Creekin'

When I was getting ready to go to grad school, I hung out with my cousin and went to his house by a large Creek in lower Pennsylvania. Little did I know, I would be embarking for the adventure of a lifetime. I would be finding some old inner tubes in his backyard, patching them up with duct tape, and floating them down a river.

Now, up to this point in time I have been kayaking and canoeing and Rowing, as well as white water rafting, but I was never in a muddy creek in somebody's backyard. I was either on a lake or a river, and established and public body of water. This was the first time I would be on public property and palisading in a tube in murky and quick Waters. It had just rained and flooded everything except the creek, so the water is definitely moving.

For those of you that have never considered doing anything quite as Redneck as this, you definitely need to. Honestly, those 40 minutes I spent floating down the river or the most translucent and Beautiful Moments of that summer.

Now, it's not to say that this adventure does not come without its perlilous plate of danger. In fact, it was actually somewhat terrifying a parts, as the strong current of the undertow would be dragging me straight into the river bed or into a fallen tree. Being way to tripped out on caffeine also did not help the situation whatsoever. However, it was easily the most fun I ever had in water, despted it being frigid cold. What's my body temperature adjusted though, it was all fine.

And so, I emplore all of you to jump into a creek and float down it sometime soon. It might just be the best hour spent in your entire life.

The Royal Dukes

I'm uploading this post you're not only discuss a British restaurant that was referred to me by a colleague from my master's program, but also to put forth an update on the happenings of my life.

Back in June of 2018, I got accepted to Brunel University in London. An entire month of stress and paperwork later, I was all but 2 weeks away from flying overseas to start the next stage of my life. I always dreamed of expatriating, and I've also always dreamed of studying abroad, but this reality seems almost too good to be true when it finally came.

I wouldn't just be doing a semester abroad. I won't be doing an entire master's degree abroad, at the only School in Europe that was accredited in occupational therapy in the United States. I was literally on my way to becoming an accredited therapist on the international scale.

The Counter, in all its glory.

I wanted to involve myself in as much internationally related things as I could before and during my time in London. and so, I sat down at a little British pub near the zoo in Washington DC to start scribbling out this blog post.

I will be heading out most of my Journeys into a diary, and eventually releasing these notes as part of a book, which I will tentatively call "Stranger in a Strange Land". I will talk about everyday life, adversities, discrepancies, finances, traveling, and so much more, all from the eyes of a non-native to the countries I reside in.

I decided to try both the Curry Poutine and the Spicy Aubergine Sarnie at this cute little corner of British Paradise, aptly named Duke's Counter. They had a lot of niche recipes I'd never heard of, as well as a full British bar. The pad mostly screamed "American" though, with US Football and Tennis on the tele and American spellings. However, the decor was proper, and the food was delicious.

I beyond elated to have the opportunity to study abroad. Stay tuned for more updates!

Why I (Might) Have Wanderlust

Wanderlust is marked by an intense curiosity for the world around you. While some may see it as a setback to being an average human being, others to see it as a blessing. I am amongst those who consider it to be a blessing. In this post, I'm going to try and nail down why I, as well as some of you, maybe having these feelings.

1) Genetics.

The DRD4-7R gene that is present in some of us is associated with curiosity and restlessness, so there could very well be a genetic component to my curiosity about the world around me. I've always known myself to be a curious individual as well, so nothing has changed in that regard. If anything, the desires to explore and understand this world have grown stronger.

2) Boredom.

Chances are, like me, you also came from a small town. In that small town, there was probably very little to do besides hang out with the same three people and play video games. It probably got tiring after a while, seeing the same sites over and over again, seeing the same people and places over and over again, sleeping in the same bed and relaxing on the same couch day in and day out. You realize that there's much more to this world, and so you want to go out and see it. The nine-to-five Daily Grind is a very unappealing subject to you, and you want to go out and see if there's other ways to make ends meet.

3) Humans are nomadic creatures.

Assessing the human race from a historical and anthropological perspective, our genus started out largely as nomadic people, moving to where the shelter and food were. Overtime, it's also turned into leisure, and seeing new sights. It is in our nature to yearn for more, as we are social creatures by Nature, and Travelers by nurture.

4) An end to Samsara.

This is a Sanskrit term used to denote a worldly wandering caused by suffering and the weariness of life's issues that are ultimately unimportant, such as greed and violence. The more I travel, the freer I feel, and the closer to myself I become. by looking at another's suffering, it makes me rationalize my own, take a step back, and assess the world around me from a different lens.

5) Life is short, and nothing is permanent.

people attempt to give their life permanence and directive by purchasing material goods and possessions, focusing more on what they have accrued rather than the places they have seen and things they have done. I fall more into the latter category, as I spend my money on places to go and things to see and things to experience, much more so than a new car or a new jacket or a new video game console. Those will be here for when I return home one day, or for when I find new home. But one thing is for sure, since we don't keep anything of ours after we expire, I much rather spend the money on a memory than an item.

6) Escapism is essential to survival.

when we leave home for a trip, we acknowledge the fact that we are leaving home and we are leaving our comfort zone. Yeah, we are taking our baggage, or complications, our problems, with us. Everybody has suffering, and escaping one location and embracing another is one way to reassess the suffering from a different perspective. We travel because we hope our external environment and change our internal environment. we are always looking for a reason to get up and go.

And so, these are just a few detailed reasons as to why I refuse to sit still for too long. This is why I whenever somebody I know from Facebook talks to me and says boy have you been traveling a lot, I can't help but grin and say yes, but not enough. I am proud of my travels, as they set me apart from the status quo. But I am not proud of myself, because there's so much more that I can be doing to travel, and I'm just waiting for those days to happen upon me.

I tell myself I want to settle by the time I'm 30 and start a family, but at the same time, who knows? Maybe that will just be another decade of my life and which I will be pulled in another direction to see more and do more things. Truly, time will tell.

Pine Grove Furnace

Historically speaking, Pine Grove furnace State Park Mark the exact Midway point of the Appalachian Trail for many many years until it was expanded upon. Laurel Lake is contained in the park, and it is in the middle of Machaux State Forest. needless to say, it is quite an intense Journey when we arrived.

And there was a freshwater spring!

When we arrived, my friend and I were immediately taken aback by the view of the Waterfront Dam. It was beautiful.

It churns several hundred gallons of fresh water every day.

Pole steppe was a 1.5 mile trail near the side of the Appalachian Trail that intersected with Pine Grove furnace. Of course, which is the most difficult., set our eyes for the Stars, and while star Cavs were crying and Agony the entire time, we enjoyed quite a perilous hike.

Honestly, this hike was probably closer to a 6.5.out of 10. this was because I chose the harder path which involve climbing 50 feet up the side of a mountain to get to the highest point in the park. There was no let-up from the Switchback, as I was a straight shot up a hill for the entirety of the hike. admittedly, The View from here was better than the view from the highest point in the state, which I talked about here. Is absolutely something that I would recommend friends.

The view, though? Worth it.

Another Aptly Named Furnace

Mary Ann furnace is is 4 Mile loop trail in Codorus State Park, but in some parts is not clearly marked, but still a very fun adventure for a day. Very easy Trail and provides a good moderate amount of exercise over the course of two hours of hiking. It is a great entry-level Trail in which you can learn navigation and trail running skills.

The parking lot for the trail is very small and is rather hitting on the side of the road in Codorus State Park. however, when you get to the trailhead split, you can go either direction, it would seem I would find out later. I went to the left side of the trailer first, across a bridge with the moving tree, and walked across a couple plank bridges over the course of the first mile. the first mile had a very small amount of incline, but was otherwise it fairly easy Trail. The end of the first section of the hike, I would say, is a lookout deck they looked over an overgrown Mangrove of sorts.

The second section of the hike included a little bit more Backwoods hiking, but as long as you stick to the trail that had orange places on it, you were okay. What intersected with another trailer at one point in time, which is a slightly harder Trail but still not terribly difficult. it would be a fun adventure to explore this Trail further, but maybe on another day when I didn't have a car to get back to. it went into a lot of money rain. Areas, so make sure that if you like this real, that you're bringing your best pair of waterproof boots. My feet were covered in mud and water by the time I was done.

The last third of the trail was split up into the Wilderness of a killer State Park, and there were no real clear indicators of trails blazes anywhere. In the dark trying to find a way, we ended up walking into the campground area by accident. And so, we had to backtrack, walk back across a bridge with beautiful scenery, and find our way back to the trail that we were supposed to be on. I'll say, nothing builds companionship like being lost in the back of the woods with a friend. but he was to say, it was a good thing that I had a compass on my phone, or somehow managed to have service at this point of time. Big kudos to Google for that.

When we finally found the trail we were supposed to be on, we finally started seeing Trailblazers again, and then they let us back to the start of the trail. It is definitely a good field to practice trail running, as there's just enough in client and downhill slope to simulate the same amounts waxing and waning efforts you would exert when running up a mountain or down a canyon or any other steep trail in between. Maybe one day I will learn to run like the Taramuhara people of Mexico. 

And so, it came to pass that we found a way through the Wilderness and back to our vehicles. We were seeing the same slippery wooden plank Bridge, the same platform in the mangroves, and the same incline trail that we have seen on the way in. On a scale of 1 to 10, the difficulty of this Trail was about a 3, if that, but it was very enjoyable for a Day hike. It is definitely one that I would recommend to the family.

Tracing Back Roots

Every summer, Indian steps museum has a week-long celebration of Native American folklore and Indigenous peoples. I was fortunate enough to go to it when I was 19, going for 3 hours in the middle of the week. Although this wasn't near as much time as I would have liked to be there for, it was still quite impressive to see the Native American folklore and their practices in play.

The museum itself is located in Airville Pennsylvania, right across the Susquehanna River from Wrightsville. The museum itself was open for visitors, it contains lots of information about the Trail of Tears, different Native American tribes, what the houses look like in the local area in the forest of the Iroquois and the Cherokee Nation, some of Native Americans favorite passtimes, and tidbits about everyday life. The indigenous people of America are really quite impressive, with their develop skills being both primitive and modern and their own respective rights. They learn how to make clothing, feed themselves and their families, become self-sufficient nomadic people, create warmth and shelter, and create tools and weapons for hunting and smithing. They also had a great Mystic folklore about their spiritual side, which several local shamans covered in great detail with me.

In order to work at Indian steps, you had to be able to trace back enough Native American blood to be considered for membership in a Native American Reserve. They may traditional Native American fried bread here, chanting ancient poems and playing their drums and flutes at a rather large pow wow, and sat around and played traditional Native American games. So much Rich culture, and to think that all along, it was literally present right in my backyard.

After enjoying the music and conversations with the natives, we looked at some of the shops that were present. One shop was filled with fair trade and sustainably harvested belts, bones, skulls, first, and other things. We wanted to get a coyote pelt for my girlfriend, but the cheapest one would have broken the bank. We visited the local blacksmith next, and she reminded us that anything can be a throwing weapon and we'll stick if you throw it hard enough and with the proper technique. She demonstrated using a doll piece of wood and the target behind her. Impressed, I bought one of the shirts and she made, and then talked about all the times I had done throwing knives and hatchets in Boy Scouts.

After seeing a few jewelry stands, we decided to call it a day. A couple years later, I found out that I was not Native American whatsoever. I had spent the first 23 years of my life thinking that I was part Sue because of my father's ancestry. Genetic testing confirmed otherwise. None the less, my Affinity for Native American culture did not fade. I still have a deep respect for the indigenous people of my homeland that will only grow with time, as I long to return to the museum for another pow wow and day of remembrance alongside the locals of this land.

Photo credits go to Indian Steps Museum.

Another Park in York

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.

Why I Travel

And why you should too!

My parents were home bodied, there's no doubt about that. End up until the end of high school, I pretty much was as well. Now that I am older though, and I decided to act upon a hidden Wanderlust that I never knew existed, I have found great joy and traveling as far as often as possible. I have a list of six reasons why you should consider taking a trip or two and sometime soon.

1) Earth is big, and we are small.

In America, only about 20% of us will ever get a passport, and even fewer will ever actually utilize it. After graduating high school or college and starting work, most people in America live their life in complete control of the nearest 10 or 15 kilometers (or miles, for those who use Imperial). Very rarely do they understand that this makes up only a small portion of the Earth.

Earth is 26,000 miles across at the center, and so much of it has still been unexplored. Dreaming of places to go, you will never get bored. When you're standing on top of the mountains, hearing nothing except the breeze and a few stray Birds, that's when you start to really realize that everything you look at is very big and distant, but we are rather small and inferior. It is the most humbling since I've ever felt, and the biggest reason why I go hiking.

2) You create Unforgettable stories.

This should come as a no-brainer to some, but often doesn't. You generate new viewers on your social media accounts. You share incredible stories with people. You connect to people who ever hear you talking about your travels in public. And, while you are traveling, you get to meet some incredible people the otherwise never would have the chance to interact with. I've met some of my greatest friends through traveling.

3) You never stop learning.

Just when I thought I couldn't cram any more information into my brain, I started going further and further away from home. I learned about boiled peanuts in the south. I learned how to translate miles into kilometers amongst many other things in Europe. I learned about the culture and the Locale of the area. I became more culturally competent by saying other aspects and perspectives on life. And of course there is the actual learning to be done at the Museum's themselves as well. I've changed so much valuable information on Aviation in Washington DC. I really solidified my rock and roll roots at the Cleveland Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. So on, and so forth.

4) You meet the coolest of friends.

You never know who you're going to run into when you are out and about, and they could just end up being some of your closest pals. Although I do not keep direct contact with a lot of people, I have gotten girls numbers at rest stops, I have held conversations with strangers about literally anything literally anywhere, and I've met Unforgettable people. Because of staying at an Airbnb in Cleveland, I now have a friend in Saudi Arabia who offered a place and his house if I ever go visit. Also, did I mention that my best friend is from Denmark? If we weren't travelers, we would have never met.

5) You gain a new status with your colleagues.

When I returned from Iceland, I was bombarded with all sorts of questions for weeks to come. I became known as that cultured hippie who decided that going to the land of the ice and snow in the middle of winter was a good idea, and I gained newfound respect because of it. People ask you questions about the areas you've been too, and in your own way, you almost become your own little expert.

6) You'll have the time of your life.

I'm a big fan of living loud, and as a clinician, I have come to understand that my happiest patients are the ones that have had a variety of meaningful life experiences. Notably, they the teachers and educators and clinicians that had the ability to travel and see foreign places and create the wonderful stories I've been talking about. You will carry these memories with you throughout your entire life span, as evidenced by how many I already have had at my young age. And, when you're enjoying the process of breathing and being present in a foreign place, you really realize what it means to be alive and having fun.

Look at it this way, here's a few statistics for you. There are 196 million square miles on this Earth. 29% of those miles are land mass, which means there is about 57 million square miles to explore. This spans 195 lifted countries, and during our lifetimes, we might see even more. And in those countries, there are 7.6 billion people that speak approximately 2000 languages.

It doesn't have to be far, it doesn't have to be extravagant, and it doesn't have to be expensive. It just has to be something outside of the norm to ease the tensions in your heart. Let go of will duties at work, obligations and deadlines, and all other reservations you hold, and just get out there. Go somewhere, see something, be someone. And I promise, you won't regret it. If anything, you might just end up starting a blog about it.

Somewhere along the road...

Eco-Friendly Tiramisu!

Tiramisu is one of my favorite desserts of all time. However, when I was vegan, I can no longer eat it. There's a growing demographic of people who are either allergic to dairy or are vegan. so, are you smart knowledge of veganism and dairy-free living to recreate one of my favorite dessert recipes so that it would be both good for the environment, good for the animals, and good for humans.

Before the desert is complete...

Typically, tiramisu is made with mascarpone cheese, a very delicate creamy cheese, and emulsified with raw eggs to give it their signature creamy taste. Since I don't eat much of either of these things, I needed to create an alternative but I could eat. and so, my following recipe was born. drop your mixing bowl and your best baking dish, and it's time to wake up some very hipster tiramisu!

Be sure to read all the way to the bottom, as I will be including a lot of footnotes about this recipe!

You will need:

1 package ladyfingers (about 25 ladyfingers)*

2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided into two portions

1/4 cup Marsala wine or non-alcoholic Sherry

2 Cups espresso style coffee**

1 1/2 cups cane sugar, jaggery, or radapura***

1 cup of egg substitute****

3 cups milk substitute*****

8 ounces of Coconut Cream/paste (or an extra cup of egg substitute if you're allergic to coconut)

1 Cup cacao powder, or ground cacao nibs

STEPS:

1) Start by making your cream filling, as this will take the longest to prepare and settle. start by adding the vanilla extract and egg substitute to a dish, whisk it together, and then add in the coconut milk. Whisk together thoroughly, and then use a hand mixer to mix this with the non-dairy milk of your choosing. (note: for extra thickness, take a half cup of cashews, soften them in water for an hour, and chop them up with some water in a blender, and mix them in as well.) Place in the refrigerator to let it sit for about 6 hours.

2) Take the other half of the vanilla extract and add it to you're Marsala wine. Prepare your coffee sauce and mix it together with the wine and vanilla extract. For a bit of Zing, add a dash of cinnamon and Nutmeg. (notes, and espresso machine works best for the coffee, but preparing it with a French press works just as well.)

3) To prepare the tiramisu, lay down a light layer of coffee into a thin baking dish. Dip the lady fingers sideways into a shallow bowl filled with the rest of the coffee mixture, soaking for about half a second, and line the bottom of your tray with coffee soaked ladyfingers. spread a layer of your cream mixture over top of the lady fingers, even it out, and dust with powdered chocolate/ thinly ground cacao nibs.

4) Repeat this process of coffee soaking ladyfingers, placing them in the dish over top of the cream mixture, and covering the next layer with cream of mixture and powdered chocolate. Do this until you have two or three layers.

5) Put a little extra coffee on the top layer to seep through for a stronger flavor. Cover the rest of the top with the rest of the cream mixture, and coat generously with powdered chocolate.

6) Cover and place in the refrigerator for about 8 hours or until everything is set in place.

7) Cut up the Tiramisu and get ready to serve.

8) Enjoy your freshly made eco-friendly treat! Your hard work has paid off.

...And after it's finished.

* :Lady fingers are shortbread pastry that are typically made with eggs, but if you look in your local organic food store, you can usually find some that are vegan and made without animal products. inversely, you can make your own vegan ladyfingers Buy making vegan cupcakes, but by spreading the batter into a baking sheet instead of baking cups.

** :You can check out my post here about different types of coffee. But typically, the stronger you can make your espresso ground, and the more of it you can get, the better this dessert will be.

*** :All of these sources of sugar are vegan. Refined sugar and white sugar are usually made using bone Char from pigs. Plus, the undertones of natural sugar enhance the vanilla flavor in the cream.

**** :There are several things that work, such as pea protein powder, applesauce, or banana, but there is usually add unwanted flavor to your dessert. The organic aisle of your local feed store should have egg substitute powder. I use Ener-G Egg Replacer.

***** :The type of milk you want to use depends on your allergies and preferences. Since this will really only be used to thicken your cream mixture, pea protein milk and flax milk will work very well because they have no taste. Or, if you want to have some almond flavored coffee cake, use some almond milk and go for it.

Although I personally didn't spend an extended amount of time exploring the area, I still feel as obligated as I always do to write a post about my experiences visiting a friend who lives out this way. Royersford, Pennsylvania is a rather small town the lies on the fringes of other small towns, about 20 minutes from King of Prussia Mall. most people out there are family oriented and church-going individuals who are usually found relaxing with loved ones in their homes. However, when I went the second week of July, their biggest church was having a festival. every year, the Sacred Heart Church puts on a walking tour and small carnival at their Church, which decommissions about half of the small streets in the town. However, every building out there is immense and awe inspiring.

When not enjoying the quaint family life of this town, which all in all, will remind you a lot of small town Suburbia, there are a few miniature golf courses and breweries that can be visited. It is also home to Pennhurst Asylum, one of many abandoned and supposedly haunted asylum in the United States. In theory, if you hear the word Asylum, it has since been shut down.

Either way around, this is just a quick little update on my life adventures. More stories to come with time. See you all soon!

Eastern State Penitentiary

Seeing as to how the individuals who established the prison believed that all inmates had good inside of them in the potential to be rehabilitated, Eastern State Penitentiary was built to be progressive and meant to instill fear and pierce the soul. of course, this was not unconditionally regarded as a universal experience. As I will touch later, quite a large number of individuals Express their disdain towards the Pennsylvania Rehabilitation system that incorporates solitary confinement into most of the inmates time.

And so, as we entered the prison turned Museum, we learned about Henry Enlicker, who was 1 of 3 people born here. It actually said so on his birth certificate. His grandpa being deputy warden.

The courtyard Henry used to romp around in.

We then went on to tour the first cell block, which was meant to be a general waiting tank. Overall, conditions sucked. there was a lack of proper cleaning facilities, there were no windows in most of the facility, and it also came without any heating or air condition. Generally, the weather on the outside of the walls reflected the weather on the inside.

However, it was the first modern building, albeit with no front doors. They anticipated no rowdy crowds and no typhus outbreaks, and astonishingly enough, it was just as such. when the remodel came, there was heating and running water and it was more modern than the whitehouse. It had sophistication that the White House lacked, as even the president at that point in time, Andrew Jackson, was mostly using a chamber pot.

And so, we learned about solitary confinement. The goal of solitary confinement here was to allow time for reflection to become penitent, per the humane society of Philadelphia. Prisoners never saw other inmates, spent 23 hours in cell, working, weaving, crafting, shoe crafting, and got 2 half hour breaks a day. Approximately every 2 weeks he could bathe, and so, this is when he was allotted more time outside of his cell. whenever any movement occurred outside of the solitary exercise Courtyard or solitary room, The Prisoner was nearly always blindfolded buy a bag placed over the head so that he could not learn his way around the penitentiary or to see and interact with others.

Where they were took if they were injured.

Guards often wore bags on their shoes to muffle their footsteps, and they kept close eye on all inmates. There were severe punishments for talking, such as a straightjacket and gag. as such, Charles Dickens wrote that this prison put the person in a position that was one step between insanity and inmate.

Cell 4 eventually had life sentences. Some people are still incarcerated elsewhere that were once confined Within These Walls. by the 1940s, everyone had a job, including a band and choir.

On a secondary note, alot of inmates couldnt be tracked after release, so nobody knew how they did. It was largely known though, that in those days, inmates often times did not return to prison after their release. this, unfortunately, changed quite a lot throughout the years of mass incarceration.

Isolation to the extreme was most common in the PA system, but in NY, they workes and ate together, but in silence. Isolation, at this point in time, began to be too controversial and expensive, so the Pennsylvania system of penance eventually broke down by about 1870.

The guards we're not always the bad guy, though. Some of the guards had heart, especially Sloan. people had celebrated  holidays and had fun. And at one point, AL Capone got tonsils removed here in this present during one holiday.

The catwalk upon which they stood.

A lot of other individuals weren't enthused about the place, though. a lot of suffering happened here. And so, in 1971, it was shut forever.

Tickets run from $10 to $16, and is open for tour most weekdays. Check it out sometime!

Shower Walking

Martic Township Park is a nice little area with several hiking trails doubt in Lancaster. The hiking was very steep in certain parts, making it a very good hike to practice for bigger and harder mountains. I took a friend hiking with me, as it was her idea, and at certain parts in the hike, she was left completely out of breath. Parts of the hike where extremely steep in either direction. What won the hike over for me? What made it a very interesting and beautiful challenge was the fact that we did it in the rain.

With me being an Eagle Scout of her being a former Girl Scout, we were rolling Customs to bad weather. But after all, I wasn't going to waste an hour drive out to visit her on not being able to go hiking. and so, we laced up our boots and headed out to the trail.

So instead of power walking, we talked this shower walking. It is not for the faint of heart, but let's face it. You might be alone on the Appalachian Trail, trying to do a thru-hike, then all of a sudden, the heavens open up. you don't have a choice but to continue on Works through the rain or to find shelter under the trees and hope their one does not get struck by lightning and collapse on you (which, mind you, actually has a very slim chance of ever happening, and that you are more likely to win the lottery.) and so, we willingly exposed ourselves to the elements, in the way a true hiker would, or that somebody who is homeless would have to deal with. Shelter was for the weak in this instance, and we were warriors.

Interestingly enough, hiking in the rain was incredibly refreshing. The musty air killed some of the pollen and reduced the heat, so I didn't have to sweat as much. I was quite content enjoying the atmosphere of the forest while rain was falling around us. I was very content with the constant reminder that the ecosystem is still functioning.

And so, you may not do it on purpose very often, and you may not be visiting the same trail in Lancaster that I did, but you should definitely try shower walking. It is an Indescribable and life-altering experience. Nevermind the fact that it is raining, and most people are miserable and wet. Make the best of it and enjoy it for what it is.