years back my husband and his best friend decided that they would spend their vacation completing their first thru-hike. Seventy miles in 5 days. On the morning of day two, they invited “the girlfriends” to join them. We met them at the parking area near the Rt. 271 shelter area where they’d just spent a cold first night on the trail. It was a long, rough day, but so rewarding and worth the struggle. The shelter areas along the LHHT have tent sites as well as Adirondack style shelters with fireplaces that you can reserve through the DCNR. Shelter #5 at Rt. 30 became our favorite place to escape for the next few summers. Spending time immersed in nature is good for your soul.

I’m sad to say it’s been almost two years since I’ve hit the trail. Life is full of unexpected twists and turns, and sometimes the things we want to do are forced to take a backseat to the things we need to do. It sounds cliché, but sometimes life gets in the way of living. There is something so empowering about strapping on your pack and depending on your own two feet to carry you wherever you may want to go. I need to get back out there. I’ve become complacent. I’ve put on some weight. I’ve given in to weekends on the couch watching Netflix instead of exploring the world around me. All this time spent staying home lately has really made me yearn for the outdoors even more.

My goal for the rest of 2020 is to take advantage of every opportunity I can to restore my mind, body, and soul. Like the saying goes, “Adventure Awaits!”