Sometimes, it’s crucial to unplug from the chaos of everyday life, especially when you’re bombarded by calls, texts, emails, and IMs at all hours. For our 10th anniversary, we escaped to Cook Forest, PA, where the internet was spotty, and cell service was practically nonexistent. The only time I connected was to upload a few photos when we were back in our room. Nature has a way of calming me down and giving me space to breathe. With everything going on—numerous projects, selling our house, buying a new one, moving the studio, and the usual daily stress—it was the perfect time to get away.
Vacations… I’m already dreaming of the next one. If you’re at your desk and feeling overwhelmed, take a deep breath and enjoy these pictures from our first trek to the fire tower. I’ll admit, it’s been a while since I last hiked this trail—probably not since college. The path is a steep incline, and I’m fairly certain it would’ve taken our entire vacation to reach the top if we had hiked it. When I was seven, my parents took me up this same trail, and to this day, they laugh about how I said, “I can’t breathe.” Maybe one day, if my leg fully heals, I’ll attempt it again. But this time, we drove up and parked, then walked the rest of the way. It was a nice side trip while our room was being prepared.
This was our first trek, and it was the only time we saw other people on the trails. If you can, I highly recommend visiting during the week rather than the weekend for a more peaceful experience. We even spotted two Mountain Laurels still in bloom, a beautiful reminder of my mom’s early July birthday.
This trip reaffirmed why I need to live in the country—wouldn’t you love to have big rocks in your backyard? I’m already planning another stay in October to witness the vibrant autumn colors.
