2019 Wrap Up: It Was A Quiet Year

Muted. As far as travelling is concerned, it's been a quite year for me. I've been just exhausted this year, which has led me to choosing to stay home more often than not, spending my weekends, long weekends, and even longer breaks around holidays lounging around my house and yard. I have been able to get out and run, though, so I'm still spending plenty of time outdoors - on both streets and trails- so I'm not lacking in the sunshine department at least. I did manage to get a few trips in this year, so read on below for a recap:

I kicked off 2019 by taking a week-long vacation to the deserts of Arizona with my cat. Hoodoo and I volunteered at an ultra race along the borders of Arizona, Nevada, and Utah, then we took off on our own to explore the deserts for a few days before heading home. We saw quite a bit of Arizona on our trip, and are already looking forward to going back again in the new year.

We adopted a new dog, and I "had" to travel to pick him up from my friend/his foster mom in Oklahoma. Bullet is a gentle, incredibly affectionate shepherd and fits in with our family like he's always belonged. And yeah, seeing Julia and her family while picking him up was the icing on the cake.

Callie, Hoodoo, and I took a weekend in late March to run away and look for alligators, and to spend a night on the gulf coast. We found plenty of gators, and while Hoodoo didn't appreciate the wind off the gulf we still got in a gorgeous sunrise stroll along the coast.

Hoodoo's and my trip to White Sands National Monument (now National Park!!) was . . . not great. It began with a hot day and a spectacular sunset followed by a lovely and quiet sunrise, then devolved into chaos and whipping sand and a flying tent with its occupants (us) still in it. One terrified cat, shredded tent, and broken wrist later, I don't think I'll be visiting White Sands again for a while. It took me six weeks to physically heal, and probably way longer than that to get over the disappointment of that disaster of a trip.

Despite still being in a wrist brace I took off by myself for ten days of driving and travelling around the east coast on what might be my most epic driving adventure to date. I visited 24 states plus Washington D.C. in that amount of time, saw the borders of Canada and the Atlantic Ocean, hit a ton of state and national parks, and tent camped most of those nights. It was a much needed retreat from normal life, and one of my top adventures of the year.

For the second year in a row LeakyCon was hosted in Dallas, and for the second year in a row I got tickets! Eleven year old me would never have forgiven myself if I had the chance to see Tom Felton (who played Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films) in person, and I am thrilled that I went.

For the sixth year in a row Torrey and I headed to Colorado in August, where we spent a week hiking 14,000 foot mountains, camping, sight-seeing, soaking in hot springs, and attempting but failing to backpack in sand dunes (no more sand dunes for me for a while, dammit!) We also went to Pikes Peak for the Ascent and Marathon for the sixth time, with me once again acting as cheerleader. We've got 49 more 14'ers to hike, and I can't wait for the years and adventures to come.

In September Jared and I actually travelled together and spent a weekend on the Texas Gulf Coast celebrating a friend's beautiful wedding. Not only did I get Jared to travel, but I even got him to go swimming in the Gulf with me! Talk about miracles!

Another wedding, this time for my cousin, led me back to Nebraska in October, where I hung out with family and celebrated a couple's love by partying the night away. It was a super short trip for me, with really only a single day and night with my family before turning around and heading home, but it was all the sweeter for it.

A day trip in November when Torrey came down to my neck of the woods for a visit found us in gator country along the Texas coast, where we saw quite a few of these reptiles and also made a trip to see the gulf before heading home at sunset. A long day with many hours in the car, but good company makes the miles and hours fly by.

On a random Saturday in mid-November I was heading north to meet my dad somewhere in Oklahoma to exchange a precious package: the little kitten pictured above, now named Nova, had been hit by a car the week prior while on my way in to work. I found her, began her recovery, and proceeded to bombard my family with pictures and videos of the little kitten with a bobbed tail who just wouldn't give up. My sister decided she wanted her, so my dad and I met up halfway between our homes for lunch and to get Nova to her new family. It might be the craziest adventure I've ever had: driving 12 hours for a one-hour lunch and to exchange a cat, but who cares. Nova is happy and healthy and now I get to see her any time I visit! It's a win for everyone.

Again, it's actually been a pretty quiet year this year. I travelled the least amount this year since I started tracking back in 2014, and while it seemed like it was okay while it was happening I now wish I'd made a little more effort throughout the year. Of course, some things that prevented my travels were beyond my control, but there's always next year to be more enthusiastic. Anyway, the usual stats are below:

Adventures: 11
Hours: 986.86
Miles Driven: 18,298
Total Cost: $3,078.92
States Visited: 29 plus Washington D.C.
Hiked: 59.6 miles
State Parks Visited: 6
National Parks Visited: 9
National Monument Visited: 3
National Forests Visited: 3
Wilderness Areas Visited: 1
National Seashore: 1
Navajo Tribal Park: 1
Number of Nights Tent Camping: 12
Number of Nights Sleeping IN the Car: 8
Number of Nights Backpacking: 2
Number of Nights in a Hotel: 4
Number of Nights in a House: 10
Number of Nights in an RV: 2
Animal Companions: 31
Human Companions: 33 plus various wedding guests

2020 is a new year, a fresh start, and I may or may not already have all of my vacation time planned out for the whole year. I've got several week-long trips booked already, with the first one beginning in February in the deserts. I just know this year is going to be a good one, so goodbye to the adventures of 2019 and hello to the new ones of 2020!

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Kaleidoscope, An East Coast Epic Story

Other than monarchs, I have never seen butterflies congregate in groups like the one pictured above until I visited Great Smoky Mountains National Park this last summer. Some kind of swallowtail, the beautiful black and blue wings of this butterfly caught my eye as they fluttered slowly while resting in the grass near several pull-outs in the park. I can hardly be blamed for thinking of fairy circles and little dances, though this photo was taken mid-morning instead of at midnight. I took far too many pictures of these groups of butterflies (called a kaleidoscope!) during the short time I spent at the park, but I am definitely not sorry.

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Fire Scars, An East Coast Epic Story

Just over three years ago now Great Smoky Mountains National Park made national headlines as the country watched it burn. A fire started by a couple of idiot kids high on a mountain top burned thousands of acres, hundreds of buildings, leveled part of the park's eastern gateway town, and killed 14 people. My visit this past summer revealed a forest in the midst of healing. Some of the trails affected by the fire are still closed, and some of the charred skeletons of trees still stand, but the forest is regrowing, the burned areas fully green with smaller shrubs and grasses flourishing in the fire scars. I didn't have the time to get out and hike the area, but from afar the forest looked like it was making a comeback in the way only a forest can. Next time I'll get out among the trees and see how far the earth has healed.

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Bear-Jam, An East Coast Epic Story

Countless cars stopped right on the road, people hanging out of their windows, some even out of their vehicles; if you've ever been in a national park, you know this sight very well, and you know exactly what it means: Animal Sighting. Now, don't get me wrong, I love a good animal sighting just as much as the next person. I may not get super excited about deer or elk anymore but I acknowledge there are people who've never seen one in person and I don't begrudge them their enthusiasm. I know there's nothing to do in these situations than to just sit back and be patient, turn the music up, and wait for the line to move. Yes, people really should use the pull-outs designed to keep traffic flowing around stopped vehicles, but those pull-outs are designed for only a handful of cars, not the multitude that travel park roads daily, and an animal sighting is going to cause a back-up regardless. The picture above was a traffic jam caused by a bear sighting off to the left in a grassy field. Unfortunately I arrived too late to see it, but I had to deal with the after effects as visitors returned to their cars. I would like it to be known, though, that no matter how excited you may be for a wildlife sighting it is never a good idea to leave your vehicle, especially if said wildlife is something that could seriously injure you (like a bear!). I managed to spot five bears during my short visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but didn't get a single clear photo of any one of them. Next time, perhaps!

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Layered Water, an East Coast Epic Story

While exploring a barrier island along the Atlantic coast I found myself deep within a loblolly pine forest, wandering around in search of wild horses. I couldn't help but wonder how animals (and some plants) survive on the island considering the salt water that surrounds it, surely flooding the island during storms, and the relatively high water table that can't make life easy. Further research reminded me of a very important fact, one that I'd forgotten: salt water is more dense than fresh water. In the little forest pools like those pictured above, salt water from the water table and floods rests at the bottom of the pond, while fresh water from rain floats on top. This layered effect provides the drinking water necessary to support large and small fauna like horses, deer, rabbits, and more, while also providing a water source for those plants that aren't as salt-tolerant as loblolly pines. It was a neat little reminder that nature really does provide, and that life will find a way.

I'm Thankful For... V.2019

Meditative. If I'm being completely honest with myself, its been a bit of a tough year and I've struggled through most of it to remain positive, to find the things that make me smile, and to be thankful for what I have. I have been astoundingly unmotivated in nearly every aspect of my life, to the point where sometimes it is daunting to even consider putting the effort into feeding myself, let alone leave the house to travel. My writing, too, has taken a hit (as indicated by the general lack of posts lately) and no matter how much I say today will be the day that I sit down and write, it almost never is. That being said, I'm determined to get my thoughts out there while I reflect about what I'm thankful for this year knowing full well that positive thinking helps me actually be positive. I think it's also time for another review of the contents of my Happy Jar, just to remind myself of all the bright points this past year.  

The absolute highlight-best-part-of-my-year was the birth and subsequent hand-raising of my little Bug. Born at my work to the Ring-tailed Lemur troop, Bug was abandoned by his mother as soon as he was born. My husband and I stepped in to care for him, spending months of sleepless nights and days catering to his every need. Bug no longer needs round-the-clock care, but he still comes home with me every night. He is fairly independent now, no longer needing us to hand-feed him, but he still very much enjoys our company and prefers to be near us. His affection is one of the best parts of my day, his cuddles are the best, and his antics when he's playful or naughty make me laugh every time. I am so, so thankful Bug came into my life, and I am looking forward to spending the next thirty years loving him every single day.

This one is a new one for me, because up until now I never really put much thought into my body. It was something I took for granted, something that I cared for just enough to keep me going and doing whatever I decided I wanted to do. Earlier this year I realized that I really should be taking better care of this body if I want it to last, especially if I want it to take me on some epic adventures I have in the works. I began eating healthier, exercising regularly, and trying to treat my body kinder while still pushing myself past limits I thought I had. I haven't always succeeded in my efforts, but I keep trying, and have already formed better habits than the ones I'd been living with for the past however many years. Having something to train for has helped keep my focus, and I can't wait to see the successes my body will bring me in the next few years.

I could go with all sorts of cliche anecdotes about how there's never enough time, how we'll never get a day back, how we can only move forward, but I think I'll keep this one short and stick with how much I appreciate my time, especially when I use it for something I actually want to be doing. Even if I'm using my time to sit on the couch to read a book, it's still my time, and I am so appreciative of that. I am a Type-A, busybody, to-do list kind of person, and this year that has kind of crashed down around my ears. I only have a few hours of the day where I'm not working (like most of the general population, I'm sure) and while I enjoy my job I live for the times I'm not there. I like spending a Saturday on the couch reading a book while my husband watches TV, I like puttering around the yard and garden, I like watching the miles and hours fly by as I travel to wherever my heart desires. I am incredibly thankful for the time I have, and plan to cherish every second of it.

I'm pretty sure if there were a contest for World's Most Understanding Husband, mine would win hands down. I can't tell you how many times I've come home with a random animal (sometimes without any warning) and Jared's just taken it in stride. He helps me care for everything I bring home, even if it means getting up every two hours for days on end to feed an infant. Not only does he care for random animals as well as our own zoo pets, he takes on the responsibility of feeding, cleaning, and general care while I run off to the mountains, desert, or beach whenever I feel like it. If that's not true love then I don't know what is.

Ya know, even in the amount of time it took me to write this post I felt my spirits lift just a little bit. I really do have a lot to be thankful for, and while I just highlighted four of them here there are plenty of other reasons I have to smile, be happy, and thank my lucky stars. I will keep these and all the others in my heart until I can pull myself out of the funk I've been in, and will draw on them for the strength I need to make it through.

I'd love to hear what you're thankful for, especially if it might make me happy for you. Leave me a comment below and let me hear what makes you smile during this time of year.

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Sand Sculptures

Wind and water can sculpt some amazing formations, even if they might be small, delicate things that blow away with a breath. Gypsum especially seems to form an array of fragile flakes, built by water and torn by wind. Even in the middle of the dune field at White Sands National Monument, if you pay attention you can find little sculptures left in tribute to the wild, which will vanish with the next storm.

East Coast Epic: The Park of My Dreams

Euphoric. If I could designate a national park it would include miles and miles of curvy, winding roads with mountain views and forests that go on forever. I'd add a dash of history and a liberal sprinkling of wildlife. Of course, there would be hundreds of miles of hiking trails, so many that it would take a lifetime to complete them all, and I would make sure they were all connected so a visitor could pick their trail and length depending on how much they wanted to tackle. I'd make sure there were front country developed campgrounds and a healthy amount of backcountry campsites available for all camper skill sets, and maybe even a lodge because you never know where you might want to stay. Doesn't this park sound amazing? It turns out I don't have to designate anything, because Shenandoah National Park already exists.

Considering it's a part of the national parks system, Shenandoah has been on my list of places to see ASAP, but it's a bit of a drive for me to get there and so requires more than just a whim to go. My East Coast Epic seemed like the perfect opportunity to hit it up, and it was the very first park I planned to see when sitting down to map out a route a couple days before I left. Same as Niagara, I did minimal research about the park, merely confirming plenty of campgrounds and how to get there, so I really wasn't prepared for the sheer awesomeness that is a park dedicated to scenic drives. The park encompasses over a hundred miles of meandering mountain road that trails along an elevated ridge of the Blue Mountains, often the tallest peaks in the area. Expanding into the surrounding forests, a hundred-mile section of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail parallels the road and serves as a jumping point for (relatively) shorter hikes throughout the park. These shorter hikes take visitors to rocky overlooks and towering waterfalls, often starting right from overlooks along the road.

Apparently I visited during prime season, as a million wildflowers were in bloom in every clearing and meadow, with monarchs floating on every breeze. I spent most of an afternoon driving the park road, taking it easy at the park's 35 mph speed limit and enjoying life with my windows down. I got out to hike once that afternoon, strapping on my hiking shoes and hitting a trail that followed the AT to a junction, where I turned off to a rocky overlook called Stony Man. From there I headed to Big Meadows Campground and got myself a site for the night, complete with a bear locker and all. I looked, oh boy did I look, but I missed out on bears in the park and was so disappointed! Next time I'll see one!

I had no plans (theme. of. the. trip.) that evening, so once I set up camp I made my way on foot from the campground to Dark Hollow Falls. I connected my campsite to the Story of the Forest Trail, crossed the park road, and made my way down the Dark Hollow Falls Trail to the falls themselves. And what a set of waterfalls! It's been a while since I've hiked to a good set of forest falls, and these did not disappoint. 70 feet tall, water cascades down a series of rocky outcrops as the Rose River flows down the Blue Mountains. You can get right up to the base of the falls on the trail, close enough to feel the mist as the river plunges into its pool to continue on its way, and I more than enjoyed the spray as I rested at the foot of the falls.

I had quite a cute little encounter on my way back to camp as the sun set over the forest: skunks! Three little kits foraged right off the trail next to a stream, and I spent way longer than necessary taking pictures and videos of the cuties along with a few other hikers. We were never threatened by them, and one of them was brave enough to get quite close to us, though we backed up whenever it approached. They were absolutely adorable, and I was beside myself seeing them on the trail.

I finished my drive the next morning, making a point to stop at every single overlook along the park road. I was still in my wrist brace at this point, and though I didn't want to risk falling on a strenuous hike I was itching to get on a trail. I made plenty of notes about which trails I'd hike (all of them) the next time I visit, and spent a great deal of time unsuccessfully looking for bears every chance I got. The Blue Ridge Parkway extends from the park's southern border, though I was disappointed I wouldn't get to drive it this summer it is one of those iconic scenic drives that I will make sure to do within the next few years. This time, though, I was headed to a cave and wanted to be there early enough to snag a campsite. I left Shenandoah behind with the promise to myself and that park that I'd be back.

A Snapshot and The Scoop: The Panne, An East Coast Epic Story

Created by wind and water, shallow bowls form among the dunes at Indiana Dunes National Park. If they're deep enough they can reach the water table, bringing fresh water to the surface and creating a little oasis away from the windy churning depths of Lake Michigan. These bowls, called a panne, house and shelter a variety of plant species that would otherwise find it difficult to grow on the dunes at the mercy of the winds, which in turn create excellent cover for small mammals to thrive. The panne I visited early in the morning of my visit to the park was almost perfectly still with only a little breeze ruffling the waters, despite the steady winds coming across the lake just over the lip of the bowl. Toads croaked from the shoreline and a couple of waterfowl rustled in the nearby reeds; the world waking up to a new day on the lake.

East Coast Epic: Island Escape

Gladdened. Nobody wants to go to the beach when it's storming, but I wasn't there for the beach. Well, not just for the beach. I made my way from New York down to Assateague Island National Seashore on the Maryland/Virginia coast, bound and determined to visit ever since I began following their social media accounts. You see, Assateague hosts a population of wild horses, and even though I don't consider myself a horse person these particular ones captured my attention and practically demanded to be seen. It was storming when I reached the visitor center, and continued to storm as I crossed the bay bridge onto the island proper, where I was immediately greeted by a group of horses standing on the side of the road in the downpour. I found the campground and waited out the rain in my car, pouring over the island map and noting which trails I wanted to explore. The roads are minimal on the island unless you have a vehicle that can handle driving on sand, so I was confined to the paved portions and wherever I could reach by foot. Which wasn't looking like anywhere with the storm still rolling through.

Eventually the rain lightened enough for me to make my way to the oceanside beach, where I was pelted with rain drops and sea spray but didn't give a shit because I was staring at the ocean. The Atlantic Ocean, which I couldn't help but note the fact that I was supposed to be staring at the Pacific Ocean, perhaps right that minute, if things had gone the way I thought my summer was going to go. Instead I was alone on the other side of the country, and couldn't find it in me to be upset about that fact. I watched the clouds roil above me and the ocean churn beyond the beach and all I felt was a giddy happiness that can only come from being right where I wanted to be.

Eventually the rain parted and the clouds lifted and glorious sunshine filled the sky, but I wouldn't have cared if it had kept raining all day. I was on a barrier island on the Atlantic Ocean, I'd already seen horses and knew I'd be seeing more, and I had a dry car to sleep in if I couldn't set my tent up. I had no care and no worries. I began exploring the island trails, first walking along a boardwalk on the bay side of the island, suspended above the brackish wetlands while watching blue crabs scuttle among the reeds. Then I wandered toward the center of the island where loblolly pines tolerate salty conditions to form forests that shelter horses, deer, and other wildlife. From there I traversed the sea dunes, that first line of defense between the ocean and the rest of the island.

I spent a lot of time at the beach, driving to different areas and walking as far as I wanted. It was almost chilly after the storm, the sky still partly cloudy and the threat of more rain on the horizon. I saw horses almost everywhere I went, though none as close in the campground where I eventually pitched my tent among damp grasses. The horses on Assateague are wild, and I had no desire to get within any sort of distance of them, happily observing them from my car while watching some not-so-smart people approach way too closely. It was recommended all over the island to treat the horses like you would a bear, which was advice I wholeheartedly embraced. I really didn't want to be bitten or kicked, especially considering I was still sporting my wrist brace.

Evening on the island settled softly, and there wasn't a drop of rain overnight. I woke before dawn, which is pretty usual on my travels, and made my way to the ocean to catch the sunrise. I was surprised to see quite a few people milling around, though whether they were still enjoying themselves from the night before or were up early like myself it was impossible to tell, and it didn't matter. I wasn't there for them. I pointed my lens to the east and waited for the sun.

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Shifting Dunes, An East Coast Epic Story

Anybody who's ever gone to a beach can tell you: sand moves. Anybody who's ever seen a field of sand dunes can tell you even better: sand moves a lot. It's one thing to know sand moves, but it's quite another to actually see the evidence right in front of you in the form of half-buried trees. These trees sprouted on fairly flat ground, but over time the sand dunes at Indiana Dunes National Park have shifted further inland, pushed by the winds across Lake Michigan, and are slowly burying the forest in front of them. Already trees are fully buried by the sands, making the dunes unstable when they rot and leave empty cavities that collapse without warning, causing more sand to shift. Dunes are active, flowing things, moving slowly but steadily one grain at a time. You just have to wait around long enough to see the proof yourself.

East Coast Epic: Niagara Falls

Satisfied. I centered this trip around seven units of the national park system, none of which are located in New York. A secondary goal, however, was to hit as many states along the east coast as possible in the time I had, and really, New York wasn't that much farther than Pennsylvania, plus could I really pass up a visit to the quintessential tourist trap that is Niagara Falls? I also had a friend living in Toronto, which pretty much solidified my plans to go to the state; cross another one off my list, visit another Great Lake, see the falls, and catch up with a friend.

Niagara Falls isn't technically on a lake but instead rests on the Niagara River connecting Lake Ontario to Lake Erie. I'd stopped at a little state park on the shores of Lake Erie on my way to New York, and meandered up to Lake Ontario while killing time waiting for my friend to be available, meaning I approached Niagara Falls from the north. If you ever get a chance, I highly recommend a drive along the Niagara Scenic Parkway, taking the time to stop at all the little state parks that dot the road. There's just something about looking across a canyon and knowing another country sits right there, right across the deep canyon and startling blue-green river.

Now, none of the giant, iconic falls sheltered by Niagara Falls State Park are actually called Niagara Falls. No, that's the name of the city that sprawls on both sides of the US-Canadian border. Goat Island splits the north-flowing Niagara River into three falls, named Bridal Veil Falls, American Falls, and the more famous Horseshoe Falls. Both the Bridal Veil Falls and American Falls sit on the American side of the border, while Horseshoe Falls spans the width of the river between countries. I had done the bare minimum amount of research when looking into this stop along my way, just enough to get me there and tell me there was no camping in the area, so I had no idea the river flowed north, that there were actually three falls, and that none of them were called Niagara. I felt like I'd been lied to my entire life, but looking back I have no idea where I got my preconceptions.

I spent the entire evening at the park, wandering its paved trails, taking countless photos, and generally letting myself get swept away in the flow of tourist traffic. I had no real desire to get tickets to the river, where I could either get wet by walking to the base of Bridal Veil Falls or take a boat to the churning pool of Horseshoe Falls, but instead stuck to the overlooks including the glass observation deck which was as close as one could get to an aerial view of the falls without actually leaving solid ground. After a frankly ridiculous wait at the United States border my friend finally made it through and met me at the park, where we retraced my steps and revisited all the views before it got dark.

She and I headed into the city on foot to find some dinner, and would it really be a visit to New York without pizza? We found a vendor and grabbed a table, chatting the whole time. The fireworks began as we were eating, and we made our way back to the falls to catch the show. We wandered back to the observation deck and watched as the falls were lit up in a cycle of red, white, and blue from floodlights on the Canadian side of the river. Again, I had no idea they lit up the falls, and I am still so happy we decided to stay in the area until late. The longer I spent there the happier I became, pleased with myself for being in that spot on what was basically a whim. I should probably open my future travels up a little more to allow for memories like these.

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Indiana Dunes, An East Coast Epic Story

The first stop on my East Coast Epic was the nation's newest national park: Indiana Dunes. Actually, it was my second stop if you count an overnight at my parent's house to get my camping gear back from my sister and to celebrate the 4th of July, but Indiana Dunes was my first stop to camp, hike, and generally explore. Alone. For ten days. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint. Indiana Dunes is situated at the southern tip of Lake Michigan, close enough that you can see the silhouette of Chicago to the west on a clear day. The park preserves miles of beach and coastline, historic buildings, and you guessed it, sand dunes. Sand dunes seem to be a theme of my travels this year, but at least I didn't break my wrist this time. (My wrist was still in the brace when I set out on this adventure, and didn't come off until I was more than halfway finished.) But I digress; I arrived at the park in the evening and spent the rest of the daylight hours chasing photos. The next morning I was up early, determined to catch sunrise over the lake. Given that it was a holiday weekend during the summer I expected a lot more people on the beach early on, but aside from a couple of joggers and a grizzled fisherman, I was alone. It wasn't quiet, not with the wind and the waves and the occasional gull, but it was peaceful and an excellent start to my adventures. I couldn't wait to see what else was in store for me through the rest of the week travelling around the east coast.

East Coast Epic: Happy Accidents

Flexible. I hadn't had any intention of ending up in New York a week prior to finding myself in the state. My sister and I had planned a summer west coast trip, complete with glaciers, tide pools, and volcanoes. Life got in the way, however, and four days before I was supposed to fly to Montana we cancelled the trip. Being me, I was still itching to go somewhere, so I sat down at my computer and started looking, finally coming up with a list of places I wanted to see but no defined route or timeline to see them. I basically just started driving. Okay, there was a little bit more to it than that, but that planning process if for another post. Somehow, some way, instead of ending up in Montana I ended up on the exact opposite side of the country, meandering my way through the state of New York along the Great Lakes.

When I made tentative plans to hit up New York, crossing off another state on my list, I reached out to a friend living in Toronto, figuring if I were that close it'd be worth a shot to see if she could meet up. She could during the evening toward the beginning of my East Coast Epic, so I needed to find something to occupy myself until she was available. We made plans to meet in Niagara Falls on the US side of the border because I don't have a passport (yet!) and I set out from my campsite in Pennsylvania with no plan in mind but to see where the road might take me.

That ended up being a pretty great plan, because otherwise I never would have stumbled into a beautiful state park along the New York/Pennsylvania border. Allegany State Park boasts multiple fishing lakes nestled among the rolling wooded hills typical of the northeastern part of the United States, bisected by a couple of paved roads and an awesome dirt road. Waterfalls splash just down little hiking trails from the side of the road, and hundreds of butterflies flutter in open meadows full of wildflowers. I spent the better part of a day in the park, driving its roads and exploring the woods and meadows. I even drove that dirt road twice because it was so much fun. Happy accidents can happen, and it totally pays to not have a complete plan in place when you're exploring a new place. If you're ever in the area I would definitely check out this little park!