Voyage to New York

Now a sophomore in college, I had a girlfriend who lives out of state in Poughkeepsie New York. I made it a point that I was going to go and visit her at some point in the near future. After spending an entire summer working full-time in a nursing home, I had saved just enough money to make the trip to visit her for a week. She ended up having to work while I was up there, so the trip was short-lived and only lasted 3 days instead of a week. However, the journey was incredible.

I started out one Sunday morning and the beginning of August, embarking on a 5-hour drive to my destination in Mid-State New York. I stopped once in the land of the Amish, seeing what was around and using the bathroom there. I headed back onto the road, and stopped again in the center of Trenton New Jersey to get some Starbucks and use the bathroom there. A girl asked me where I was from, and I told her that I was from South Central Pennsylvania and on my way to the middle of New York to visit my girlfriend. She said that I had a lot of ambition and courage to do such a thing, and I thanked her and told her that I would do pretty much anything for a thrill and an adventure. And that was pretty accurate as well.

I finally arrived at my destination around 7:30 in the evening, where her family greeted me for the first time in their lives, warmed up a room for me, and bought me dinner to eat alongside her family for her uncle's birthday party. We would go visit him at day later in there small town of Andes, New York, eat a healthy lunch of a portabella mushroom patty with sweet potato fries with them at “Two Old Tarts”, and then watch a organ recital at a local church. It was very exciting to spend time with them, as they were both musicians and very intelligent individuals who had an affinity for strong and rare whiskey.

Their backyard was magnificent.

Compared to Pennsylvania, Poughkeepsie was very quaint and quiet. We went to a Foods truck and saw the local mansion at their biggest park there, which was closed at the time, but still impressive to see. The people driving around up there were much more erratic than in Pennsylvania, much to my dismay. There were a lot more stores of vegetarian and alternative culture to be seen as well, as there was an Indian grocery store not but 5 minutes from my girlfriend's house.

After preparing some tiramisu with ingredients gathered from Price Rite, the New York answer to Giant Food Stores, we went to New York City for a day. We spent most of our time walking around, mostly in Times Square and Central Park. We spent a lovely afternoon there after taking the subway down from Poughkeepsie, ate some good local food, witness New York City from the standpoint of having no clear objective other than being present in the city, and in general had a good time. Although very expensive and nowhere near where I would want to live in the future, New York the second time around was starting to feel just a little bit like home.

Three action packed days later, I woke one morning to be told that I was going back home to Pennsylvania. From here, I would go and visit my friend who lived in East Greenville, stopping at my house to recuperate and refuel before doing so. I left early one morning, and drove home late at night after stopping to visit a friend in the King of Prussia area. There will be more to come on that as well. Allthough short-lived, every part of my trip to New York was enjoyable, and I learned exactly what life was like outside of the city limits of New York City.

Centralia

Tucked away in the Center of Columbia County, Pennsylvania, is the little near ghost town of Centralia. This small mining town rose to critical acclaim in 1962 when a landfill somehow caught fire and ignited the coal mines that lay beneath the town, dwindling the population from 1000 people in the 80s to just 8 or 10 people that live there today. In an attempt to control the situation, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania purchased Centralia and initiated eminent domain, which did not bode well for keeping the residents of Centralia very happy. Through this agreement to eminent domain through the Commonwealth, the people that wanted to stay there and live out the rest of their lives were free to do so, and that is exactly what the remaining half dozen people have been doing. Once they leave or pass away, then their houses will also be claimed through eminent domain, and Centralia as it is known today will cease to exist. At the time of the writing of this article, the fires continue to burn, and will continue for approximately 200 years until the fuel is exhausted.

This was the first time that I ever went to Urban exploring in my life, taking some time over spring break my senior year of college to take the trip up. A two-hour drive from my house, Centralia itself wasn't initially all that impressive to look at. There were a couple of streets that were somewhat maintained, and a lot of shut down and boarded-up houses. A small Church lies up on the hill above Centralia and is still in use, so we weren't able to access that whatsoever. The main attraction to Centralia nowadays is the part of the All-American Interstate that got shut down, as the coal fires could still be seen coming out of the ground beneath the highway for years to come. The highway itself started to rupture, and people started spray-painting it with lots of graffiti. As such, it became Graffiti Highway.

Still feels like home!

Trying to be discrete as possible, as the town is on observation protocol from trespassers, we parked our car in the most inaccessible location we could find, behind a couple of trees. We first walked in the old cemetery, where many of the people who died due to the fires or whatever else were buried. There were a couple of others who were visiting the area, but they didn't bother us. We took some photos from the ridge above town, and then went on to hike through the forest to find graffiti Highway.

Because of its status as a fairly trafficked area, there is new graffiti on the highway nearly every month. There was a massive amount of graffiti, and many pictures were taken. The highway itself was probably a mile and a half long, and you could clearly see where it used to intersect with the main highway right beside it. There were lots of overgrown trees, so this sad little town has been all but forgotten in time and space.

Photo credits go to Uncovering PA.

My friend and I then decided to get super edgy and toppled to an abandoned building that had its Windows broken out. On the first floor, we saw empty beer bottles, used rubbers, photographs, cigarette ashes, and pretty much any other Errata that you can think of. We wanted to go upstairs but were afraid to do so, so then we departed from the area altogether after getting one last glimpse of the entire town.

I could use this time as a Shameless plug for renewable energy instead of coal, but it really is sad what happened to the town. What was once a flourishing little commune is now withering away, soon to be forgotten by the outside world. I'm so glad that I had the honor of seeing this quaint little town, Frozen in time and space.

Have You No Backbone

The aptly named title for this post comes from the name of Maryland's highest location, which actually straddles Maryland and West Virginia. At 3000, 662 ft, it manages to pass the next highest stand-alone Peak in Maryland by about 70 feet. In all honesty, a lot of State high-points I've looked at or much like that, being very close to the next smallest integer but not quite there. By the way around, when I took an adventure to West Virginia, the next part of the trip to get home was to stop here. This little hill in the middle of an intense solar farm; who would have ever guessed?

This time, when we departed from our car, we realized that the tables had turned since West Virginia. Instead of driving up the mountain, we actually had to make and model on track to get to the top of the high point, it was a straight away shot, but about 90% switchbacks the whole time.

But yet, we made it.

After walking through the forest to get to this state High Point, we came to a rather noteworthy finding: no High Point bench, but instead, a sign and a guest book inside a mailbox. On top of the mailbox post was a small stone tower that somebody it started, so I added they headed to the silhouette there was building. I've been for the sign the guestbook to say that I made it to the highest point of Maryland, and also saying it was my third High Point at the time. Surprisingly enough though, there was a fair amount of individuals that let this be there 19th or 20th High Point.

With some fairly okay-ish views, compared to the others.

At this point in the game, I was still novice when I came to constructing plans for tackling problems and getting Solutions. But so, I did have to learn it quick. After planning this trip with my friend Travis, I then went and planned a couple of trips on my own, and used what I've learned to improve my planning abilities for the future. This concluded my overnight trip through West Virginia and Maryland, and I really learned a lot about humility in the way people live their lives. This is specially came when we drove 7 miles through private property because there was no maintenance Road that we could have otherwise taken to get from one state Highpoint to the other. We saw broken down Shacks that people had been presumably living in for a long time. And, for the first time being outside of Maryland and Pennsylvania, we saw wine being sold in a gas station, just before our home States finally changed their liquor laws. And, we also learned that we needed to hike on treadmills a whole lot more before we were to tackle bigger high points such as Ranier, Katahdin, Marcy, and eventually, Denali.

Turn the Knob

Shortly after summer had started, I felt myself in dire need of an adventure. This is when my hiking partner and I decided that there was no time like the present to go and hike, and more specifically, to take a quick weekend trip to stay overnight in a tent and be one with nature. And so in the middle of June of 2017, that's exactly what we did. We packed up our camping stove and sleeping bags I made out for the middle of West Virginia.

To be fair, if it weren't for hiking and this year desire to go places, and later on, Graduate Studies interviews, I probably would have never willingly gone to most of the states that I have been to. If I die out of the United States map with States I like to live in and/or visit , only about 7 of them would actually make the list. Of those States, I've only been to one of them. So that being said, I answered a completely different world when I went to West Virginia for the first time.

West Virginia, by and by, is a rather poor State. Because of this, it is quite easy to take equity from your home and purchase a huge plot of land or a small Mountain, but on the other hand, 2 fall into a pitfall of constant drug abuse and poverty that surrounds much of the state. A large amount of individuals around the edges work out of state to support themselves, and there's in the middle are usually quiet farmers and home bodied individuals, save the college students.

At 4863 feet, Spruce Knob is markedly different from the surrounding area. It is a geographical dead zone, with no cell signal or modern Technologies, which would freak most millennials comma and because of its extreme change in geography, is a lot cooler than the rest of the surrounding area, but physically and metaphorically. On the drive down, temperature in Western Virginia and Eastern West Virginia( try saying that 10 times fast!) Usually came to an Apex around 93 or 94 degrees Fahrenheit. When we first stepped out of the car to get groceries in a small town about an hour from the campsite, it was about 87 degrees still. usually came to an apex around 93 or 94 degrees Fahrenheit when we first stepped out of the car to get groceries and a small town about an hour from the campsite it was about 87 degrees still. However, when we stepped out on the Mountainside, to get our first view of the surrounding area and take some great panoramic pictures... The temperature drops to about 60. I actually started the shiver in the middle of summer, and although the glacier regions never spreads West Virginia During the Pleistocene period, the after effect of climate extremes was still very prevalent hear.

2 down, 48 to go.

My last camping trip to Cherry Springs, although short and sweet, was very beautiful, but I was ill equipped to act in the middle of a winter camping trip. This time, I knew I wouldn't let anybody down, I would actually come to rather enjoy myself. My last camping trip to cherry springs although short and sweet was very beautiful but I was eloquent to act in the middle of a winter camping trip this time I knew I wouldn't let anybody down, knowing that I was Prepared and ready for whatever lies ahead.

So naturally, when we finally arrived at the campsite, there's a slight rain drizzle. We set up camp quickly in the rain, rearranging some of the furniture accordingly ( Camp table end wash line) and decided we would take the drive up to the highest point of West Virginia. We saw it right at Twilight, and again in the morning before departing for our next part of the adventure. Both times, the view was breathtaking, and it was well worth the drive.

Make sure to see it in the evening, too.

If you're planning on doing hiking up to that State High Point, there are several Trails loaded with switchbacks and beautiful flora and fauna that you can say to the top. However, since you could drive to the top of this one and then take a brisk walk to the observation tower, that is why the ultimately decided to do.

So that being said, I now had to State highpoints under my belt, and I was ready for the next 47. Some of the best memories are made on the open road.

Mount Davis and Sideling Hill

When I decided I was going to start hiking state highpoints, it made sense for my home state to be the first one to be hiked. And so, that's exactly what my hiking partner Travis and I did. From my house, the trail was about a 3-hour drive oh way, towards Pittsburgh. Since it's it's along the Maryland and Pennsylvania line, we crossed into Maryland a couple of times. from my house the trail was about a3 hour drive away towards Pittsburgh since its it's a long the Maryland didn't Pennsylvania line be crossed into Maryland a couple of times.

On the way there, we discovered sideling Hill that just like cross the border in Maryland. This hill got its unique features because civil engineers back in the 18th century thought it would be a good idea to try and blast drill a hole through a large mountain. This didn't work, and instead, resulted in a bifurcated Mountain with a path going through it. So naturally, we stopped to use the bathroom and admire the sights.

A few views of the hillside.

The highest point in PA itself is 3212 ft tall, in the surrounding area in the mountain itself or settled by coal miners. Back in the 1700s, there wasn't much to go off of, but they did name it after an individual who did a lot for the natural ecosystem. By this point in time, we have learned to gauge the difficulty of a trail ahead of us the fitness level of people that were coming back from the trailhead. In this case, there were surprisingly a large amounts of overweight individuals. Then, we saw that the trailer was one that you could drive right up to and get out and walk up a staircase to get a better view. So that's exactly what we did. After snapping a few pictures from the ground and the different Museum items that were left on the Rocks there, we went to the top of the tower to take some photos.

I forgot to take a picture of the view. It was boring, anyhow.

With this being my first high point, I can admit in retrospect that it actually wasn't all that enticing with the views. It was mostly just trees followed by more trees. However, I did feel a sense of omnipotence, realizing how small I was staring out amongst the trees. To think that all their lives are especially important to themselves just as my own is, but I am one me, and there were thousands of trees in this Forest. Most of them as well we're taller than me, and many being so tall that I had to bend my neck upwards.

And just like that, I climbed my first state high point. It's nothing I really ever saw myself doing, until one of my friends gave me the motivational soapbox and encouraged me to go and see the world. So now, I finally had another very good reason to keep going, too. Needless to say, I doubt that I will ever get to all 50 of them, especially considering how difficult Denali of a hike is. However, this doesn't mean that I won't try. If you have the urge or desire to, please join me in your high-pointing adventure and let me know how it turns out for you.

Goats and Boats

In late 2017, I took a hike on the Billy Goat Trail in southern Maryland. This trail straddles Virginia and spans just three or four miles. However, these miles are filled with intense bouldering and rock climbing, as well as a Switchback or two. There is not a whole lot of flat hiking to be found. This like also straddles the Potomac River, and intersects with the historical loch houses of the Potomac watershed. Because of the nature of this Trail, the trails website encourages you to bring at least two liters of water, drink your water, definitely attempt to stay hydrated, and if you're hiking the a section of the trail, just leave the dogs at home.

The boat portion of the post.

Once you get past the guest house, which lies inside a Tavern and has a cute little gift shop, you will get to the trailheads as he walked past the locks. These historic water displacement systems allowed for boats to travel from a deeper area of water to a more shallow area of water, and before being shut down, these ones were operated by hand crank. Being a boat worker and docker barely pay the bills and was very intense labor. However, it was a very important job, as several hundred ships came in and out of this part of the river every day to deliver Goods inland two colonies that settled near the Potomac Watershed and Virginia and Maryland. Trains were just being developed at this time, and cars were a far cry from reality.

Another thing to see before hiking the trail is Olmsted Island. It is one of Maryland's last surviving completely self-sustaining ecosystems, and contains many hydroponic plants and flowers. It is a beautiful sight that overlooks the Potomac Rivers Majestic waterfall. Needless to say, I fell in love from the moment I laid eyes on it. It was quite a Blissful sight, and made for a wonderful photo opportunity.

The Island Portion of the Hike.

As for the hike itself, it was not a particularly easy one. The reason why dogs are not allowed on the trail is because there are a lot of slippery Solid Rock surfaces they must be scrambled during the hike. And by that, I mean a good third of the hike comprises crazy Cliffs and bouldering. Although these were very fun to climb, as all rock surfaces are for me, it was definitely easy to lose one's breath, and occasionally, site of the Trail Blazer's as well. What's some fortitude and a Keen Eye though, it was very possible to hike this Trail in less than 3 hours.

Overall difficulty, I would give this Trail a 4 out of 10. It's not a walk in the park, but it isn't going to break you, either. There are some difficult Rock scramble sections that involve some tact and planning to complete, and there are a few Rocky sections throughout the trail.

The "Goat" Portion of the hike.

What does make it worth it though are the trails views. Since the trail straddles the Potomac River, there are several sections where you can walk right up to the river at a beachfront, And get a bird's eye view from the top of a rock formation. It is a very populated Trail as well, so you're likely to meet some friends along the way. Does one particular part of the trail where I climbed to the top of a rock formation and sat with three strangers and stared at the river going Downstream. Being outdoors really does bring people together, and if you're ever near the Virginia side of Maryland, this Trail is absolutely worth seeing.

Many Waters of Virginia

One week in June, I went down to The Great Falls Park in Virginia. I met up with a good friend to go out for a day of hiking. We first started off with a warm up hike around Lake Anne, one of the four lakes in Northern Virginia. It has been modernized extensively, and included they Cafe, a bar, a couple retail outlets, and a bookstore that my friend and I went through to find some used literature. We walked around the perimeter of the lake, saw their Unitarian Universalist Church, and hit the road for Great Falls.

Blurry Aesthetics of the Great Potomac Falls.

In all honesty, I wasn't expecting the Great Falls to be as Majestic as they were, especially since I did not realize that I had already seen the other half of them from the Maryland side of the Potomac River. They were Majestic and grandiose, and the Riverside trail made for a very good 3-mile hike or so. It was a very easy trail of about a 2 out of 5. There's a network of trails in this area that you can choose from that extends about 12 miles, so pick your poison accordingly. Either way around, you will see the rivers, see the gorge, and see the beauty of nature as it was intended.

Take me with you to the ocean, sweet river.

After this adventure, we stopped by Cafe Sano, a small little cafe on one of the four legs. It was a Mediterranean restaurant that had very good small plates for decent price, with everything being fresh and mostly organic. It was here only got one of the best falafel wraps I've ever had, whilst enjoying the best homemade tzatziki sauce and ever had, was looking at the lake.

I then stopped at Cafe Amphora for a coffee and dessert with my friend. I had Tiramisu and a soy cappuccino, and fell in love with this little Bakery. It is here that you can actually sit in the Loft above the bakery and watch the bakers hard at work. It is a must-see for anybody who was in the area.

Fanny Mae Gardens  were the last stop on the days of venture, a Botanical Garden riddled with poetic prose and thoughts about the natural world scattered on top of stones throughout the pathway of the garden. It was behind an Urban spot of offices, and was really used by the people that work there. So on that day, we decided to put it to good use, admiring the beauty of nature, the flowers, and quotes by Henry David Thoreau, David Bryant, Sylvia Plath, and Emily Dickinson. They inspired me to be one with the world once more.

Although the hiking here wasn't the most intense thing I've ever done, it was still a very worthwhile trip to go and do for a day. I was extremely excited to be down in Virginia hiking with a close friend, and cannot wait until the day that I returned to like some more.

How to Travel on a Budget

The older I've gotten, the more my Wanderlust has grown. And as such, I've taken more and more trips, both domestic and abroad. Respectively, people have asked me how I go about doing it, knowing that I never necessarily worked in a high-paying job during and after my undergraduate years of college. Once you learn the secrets to budgeting, it isn't all that difficult. And today, I'm here to show you some tips and tricks on how to do it.

1) Make a list of places that you would like to go.

This part of the process is fairly intuitive. Before you step outside your front door, it's important to know where you think you'd like to go. Start by compiling a list of places that you would like to visit, and fines out what some of there average prices are for items. Websites like blank will help you determine the average cost of items as it Stacks up to your hometown so you can prepare accordingly.

2) Establish connections online and some of these locations.

If you are like me when I was younger, then you likely have played a lot of online video games. Guess what? This is one of the best ways to meet new people from different places. Every time you add somebody on Xbox, put them on your friends list after a friendly conversation on RuneScape, or play successful game of OverWatch, you will make a new connection in another part of the world. Sometimes, that is all it takes as well. If you go to school, you can meet potential travel destinations by getting involved with school clubs, especially ones that involve multiculturalism and students of different ethnic or faith backgrounds. From there, you can ask to be introduced to their friends, send them an email correspondence, and get the ball rolling wherever they live as well. And if this isn't enough for you to meet people, there are hundreds of websites online the people used to meet people, especially penpals. Through one penpal website, I met a girl from Russia, a guy from Denmark, a girl from Morocco, and two girls from China.

3) Travel around the deals.

Now that you have a reason to go and potentially a person to visit, it's time to book your flight. Or, to hop in your car. Either way around, there are lots of travel web sites out there that offer deals on a frequent basis. If you follow other travel agents and travel bloggers, they will likely link you to website or two that they use that has good deals as well. Going somewhere you slightly want to go to that is on sale vs going somewhere you really want to go that isn't quite in the off-season can be the difference of hundreds of dollars.

4) Find cheap lodging, which can lead to other Connections in other places.

Although several travel websites and flight pages will offer you combined housing/car rental/flight packages, it is often more efficient to do the app for mentioned your own way. Regardless, you will be paying for luggage separate most of the time, and you will be paying an insurance deposit for your rental car regardless. Hotels can also quickly rack up the bill. Globalfreeloaders.com and couchsurfing.com are two websites in which you list your couch or spare room to host guests and visitors, and in return, they extend the favor to you. Hostelworld.com is a comprehensive list of 35,000 hostels around the globe, and also provides information on what their bloggers have found around the world. Airbnb are two of my personal favorites, as they let you rent out a private room in somebody's home. There is also the option of staying at a farm (typically running price is between $80-$100/night) or at a monastery (you can find alot of places for $40 a night or so).

5) engage in work travel jobs.

I have met up with a couple of people that have traveled the world's, done really cool things, and developed amazing friendships, all due to traveler jobs. There are several web sites out there that I used to subscribe to in regards to this. Workaway is the website where you are able to trade services with somebody in exchange for room and board, and some places will give you a stipend as well. Some allow you to be a nanny or an Au Pair in exchange for room and board. Going through TEFL, you to become certified to teach English as a foreign language, what you can become a lifelong career for some people. Certain companies well also provide you with these opportunities. For instance, I interviewed with English first and Ameson Year in China, and both companies would have paid for a flight to China, got me certified to teach, and also give you half a year worth of rudimentary Mandarin Chinese, as well as a stipend for travel alongside your salary.

6)Undershoot on what you need to buy to survive.

If you're traveling on a budget, you likely are okay nixing some of home's comforts. That being said, a fast food sandwich and store brand apple juice will do just as fine as a fancy lunch that doesn't fill you up near as much. Try to bring as many things as you possibly can from him outside of perishable and not exportable items, such as food and certain liquids and medicines, and only by what you absolutely need. The exception to this rule is if you are planning on doing a food tour of some sort, or going on at or where food is included. There are plenty of web sites out there that advertise discounted travel fair and tour guides. That being said, if you know that you can survive on a very minimalist diet while you are traveling, it will serve you well in the long run financially.

7) Always - and I mean ALWAYS - Take advantage of free and discounted items.

Using coupon books bought at airports as well as Groupon has saved me a plethora of precious cash, as I found coupons for lodging, food, parking, entertainment at night, taxis, and pretty much anything else you can think of. There are several other websites like Groupon that you can subscribe to that all have discounted where's and fares. Also take full advantage of the hospitality of others. When I was in Cleveland, I got free breakfast because I meditated with the Harris. And Iceland, I talked to the owner of the restaurant I went to, and because he likes my interested in his business and personality, I got two free beers at his second restaurant out of the deal. Never turn down free for anything, and also remember the one you least expect it, the free things will come to you.

7)As Shia LaBeouf once said, quite literally, "Just Do It. Don't let your dreams be dreams."

I know several individuals who are traveling the world full time, and they aren't rich. They're finding websites like this one or this one for temporary work, offering their skills, and just going out and doing it.

Here's a case study for you: If I chose to drive up to Poughkeepsie New York instead of fly up, the flight would have been $200 more expensive then the tank and a half of gas that it cost me to get there and around. I met a connection at College, who happens to be my girlfriend at the time, and they put me up for a few nights for free. In exchange for a couple hours of music, I got two nights worth of dinner and some wine. I utilized their knowledge of New York and New York City to navigate for all of the deals, which included a beautiful lunch at a Foods truck stop for cheap one morning. Breakfast every morning was cheap, as I went out and bought a small container of granola, as well as having some eggs that they had at the house for me. We utilized the dads Commerce miles on the subway to get a cheap parking pass at the cheapest subway station by her house, and bought a one-way pass into New York City at student rate. In New York City, we went to as many free exhibits and stores that we could to see things and Window Shop. We returned home with another one way ticket, since this option was more cost-efficient than buying an all day pass.

End result - keep in mind some of these tips and tricks, and you will succeed at planning your adventures. I'm going to reflect upon one of my trips, specifically when I took my first solo trip up to New York.

Why I Hike

I've talked about travel. I've talked about housing; I've talked about a lot of different places I've been. But now, even more so than when I did my Boy Scout post, I feel obligated to make a post describing the top 5 reasons why I hike. Hiking, or glorified trail walking, is an activity that used to be essential for survival. With modern technology and conveniences, is become a long-lost art to too many people. However, there are still others amongst us who enjoy the act of hiking. Here is why I do it.

1) You are constantly experiencing new environments.

When you are out there hiking, you're constantly being exposed to many different types of terrain at any given point in time. It really challenges your physical and mental limits. Not only have that, but everybody’s body reacts differently to different climates and environments. When you're out in wilderness, anything can happen, and it teaches you to be engaging in your surroundings and to be completely present in whatever task you are doing.

2) It keeps you in shape.

This obviously depends on the frequency of what you go hiking, but in general, let it be known that it is a great cardiovascular activity. Even for the infrequent hiker, it is still a good break from utilizing the treadmill, jogging the neighborhood, or of course, from being a couch potato. You really learned to utilize every muscle in your body to its Advantage as you scale steep terrains, go for miles on end without stopping, and put yourself at the mercy of Mother Nature. And eventually, with perseverance and practice, you might just become like the guy that I saw sprinting up and down the Shenandoah mountain range, trail running an average of 10 miles every day.

3) You get away from Modern conveniences.

It is the 21st century. We currently live in a world marred by technology that lives around every single corner. Regardless of creed, personal agenda, or any other opinion, it is generally agreeable that too much technology can be detrimental to one's well-being. After all, none of our settlers had iPods or cell phones. Although this deficit of Technology may be startling to some, two others, it is sacred. You get to experience life without modern conveniences, which in and of itself can teach people if thankfulness for all of life's little things that otherwise wouldn't be mentioned.

4) You get a huge system detox.

Having been around patients on concentrated oxygen through nasal cannula, I can firmly attached that nothing beats Fresh Air pump to straight from the trees and the clouds. You also get a huge vitamin D boost, and read your bodies of impurities while sweating out toxins on the trail. Take Along some trail mix filled with antioxidant berries, pack some leafy greens, drink a cup of green tea, and you've got it made.

5) You will never see these sites or meet these people hiding inside your house.

I have met so many wonderful people just by saying hello on the hiking trail or in a Pit Stop Restaurant. You’ll never know what you’ll find, and when you might find it.

This is a short list, but a comprehensive one. So what are you waiting for? Strap on your boots and hit the dirt highway!

Forest Therapy

For my graduate field of studies, I jumped into the world of Occupational Therapy. I chose this because I deeply respected alternative and holistic medicine, and wanted to treat my patients without needing to jam needles into them. What I discovered one day in my private studies changed my life.

I was reading a book in a airport called Forest therapy. It was written in Japan, a country that is not only one of the most densely populated per square kilometer in the entire world, but also the country that is the most densely populated by forests and bodies of water in the entire world. it is no wonder that their folklore religions of Shinto and Zen Buddhism both have a huge focus on spirituality as it encompasses nature and all living things. Jainism shares a very similar belief process to this, and that everything has Life Energy and fragments of the Divine inside of it.

You don't have to be Japanese, pray tell, or even completely culturally competent to know about the benefits of horse therapy. Trees give us oxygen as we give them carbon dioxide. We are in a constant symbiotic relationship with them at all. When we are surrounded by them, looking up at the outdoor sights in reverie, we are really connected with the sky above as well. Even a half hour walk per day through a wooded area or by spending time by plants and trees has been shown to drastically increase mood, clear the mind, rid the body of toxins, and promote a sense of inner peace and well-being.

Quite frankly, I was a believer of this before I even discovered the book. But, I am now even more of a believer. It makes sense, as the great outdoors was all our ancestors knew, and the majesty of the outdoors is something that's not be replaced by computer screens or artificial intelligence. They give us the spice life. There's something so radiant and translucent about the color green that can make somebody want to stay in it forever.

Shinrin yoku, or forest bathing, has a body of research behind it now, which all can conclude that it is important for individuals to spend more time outside then they already do. Forest bathing teaches people to look outside themselves to become one with nature and one with something bigger. the research, which can be found online, definitely helps to support the claims that we need to spend more time outside and around nature.

Unfortunately, this might be very difficult for some individuals. Some individuals live very far from any natural area, or some trees in general. For these individuals, it will be important to have plants growing indoors or they have a garden near their house where applicable. A bonsai tree, small cactus, where small flower plant maybe a quick solution to this problem. Of course, these individuals should still definitely seek out retreats in nature as soon as they are able to do so.

Credits go to Morton Arboretum.

So what are you waiting for? Go and enjoy some nature. The payoff will be worth it.

Another York Park

Gifford Pinchot state park is a large State Park and central Pennsylvania dedicated to family usage. Several events are held here every summer regarding concerts and camping trips, as there is a lot of land and a lot of camping they can be done. In the center of the park is a large lake, which you can feel free to rent out a kayak and go on, or bring your own kayak. They also have rental paddle boats there, which can be used to take a swirl around the lake.

Surrounding the lake and the park itself are several miles worth of hiking trails, as well as a starting point to the northern part of the Heritage Rail Trail. The hiking is very light and family-friendly. When hiking, you can also see a large outdoor Frisbee Golf Course as well as some of the camping locations, cabins, and Yurts. If you are into Pokémon go, there are plenty of Pokémon that are found there as well, especially rare ones.

So ladies and gentlemen, pack your bags and picnic baskets, visit the Nature Center, go on a hike, and learn about the wonders of environmental chemist Gifford Pinchot. Because of this man's Legacy, York has a large portion of land dedicated to recreational use, to be untouched by modern life. Come by for a hike or a campout when you get the chance, and enjoy the process of slowing down.

Run like the Tarahumara

Rarámuri, also known as the Tarahumara tribe drama descended from the Mongollan (Uto-Aztecan) culture after 300 ad and descended into the Canyons of Chihuahua, Mexico, in the 1400s after the Conquistadors came. they quickly found their Nish as Trail runners and Messengers between tribes in different parts of the valleys and canyons, author name translates to tribe of the running feet. The average cross-country athlete trains 50 km a day and is in pain and Agony afterwards. The people of the Tarahumara tribe find Blissful joy and running, are always smiling when they are competing in there long distance races Tama and can train up to a hundred kilometers per day without injury or pain. with myself being an avid hiker, this long distance endurance thing really appeals to me personally, and so I decided to look further into it. I watched a few miniature documentaries Chelsea what they were doing differently compared to the rest of the world. here's what I noticed:

1) They were either flimsy running sandals or Nothing at All.

The Tarahumara believe in grounding, which means getting positive ions from the surface of the Earth as they run. Studies have been done to show the barefoot running improves body circulation and reduce the stress levels. Of course, being somebody that has run their foot on gravel before, I can't imagine running Barefoot through the woods or rocky Canyons should be all that comfortable. however, it is something that we should try, as it is part of their success and their happiness and overall well-being.

2) They are strictly nose breathers.

They take long breaths in, long drags out, and do it almost exclusively through their nasal passage. Their mouth is used instead for smiling, which I will get to in just a second.

By going against the grain of "in through the nose, out through the mouth", you allow more nitric oxide to build up in your nose, which boost your energy and testosterone levels, and allows anaerobic respiration to take place in your body, which will process toxins in your fat cells more. Strictly nose breathing during intense exercise and depriving the body of excess oxygen is quite similar to altitude training. And for an even better workout, you can cover your face with a surgical mask or cloth, which will allow even less oxygen in. Carbon dioxide is not the enemy here.

3) They find joy in running.

Running is their lifeblood, and they always look forward to their daily exercise. Instead of meeting it with Agony, they meet it with a smile. As they pass other trail runners, they are smiling and carrying on. Similarly, they travel light and are ready to break into a run or adventure at any time.

4) Group participation is key.

Studies show that running as part of a group not only promotes Esprit de corps, but boosts your engagement levels as well. The Tarahumara tribe always runs as part of a group, because they believe then no race and life is ever run for sole proprietorship.

5) let your heels heal.

Even though they do quite a good bit of running, they never run using their heels of their feet. Instead, they bounce in a Spring Lake motion off of the balls and front part of their feet, which continuously propels them forward with minimal effort and injury. When studying this foot strike, researchers soon learned that it was an essential part of maintaining Wellness whilst out on the trails running. stepping on the hill and rolling the foot and traces strain in the lower back and the ankles, whereas using only the balls of their feet about full impact and transfer of energy between the ground in the foot.

6) Waste no time or energy.

In both running and field work, the Tarahumara believe in the conservation of energy. When they are running very long distances with no breaks all day long with minimal calories, every single bit of energy intake and output matters. As soon as break time is called, all of them immediately sit down and rest. When they are running, they're keeping a steady pace, as it allows the most consistent burn of energy.

7) Go hard.

The Tarahumara are hard workers, always brewing homemade corn beer like tecate or tesguino, and find no shame in their culture of beer and work. although they remain poor financially, they are rich in soul and life simple, steadfast lives. They worked, farmed, ran, and partied hard, and still never looked beat after a 50 mile race.

At the end of the day, this is a tribe of incredible super humans that are very gifted in the art of long-distance travel and running. Individuals of any age and exercise backgrounds can take something away from their way of life in their approach to getting things done.

Ancient History

For my last day in Colorado, I went to the Morrison Natural Museum of History first. It was here that I learned about some of the bones that Arthur Lakes and his company had sent to co Marsh Hattie Yale University for a paleontological examination. some of these bones, such as the Allosaurus and Triceratops, we're over 90 million years old, and some fossils were found well before the Jurassic Extinction. It is incredible to see or evolutionary past at play, and even more incredible 2 c rock that are close to a billion years old.

I would NOT want to be impaled by that!

are then decided to take an Uber to the trailhead of Mount Falcon, a peek of right around 8,000 feet. The trails were easy and paved, and I found myself making good time on the trail. I reach the ruins of the Walker home, turned around on the Meadow Trail, and then hiked 2000 feet up the tower Trail to reach the summit. I was so thankful that my Uber driver provided water, because I needed every last drop to forge my way. The views, though? Worth it. 

It can't get much better than this (referring to Colorado as a whole).

I then had an Indonesian uber driver take me to Dinosaur Ridge, where he told me about his culture and the things that he misses about home. His advice to me? "If you want to see Jakarta one day, you'll make it happen. You're a smart kid." I am so thankful to have met this wonderful man in my travels.

Dinosaur ridge was chock-full of cool things to see and do. A proliferation of what I saw at the museum, There ere actual dinosaur tracks in the mountainside from the Cenozoic Era, and bones entrenched in the mountainside from the Triassic Era. Some of the shale here dated back a billion years. After this adventure, I headed to the Airport and said farewells to my new favorite paradise of the world.

Upon leaving, I had to go through additional screenings because of losing my license on the train in Denver. Both of the guys involved in my screen and clearance felt genuinely bad for me for losing my stuff, but also gave me suggestions for further travels and whatnot. both of them had actually been to my home state, and encouraged me to go Explore a museum near my house. Considering as to how my TSA process was extremely painless, I'll have to take him up on that offer.

And so, with a final run to China Wok and Einstein Bros, I disappeared into the airway terminals, met a few really cool people to converse with, and flew into the night. Stay tuned for more adventures!

Bill's Flat Irons

Before the day's adventures, my pal and I grabbed coffee at Festive Cup and fueled up at Urban Egg before heading out. Great food and customer service, and the manager actually came out to greet us as well. Very few restaurants I've been to do that. 

The first of a few mountains Drew and I would scale.

Needless to say, the Flatiron mountain in Boulder Colorado is not for the faint of heart, or further those that are not acclimated to lower oxygen levels of higher altitudes. It was a very grueling hour-and-a-half hike, filled with many rest stops even though I consider myself to be in great health. Definitely a three out of five or above on the difficulty rating, but she now, having been to hiking in the Midwest and the East Coast, sort of has me wanting to review my grading scale. After scaling the summit in the rain, we sprinted down the mountain, effectively descending three times faster than the ascent. 8,000 feet. Thirty minutes.

Why do I always do such dangerous photoshoots?

Several thousand feet later, we made it.

Following these antics, we went to see the grave of buffalo bill. The drive was slightly terrifying, as we could see out over the steep valley and towns below. Lookout mountain is where Bill declared his final resting place in 1917, obsessed with the beautiful overlook. I can only imagine the hike he took to get up it back in the day, and remain fortunate that we had a paved (and terrifying) road to drive up (minimal guardrails and all).

There's a reason why Buffalo Bill chose this as his final resting spot.

Following this endeavor, my friend took me to The Thirsty Lion in Denver, which had no shortage of beautiful staff members. Dinner was light and filling, and filled with good conversation (most of it being wondering what the tattoo on our server's shoulder was). After a long weekend, we rewarded ourselves by crunching down a few beers. Although not an ideal weekend, it was still saved by the day's adventures.

Sunflowers and Sad Times

During the weekend, when my friend had off work, we decided to hate our lives a little bit and drive all the way to Kansas. To this day, I am still uncertain as to why we didn't just go to Wyoming.

We drove through 3 hours of nothingness, with the last 40 minutes being slippery dirt roads, and it rained on top of that. All I can say is yay, I got another state hi-point one of my belt. This takes the cake for the most unimpressive state that I've ever been to, though. (Sorry for any Kansas kids reading this.)

The view from the top of Mount Sunflower.

To make matters worse, we actually got stuck in a ditch right as we got to the state high point. It took an hour for the rescue toget to us, an hour for the ride back to the car, 30 minutes to pull it out of the ditch, and an hour back to state line. Needless to say, we had enough excitement for one weekend.

We also hit rain on the way home in a huge stormhead. and then, it all of a sudden stopped. and so I learned two things. One, if you're in the midwest you see a rain cloud, don't chance it, just run. two, the weather will screw you over and then pass by like nothing happened.

Back in town, we had a light dinner and called it quits for one day. Ultimately, I'm thankful that we made it out of Tornado Alley alive. Stay tuned for more adventures!

Wrath of the Gods

on the third full day I spent here, I was able to spend a little bit more time doing creative things. 

Modern Market for lunch with two friends who were also visiting from my hometown of York Pa, and whom then spent much of the day with me. We drove to Aurora to see the Century 16 that was attacked, snapped a photo, and immediately fled for Colorado Springs.

My friends Shae and Caryn took me down to Co. Springs. The drive was gorgeous.

Garden of the Gods was an Ute Reservation until 1860 when pioneers came in. it was renovated by a plethora of people before becoming public domain in 1909. to this day, it is constantly added to and spans 1370 acres. Pike's pea, named after Zebulon Pike, never made it to the top of the 14,000 foot mountain. The view from the top of this mountain inspired Katharine Lee Bates to pen America the Beautiful on a 1895. Alot of the original formations that the Red Rock indians inhabited 3400 years ago still remain today. And so, I decided to meander out into the park.

And here I learned, in the Midwest, if you see a cloud, you RUN.

I then got trapped in a monster hailstorm underneath a rock in the center of the park. I eventually said screw.it and bolted towards the visitor center, getting bombarded and gashed open in the process. I made it to a parking lot, where I found a pleasant Hungarian woman and her family waiting out the storm. Out of the kindness in their heart, they gave me a ride back up to the guest center, where I hailed an Uber to reunite me with my friends.

Wherever you are, Hungarian Family, Köszönöm!

My 20 minute uber ride took me through Old Colorado City, capital pf Colorado for 5 days. people come from all over just to race there and in Pike's Peak. I came back up to my friend's apartment, changed clothes, and got ready for the rest of the evening.

I ended up having the same Uber to go to and from the next two locations. he was a very nice guy from Ethiopia who moved to Colorado about 8 years prior. my first destination was to be Columbine High School, to see the current state of affairs after the horrible massacre 20 years prior. it was easily the most sobering part of my trip to Colorado, and I'm very fortunate that I got to pay my respects to it.

The hillside by the school was extremely placid.

Dinner that night was at Casa Bonita, a beautiful addition to downtown Denver, and a definite tourist spot. They had all you could eat meat enchiladas for $16, but being vegetarian, I had to get a special order (which cost more). They had a gift shop in this Spanish Caballero-themed place, as well as an arcade and a diving show.

Holy House!

Visit Denver sometime - just avoid the hail.