When planning our trip to Wyoming & Montana, I honestly thought the Grand Tetons would be the most underwhelming part. Of course, they are “grand,” but I thought Yellowstone & Glacier would easily steal the show. However, our day spent in Grand Teton National Park had some of the most stunning views & amazing hikes I have ever been on.
We wanted to get an early start to our day, so we woke up before dawn in our Airbnb, took what would probably be our last real shower for days, & started the drive to Mormon Row.
The drive took longer than expected, & we unfortunately arrived far too late to take the sunrise photos we wanted. Still, the view was spectacular, & we managed to get a few romantic shots of the iconic barn in front of the row of snow-specked Teton mountains. The view was truly breathtaking. The mountains stretched high, the rocky fortress at the top looming down at us. The land below was quiet – it felt like a sacred space where the view of the mountains should be without any form of distraction.
Our next stop was Kelly, WY, an incorporated town not far from Mormon Row. The population is less than 200, & the town only consists of two businesses – a post office & a cafe. Unfortunately for us, the cafe did not open until noon, so our rumbling tummies had to wait to eat breakfast. We wound our car through the windy roods that led into Grand Teton National Park, eager for our first hike of the day. As we drove, we gazed at the magnificent Teton Mountains while listening to music, the windows rolled down & cool morning air blowing back our hair.
“I can’t think of a more chill moment than right now,” Joseph said as we listened to “Come & Get Your Love” by Redbone at full volume, singing along to the words & letting the moment sink in. We were finally back in the mountains.
Our first stop in Grand Teton National Park was Jenny Lake. We stopped by the camp store for coffee & a breakfast sandwich for Joseph. I ate some fruit & a protein bar we had bought from the grocery store. We packed our lunch at the car & then suited up with our Nathan Hydration Packs & headed to the trails.
The hike around Jenny Lake to Hidden Falls is one of the most beautiful I have ever done. Normally, on a hike, you are hiking through rather mundane scenery to get to the spectacular promised view. But on this hike, there was something to marvel at every step of the way. With the mountains on one side & the serene blue lake on the other, we were constantly turning our heads to gaze out at the view. Along the way, an orange fox ran across the trail only a few yards in front of us, & countless chipmunks & squirrels scurried around our feet.
Hidden Falls was a crowded spot. The majority of visitors had taken the boat across Jenny Lake & then did the short 1/2-mile hike up to the falls. Still, the waterfall was stunning. Cool, clear water cascaded down the rocks to a rushing river that cut through the landscape. Joseph & I stayed a few minutes to watch before finally trekking down towards the ferry.
We had decided to take the boat back to the mainland rather than hike all the way back the way we came. I think I would always like to take a boat back after my hike after today’s experience. The worst part of a hike is always the walk back after seeing the spectacular view, but today, the hike was over within minutes after over an hour of walking to get to our destination, & the trip back to the start was nothing but relaxing. We sat back, feeling the wind & spray from the water on our faces, & we drank in the view of the Tetons from our incredible vantage point.
We ate our lunch in the park, gazing up at the mountains, & then we went to talk to a park ranger at the Visitors’ Center. We had already completed our itinerary for the day & there were still hours left to explore the park. The kind ranger recommended a hike & scenic spot to visit, so we hopped in our car & drove to Jackson Lake.
It was a short, figure-eight shaped hike, but the views were spectacular. The multi-colored pebble beach led to serene, still waters that reflected the mountains like a mirror. On the hike, we were met by a family of birds that ran right up to our feet looking for food.
The afternoon went by faster than expected, & soon we had arrived at our campsite. We put up our tent together & then made our first freeze-dried meals of the trip. I am happy to report that it actually tasted really good! For our first meal, we had Creole-Style Chicken, & it was spicy & full of flavor.
We had a bit of a sweet tooth after our meal, so despite the dark clouds rolling in, we drove to the park’s general store to pick up some dessert. We went back to our campsite to get ready for bed, & we ducked inside our tent for the night just as the rain was beginning to fall. It wasn’t the quintessential night of camping we had wanted, with a crackling fire & star gazing. But lying in our tent, listening to the rain patter on our tent’s canvas walls, I couldn’t think of a more perfect night. It had been a full day of adventuring, & we were both exhausted. Like a lullaby, the rain lulled us into a much-needed night’s rest.
When my mom & I were invited weeks ago to a weekend getaway at Assateague Island National Seashore, it sounded like the perfect excuse for a girls weekend. Last Friday, we packed our bags, met up in Annapolis for lunch, & then drove the remaining few hours together to our quaint Airbnb just 30 minutes away from the beach.
My mom & I have always been close. I know that is something I am blessed with. There are so many mothers & daughters I know who do not get along, but my mom is someone I have always been able to come to in good times & in bad, who I enjoy sharing a bottle of wine with & watching our favorite Netflix shows. Since starting my career, getting married, & officially moving two hours north, we don’t get to spend much time alone together anymore. This weekend was the perfect opportunity to reconnect & just relax together.
When we first arrived, my mom was eager to see the beach. Neither of us had ever been to Assateague before, & we both wanted to see the wild horses. So, we changed our clothes, put on our flip flops (despite the fact that Assateague is still rather chilly in April), went to Starbucks for a much-needed caffeine boost, & then headed to the shore. We dipped our feet in the cool & soft sand & gazed out at the ocean from a distance. The wind was so strong & the waves were crashing so loud that we could barely hold a conversation over the din. Despite this, the beach was serene.
It is surprising to me that Assateague is only a short drive away from Ocean City, which is always busy, overly-commercialized, & full of material beach flair. Assateague, however, looks almost untouched. The beach is not combed, & there are no shops or restaurants for miles. Even with it being the “off season,” the beach was less busy than I had imagined it to be.
My mom enjoying the beach at the Assateague Island National Seashore
We didn’t see any horses, so once we had our fill of watching the waves, we headed to the Full Moon Saloon for dinner. We split a half rack of ribs as an appetizer & then a perfectly grilled & succulent tuna with freshly steamed green beans for dinner. For dessert, we ordered a slice of bumbleberry pie, simply because I was so enamored by the name. For those who do not know, bumbleberry pie is a pie served cold that has at least three different kinds of berries – this one had blueberries, blackberries & raspberries. Served in a flaky, buttery crust, this pie was so dense with berries it seemed impossible that it held itself together. It was refreshingly sweet, making it the perfect end to a delicious, comforting meal.
All the while, my mom & I chatted. Despite talking regularly on the phone & visiting almost once a month, it seemed we had so much to catch up on! There was never a break in the conversation. From family to jobs to hobbies to plans for the future, there was so much to share & discuss.
After dinner, we headed back to our Airbnb, where we opened a bag of popcorn & watched WandaVision. I had seen it months ago, but my mom had never watched it. I knew with her love of old TV shows like I Love Lucy it would be a big hit. We watched two episodes, at which time neither of us could keep our eyes open any longer, & we retired to bed.
The reason we had been initially invited on this weekend getaway was to attend a pollinator event run by the Maryland Conservation Corps at Assateague. A childhood friend of mine had helped create the event, & her mom had invited us all to attend. Saturday morning, my mom & I got ready & headed back to the state park to check out all the excitement.
Multiple tents had been set up with displays that included activities & information for different sustainability efforts. At the first tent, we watched two small owls (one of which startled my mom, who believed the owls were stuffed animals), a horseshoe crab & a box turtle. At the next tent, we were able to get seeds to plant our summer gardens, & at the next, we had the opportunity to paint bluebird houses. Aimee, my childhood friend, was helping at a table where participants were planting new flowers & grasses in a field. We caught up briefly, talking to Aimee more about the event & what she has been up to recently. Then, we met up with Aimee’s mom, Tammy; her cousin, Caroline; & a family friend, Cheryl, who had come on the trip as well. They invited us to come back to their Airbnb in Ocean City that afternoon for charcuterie & wine, which we excitedly accepted.
We tried first to go to the national park with Tammy’s borrowed park pass, but we couldn’t get in. Disappointed, we turned around to return her pass. As we drove, we caught site of one lazy pony on the side of the road, & we both ogled at it, eager to see more. However, this was the only pony we saw on our way in & out of the park.
For lunch, we headed to downtown Berlin, a small town filled with shops & local restaurants. Here, farther from the water, the day was warm & sunny, & we were able to shed our many layers & walk around in sunglasses. We perused the shops, chatting casually. We stopped for lunch at Blacksmith, a gastropub that serves delicious farm-to-table meals, & then we got coffees at a cleverly named shop, On What Grounds?
After a few hours of perusing, we headed back to our Airbnb to change for dinner & then went to spend time with our friends. We sat on their balcony, eating charcuterie & sipping Moscato, catching up on everyone’s lives. When it was time to go to dinner, we carpooled in two cars to OC Wasabi, a Japanese restaurant that serves delicious sushi. Aimee & her roommate, Jess, as well as another childhood friend, Gabby, joined us for dinner.
What was most surprising to me was that the majority of people sitting around the table I had not seen in years or I had never met. However, we fell in place like old friends do & spent the entire night talking about our lives since we had last seen each other. Aimee & Jess intern for the National Parks Service & live just a few minutes away from the Assateague Island National Seashore. Jess is working on a novel, & the two of them recently went to Comic-Con together dressed as characters from Star Wars. Caroline is going to school, & she is currently working at Starbucks with what sounds to be a great group of friends & her boyfriend. Tammy & her husband are in retirement, & she shared with us about what she & her husband have been up to as well as their two sons. Cheryl works with preschoolers & is soon leaving for a vacation for her eldest son’s college graduation in Montana & then to go on a Disney Cruise to Alaska. Gabby is about to graduate & then go on to medical school to work with the deaf community.
I did not want the evening to end. It was so much fun to catch up with everyone & hear the stories from their lives. We said our goodbyes in the chilly parking lot & then headed to our own Airbnbs. My mom & I were both exhausted from the activity-filled day, but we still couldn’t help staying up late in the living room, still bursting with things to talk about. It wasn’t until nearly midnight that we both collapsed in our beds, exhausted.
The following morning, mom & I headed to the Assteague Island National Seashore in search of horses. This time, we decided to pay the $25 visitor fee & go hiking. As soon as we arrived, we saw two horses playing together, & as we approached, we noticed three more standing not too far away. Tourists had gathered to watch, & we, too, joined the crowd, smiles stretched across our faces. The horses were elegant, with long mains of hair & shiny coats. Despite being wild, they looked well groomed. We had been warned by signs to stay at least 40 feet away from the horses, so we kept our distance, watching in awe.
We traversed the Dune Trail next, which, despite being less than a mile, was challenging because of the shifty, sandy terrain. With every step, our feet dug into the sand, slowing our gait. Today was much warmer than the days prior, & the sun beat down on our skin. By the end, I was desperate to change out of my planned attire for another chilly day at the beach & into shorts & a tank.
Wild horses enjoying the sunshine at the Assateague Island National Seashore
We didn’t see any horses on the first trail, so we headed next to the Marsh Trail, which led us onto a pier over shallow water & wet grass. Here, we saw four more horses, one of which was just a foal! She was so tired, she spent the entire time lying next to her mother in the grass, & her mother grazed lazily beside her.
It was the perfect way to end the trip. We had finally seen the horses we had come to see, but more importantly, we had finally had the chance to spend a weekend away together, & it was everything we had hoped for. Unlike the wild horses that live in herds, we, as humans, often split up chasing our own dreams & passions. But every once in a while, it’s nice to come together once again, reliving old memories, sharing new stories, & making new memories to be cherished.
Trip map created with Wanderlog, the best trip planner app on iOS and Android
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It seems like the novel coronavirus is not going anywhere soon, so we have all been tasked with finding ways to navigate this “new normal.” For travel enthusiasts, like me, that can be a difficult task considering the amount of risk and restriction associated with travel. Airports are practically a breeding ground for the virus, and every country and state has different mandates about how and when people are allowed to visit.
It is recommended to stay at home as much as possible unless travel is essential, but sometimes, we all need to step outside of our homes for our own mental health. If that’s you, consider using these tips to keep your travels as safe as possible.
1. Do your research
Research your own state’s laws and the laws of the state or country you are planning to travel to. Know what the restrictions are and what is required of you, such as having an extended quarantine when you arrive at your destination or after you return home. If you can limit your travel to within your own state, that’s even safer, and it can be more realistic if you can’t take the time off to quarantine from your job.
2. Wear a mask
Joseph and me on a main street in Leesburg, Virginia, where we were visiting Joseph’s sister, Jo, and her husband, Dan
Whether your state or the place you are visiting requires it, wear a mask. The most recent research shows that this protects not only the people around you, but yourself as well. Make sure the mask you are wearing is approved by the CDC, and please wear it over your mouth and nose. Both your mouth and nose lead to your respiratory system, so there is absolutely no point in leaving your nose exposed.
If you can, avoid international travel or travel to faraway states that requires a plane ride. Airports pose a much larger risk of contracting and spreading the virus than your own vehicle. If you can stay within your own state, even better. But if you want to travel out-of-state, consider the idea of road tripping there. The great part of this is driving to your destination enables you to see more of the scenery and to stop at other places along the way that seem fun or interesting. Make a road trip playlist (or use mine below) to listen to some entertaining tunes along the way.
4. Keep your hands as clean as possible
Wash your hands frequently, and keep a bottle of hand sanitizer in your car for times when you can’t. Keeping your hands clean dramatically reduces your chance to contracting and spreading the virus. And remember, even when you think your hands are clean, do NOT touch your face!
5. Stay away from other people as much as possible
If you are traveling simply to get out of the house, consider alternatives to hotel stays and popular tourist attractions. Hiking, fishing, and other outdoor activities are great alternatives to walking busy streets. Consider packing your own food or getting takeout rather than dining at a restaurant. And while the weather is still warm, camping can be a more affordable and safer alternative to hotel stays.
Traveling to other places is fun, but it only seems worth it when you really get to experience those places. The good news is that the tourist attractions are often not the best way to achieve this – the best way to experience a place is to go where the locals go. So, again, do your research. Make a list of the places you want to visit and things you want to do that are low-risk, such as visiting national parks, scenic points, local eateries that are offering carry-out, and main streets in small towns.
7. Get tested for COVID-19 when you come home
Whether your state recommends it or not, a safe step you can take at the end of your trip is getting tested for COVID-19 as soon as you return and quarantining until you get the results. Waiting to interact with other people until you know you’re safe can help prevent the spreading of the virus to dozens of people. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so if you are willing to take the risk of traveling, consider making sure that you are the only one who experiences any potential consequences of that choice.
Traveling can be a great way to take care of your mental health and get active in your daily life, but during times like this, it should always be done with caution and forethought. Don’t stop living life, but make sure when you do embark on any adventures, you are doing so safely for yourself and others.
When the novel coronavirus changed the world in March, it was difficult to imagine what a future would look like. I took my life day by day, watching, observing, and trying to construct some form of comfort and continuity in my life.
In the five months that have passed since that time, it has still been a struggle to find solace in a world that is rapidly changing around me. I have spent far too much time trying to plan for a future that is still mostly unknown. The few things that have brought me some consolation are the people in my life and the adventures I have taken now that my schedule is oddly free. It was these two things that brought me to Pennsylvania.
Traveling during the coronavirus can be daunting, especially when restrictions are constantly changing. However, after checking the latest travel restrictions this past week, I made plans to visit the state just next door to me where two people I was very excited to see are currently living.
Since the start of the pandemic, I have not seen any friends in person. Apart from my new fiancé and a few of his family members, I have socially distanced myself from everyone. I have heard it has been suggested to call social distancing “physical distancing” to encourage people to still have social interactions through less conventional means, such as Zoom or FaceTime. Unfortunately, in my case, physical distancing really did become social distancing – text messages went unanswered and video calls became less frequent as people have grown tired of the constant screen time and so little authentic time spent with people.
Caitlin & me at Stevenson University’s Relay for Life in 2018
So, when Caitlin and Mark agreed to meet for dinner in their town of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, I jumped at the chance to do a little more traveling and see two people I have dearly missed.
Caitlin and I became friends my first year at Stevenson University, and we have been close ever since. She invited me to come with her to Campus Crusade for Christ, an organization on campus focused on helping college students grow in their faith. It was there that I met Mark, who was one of the leaders in the club. The following year, Caitlin and Mark started dating. It was obvious from the beginning of their relationship that the two of them were perfect for one another. This past June, just 10 days after my own engagement, Mark proposed. So, this dinner was not just one to catch up, but to celebrate the life milestone we had all taken very recently.
Joseph and I woke up early Saturday morning to get a jumpstart on our traveling. It is on our bucket list to visit all 50 states, and this was our chance to cross Pennsylvania off our list.
In order to officially say we visited a state, there are a couple of things we have agreed we need to do. We have to explore a main street, eat (or drink) at a local restaurant, hike at a national park, and visit a tourist or scenic spot. Once we have done all of these things, we can go to a local Starbucks to buy our “Been There” series mug.
So far this summer, we have visited Colorado, Maryland and Virginia. Suffice it to say, I was very excited to add a fourth mug to our collection that has been growing on my windowsill.
Our first stop was Gettysburg National Military Park, a place shrouded in American history. The morning was thankfully still cool when we began our relaxed, four-mile hike on the Johnny Reb Trail. The paved path wound through cemeteries and monuments commemorating the lives of fallen soldiers and to tell the story of the Battle of Gettysburg. Stone statues marked the spots where the infantry moved during the fight. According to the National Park Service website, the Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point during the Civil War that helped secure the eventual victory of the Union. Known for being the bloodiest battle of the Civil War, it was this particular battle that inspired President Lincoln’s famous “Gettysburg Address.”
Our next stop was Starbucks. It was a little early in the day to already be buying our mug, but we knew we wouldn’t check off all our destinations until that night, and since it was now late morning, we were both desperate for coffee. We bought our mug and two lattes, and then we headed to downtown Gettysburg to walk Steinwehr Avenue, our main street of choice for the day.
While we had been hiking, I had seen people dressed in nineteenth-century style clothing. I had assumed these people were tour guides or people doing reenactments at the park. However, as we walked down the street, we saw multiple people dressed in the same garb. Some played the part of their costume, talking as if they had just stepped off the battlefield, while others I caught checking their cell phones that they had hidden away in their petticoats. Either way, their attire alongside the classic architecture and shops filled with historical artifacts created an immersive experience I thoroughly enjoyed.
After walking around town, we drove to Lancaster. Our dinner reservation was not for a few hours, but we had bought tickets to ride on the Strasburg Railroad, the oldest continuously operating railroad in the country. According to the Strasburg Railroad website, the railroad was founded in 1832 to transport both freight and passengers across Pennsylvania. Neither Joseph nor I had ever ridden on a train before. We excitedly boarded the bright red locomotive and sat across from each other on the bench seats. When the whistle blew and the train chugged out of the station, we stuck our heads out of the windows to feel the wind against our faces and to watch the corn fields whizz past.
While riding, we were treated to learning a bit of Pennsylvania history, culture and superstition. We were told that it had been this train that had taken Abraham Lincoln and his wife, Mary, to his inauguration in 1861. Unfortunately, a mere four years later, it was also the train that had taken Mary and the body of the deceased president back home. Out our windows, we were able to see Amish farmers working in the fields while we learned from our tour guide about the plain lifestyle. Almost halfway through our trip, the train came to a full stop, and our guide encouraged us to be very quiet so we could hear the ghost whistle of the engine on the Lancaster, Oxford and Southern Railway, which has been out of service since 1918. Our train’s whistle pierced the air, and without a second’s delay, another whistle answered.
“Is it an echo,” I asked Joseph at the same time he turned to me and posed the same question.
“Did someone ask if it was an echo,” our tour guide asked jovially over the loudspeaker. “I am so disappointed. We pay that farmer 27 dollars a day just to whistle back at us.” I laughed, unsure if the guide was joking or not. I guess we will never know for sure if it is an echo, another whistle, or if there really is a ghost locomotive riding the rails in Pennsylvania.
We had a little extra time between the end of our ride and dinner, so we headed to downtown Lancaster to walk another main street. As soon as we stepped out of the car, a candy store caught my eye. I ran to it like an excited child while Joseph lagged behind.
Sweetish Candy is a Swedish candy and hygge shop that sells imported Scandinavian goods, including a plethora of sweets made with wholesome ingredients. Entranced by all the goodies, we bought two bars of Icelandic bitter chocolate made with Icelandic sea salt and bourbon vanilla. After spending so much time roaming around the shop we had very little left to explore the main street, so we headed back to our car to go to dinner. A nearby gas station bathroom served as our spot to get ready, so when we walked into the restaurant, we looked as if we had not been running around in the humid Pennsylvania heat all day.
We met Cait and Mark at Loxley’s, a popular, upscale restaurant in Pennsylvania. To enter, we walked across a bridge that overlooked a manmade pond filled with ginormous lily pads and big, bright orange fish. Our friends, who had arrived a few minutes before us, were seated on the patio outside. We greeted each other with hugs and exclamations of congratulations. As our waiter, Jonah, served us drinks and appetizers, Caitlin and I studied each other’s rings while we all had the chance to share the stories of our proposals and how life and wedding planning has been going since then. Once dinner was served, we turned the conversation to what post-graduation life has been like, to our work lives, and to sharing how general life during a pandemic has affected each of us. The world grew dark around us as we continued talking long after the plates had been cleared and our glasses had emptied, enjoying the experience of finally being able to talk with close friends without a screen placed between us.
As Cait and I both began to yawn, Joseph and Mark called an end to the evening. We hugged goodbye, promising to visit again soon, and then each returned to our own cars. On the drive home, I felt a sense of peace that I have not yet experienced since the beginning of the pandemic. Life has not returned to normal, and I don’t think it ever will, but the day’s adventures had been a reassurance that this new way of living can still be just as enjoyable and exciting.
Traveling through a place filled with history was a reminder to me of just how much the world has changed and how much it will continue to change throughout my life. Walking around town surrounded by people in bonnets and top hats reminded me that wearing a mask is simply the latest change in fashion, and to be perfectly honest, I would happily choose to wear that than the corsets I saw those other women donning. Like the first gunshot fired during a war, the novel coronavirus changed the world as we know it forever, and we are now in the midst of understanding what this new world will be like. However, in the thick of all this uncertainty, there are two things I now know for sure that have given me hope: First, that life is always changing, so the best way to live life to the fullest is to embrace the new and seek to find ways to still confront and encounter even more novel experiences. And secondly, it will always be the people in my life and the relationships I have built that will bring me comfort in times of elation and struggle, and though it may try, social distancing cannot take that away from me.
Life is not what it used to be, but hopefully, with a little mindset shift and perhaps a little extra effort, we can make it even better than what we ever envisioned.
P.S. Joseph has launched his vlog! Check out his perspective of today’s events by watching the video below. If you like it, please consider subscribing to his YouTube channel – every follow helps.
