What an incredible trip with Lindsay like I still can't fully process all that happened and that we actually made the trip happen! Wohoooo! Like my friend from Canada, whom I hadn't seen for four years was just here in NC for 6 days! :) Ahhhh! It's still hard to believe that it happened and is a keen reminder of the importance of being present. because it ALL goes by SO SO FAST!
No coherent post here about our trip! Just a rambling diary entry of our time together to try and capture the magic that happened in a bottle (or rather in a blog) so i can come back and remember what i experienced on this trip 10 years from now!
Wednesday-
I picked Lindsay up from the airport! ... I decided to park my car because I was gonna do this big ole welcome thing of waiting for her at the airport and running towards here etc and I surrendered to that little vision... anyways it was a stupid idea and such a let down when we weren't able to find each other. But Lindsay's spirit and positivity were something I was grateful for all throughout the trip! Her general go with the flow positive attitude was a gift and a blessing ... like she never got frustrated when things went a little off the beaten path... anyways i find her finally and then we have to find my car! In all it took 45 minutes to find her and then find the car & it was hott! haha! But we did it! The first little bit felt a little awkward to be honest... it was like we were reacquainting ourselves with each other. I think i also was still getting over whatever little thing I had (cold/covid/?)
Anyways our first top was PITTSBORO and it was cool to have her experience and see my beloved town..
Super cool that she met the MAYOR of Pittsboro haha!
First night was hilarious... we get to Lake James just as a thunder storm is starting and we're both (maybe just me) like ok are we going to to do this... are we going to set up our tents and camp in a thunderstorm? I wanted to just wait it out but Lindsay suggested we just set up and i'm glad we did!
Not gonna like the lightening and thunder definitely shook me up. There was one moment i feel like I almost literally jumped into Lindsay's arms haha!
But it turned out to be a lovely experience and even though I picked the wrong campsite, the one we ended up staying at turned out to be the perfect spot - right on the water with a gorgeous view of the lake! :)
Lake James (Not pictured - the TERRIFYING thunderstorms!)
Thursday
The next day I missed the sunrise which i was bummed about... but the hike was beautiful! It was nice to have a slow morning. Going canoeing and swimming were just what the doctor ordered for our first day! :) so much fun! and I think we were starting to get into our rhythm and flow a little bit! It was just loads and loads of fun! Lindsay was clutch too in terms of understanding timing and flow, etc. and then we came back and had lunch! First wraps lunch was good!
Friday:
I'm SOOOO glad I offered the suggestion to go see the sunrise at Cling'sman Dome. I was a little nervous to because i know Lindsay ain't a morning person but i'm super glad i did... another example of just identifying what you're interested in / want and then throwing it out there. There was no reason for me to be nervous to ask lindz about it!
Anyways going to see the sunrise worked out so well because it allowed us to maximize our time and the good weather hours. The sunrise was a bit of a let down haha! So cloudy and fooggy but it was cool that we were both in good spirits about it and didn't let it dampen our morning. That's one thing I was definitely grateful for with Lindz is that we both are generally really positive people and try to put a positive spin on things which i think helped things go well..
We then hiked to Andrews Bald! The hike to Andrews Bald was super cool! It was just a gorgeous hike... honestly one of my favs... hiking through the spruce fur pine trees is so cool... it's so nice and cool back there and it's a fairly easy 4 mile hike and the view from the bald's was pretty! I was grateful the weather cleared up!
Ahhh but the conversations during the hike were the best! :)
- we talked about monogamous vs non monogamous relationships... interesting how animals have one mate for different seasons perhaps a model for us to immulate (maybe not)... conclusion for me is that humans are adaptable and can do what's best for them! :)
- I loved hearing Lindsay's knowledge about plants and trees!
Lindsay recommended we do another hike which i felt a little nervous about but she was pretty excited bout it so we went for it and I'm glad we did it! We chose alum bluff which was a good call and another example of Lindsay and i working together to make a decision. It was another beautiful hike to through a dope hole in the cave and to the bluff which felt like such an interesting formation that was super unique! Then we hiked back down in perfect timing just before the rain...
Lindsay suggested we stop on the parkway which was good call because we got to appreciate the Smokies and snag one of those iconic phots for the trip! :)
OMG we were both soooooo tired when we got back i could barely move and actually took a nap. Lindsay chilled in her hammock. it was such a nice a peaceful time of rest... and then we had dinner i think the trader shoes stuff we went into town that night which also seemed like it toookk way longer than expected... our big task was making a plan for the day... initially lindsay wanted to do white water rafting so we thought about that and then thought about waterfalls but i think we were both kind tired and not able to truly make up a plan...
Saturday:
We settled on going to Bryson city and doing the triple falls hike which turned out to be PERFECT!! I was so glad Lindsay was down to do it and didn't take much convincing ... she was lovely to travel with in that way not to up tight about sticking with a plan and being super flexible! :)
And we had the best slow morning it was nice to have eggs and bacon and just go at a slower pace! :) We got into Bryson City got the pro tips from the visitor center and then got to the place we were hiking had lunch... and hit was all just so great! We agreed that the pace felt just right! We then went on the water falls hike and it was so so cool! I loved seeing three very different falls (The second one being the best) and then having the water hole to play around and swim in during the last one! Swimming felt so so lovely! and then the walk back felt great! We then walked around Bryson city which felt so nice. it was cool to just do something a lil different... we had a tough time deciding where we'd park and it was funny because at one point i wanted to go one place but Lindsay was more interested in the other place so then i was making reasons and argument for the other place but Lindsay started to do the same for my place :) haha! we finally settled on just parking and meandering around which was nice... sometimes it's best just to make the decision that makes sense... don't have to over think it. We stopped at a book store and it was soooooo glad we did! It was the coolest book store with so many neat books and interesting things! We spent like 45 mins getting lost in there and it was so so nice - i think just the break we needed! WE then finished our walk, got a beer and made some hot dogs! (Gosh everything just seemed like it flowed like we were floating doing the river) The people waving and greeting us was a funny little thing haha.
We had hot dogs for dinner and that was great and then made some smores (our fire was a big fail yikes) Glad I had my little explosive thing! And then ended the night with some Cherokee story telling which was lovely... even though I was hella hella tired! but it was just neat to listen to the story teller tell the story of his people... gosh we all need to know the story of our people of our location to the point where we could tell it to someone over a fire... story telling... such an important art form. oh it was interesting to see the museum in Bryson city
one thing that was interesting was the way the areas seemed to both honor and ignore the Cherokee.. like it was quite common to see a name or monument for Cheerokee people or a Cherokee person but it didn't seem to truly honor them. What does it look like to really honor the people right.. like to listen their story and and then be moved by it.. what would that look like with the cherokee... letting them take the lead prioritizing their flourishing... it has to be more than just a name or monument... Programs to support their flourishing would be a proper way to honor right to honorr not just the past but the flourishing of their descendants... lindz and i briefly talked about what does it look like for me to live in a healthy relationship with the tribes whose land I occupy!?
Sunday:
We decided to try and go to Peter's church... i was a little late getting finished with being ready (because of my poop) i think it was slightly annoying to Lindsay... we made it in time for the service but missed it because they randomly moved it to a different location.. .something told me to try and make the 930 one but i resisted that urge anyways it all worked out! We were able to hang with Em and talking her was like water for my soul! Definitely want to give them ore of a heads up next time.... always discuss deep topics and am refreshed with their ability to be so down to earth, honest, vulnerable and healthy. Their fresh tomatoes and pesto were also chef's kiss! Gotta learn about gardening from them! :)
We then went to CHarlotte's whitewater rafting center!!!! :) It'd been something Lindsay had talked about wanting to do but we were having a tough time figuring out how it'd fit into our flow... thankfully as I looked at the map I realized we'd be passing by the rafting center in charlotte and it was perfect! Doing a controlled 90 minute route was just perfect for our schedule and it was so fun! It was funny how excited Lindsay was hahah! :))) we were like the parents or chaperones in our boat too which was hilarious! but it was funn! like i really enjoyed the experience 100% doing the rapids was just cool! and everything just flowed so perfectly! :) Once we were done we decided to have dinner at one of their shelters and it didn't rain until we got set up and stopped just as we were wrapping up! :)
Getting to the hotel was another adventure... it was late and i think we were both tired! We played a game of trying to seeing each letter in the alphabet and that was great! haha when we got to the hotel it was booked :( something kept telling me to book the hotel but Lindsay was chill about it so i was pretty chill about it too anyways there was a moment of like oh shit. but idk i also just felt like it'd work out and it did because we ended up staying in the hotel directly across which was cheaper and everything we needed and cheaper! :) Grateful for Lindz willingness to just go with the flow and not be too upset etc although she definitely started to get a little tired and kinda slightly annoyed with me idk definitely felt a tinge of pressure to make some decisions.
Mon:
Sky diving day!!!!! Getting breakfast from Chick-fil-a was such a good call! :) filled my belly and my soul and I was ready go go! Got to the center just in time which I think stressed lindsay out slightly... it wouldve been cool if she stayed but i understood why she didn't because we initially thought it'd be an all day thing!
And the whole sky diving experiences was amazing. I was grateful to be in the first group!! and it all went by so fast and falling from the sky was just the coolest and most neat experiences... it's just such a wild sensation and experience and like whattt but then the view from the sky that high was just like unreal.... it all was just so cool and honestly went by fast!
The ride home was good as always! :) the conversation was soooo good! it was so interesting talking about her french Canadian culture and her desire to hold on to it.
Her meeting my parents was sweet they all just bonded! :) She's so cool! Chilling and resting was good and it was fun talking about the trip! :)
Staying up late talking was magical! :) Love that girl!!!
Last things:
FUnny inside jokes/happenings:
the miscommunications ex: with directions hahah! in cherokee
#the peopole waving at us!
#Lindsay being so excited about what water rafting center
# us being so particiular about the hotel after staying at a campground for 4 days haha!
Last thoughts!
Gosh what a GREAT trip! I mean for me what leaves me in awe is just how well it flowed... like it just felt perfect - all the things we wanted to do worked out! The weather was great we ralrey argued or disagreed and even the things we didn't plan were perfect.. (Going to the booksotre, findig out about the cherokee storytelling, etc) it was just hte perfect perfect trip. I literally can't think of a way it couold have been bettter~:) Love lindsay and hope we get to travel again together soon!
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