It was time for an exhale. It has been a crazy little year
and my mental and physical self have definitely felt the stress it. I produced more
hours of writing, planning, and studying than I’ve ever done, ever, in such a
condensed amount of time. It’s over. (at least for now) I can finally eat and
sleep like a normal person.
So this “normal” person has just gotten back from Vermont! I
drove up after Maiya’s birthday celebration on Monday. I found this cute hikers
lodge right off the long trail/Appalachian trail that has door beds for $23 a
night. Done. Exhale!
While I was checking in the woman, Ann, running the lodge,
of course was raised in NYC and of course use to be a teacher (a kinda – meant
to be moment). She told me since I was so nice and pleasant AND a NYC public
school teacher she didn’t want me in the dorms. She gave me this beautiful
private room with a real full size bed, which was a major improvement from the
mat/foam situation in the dorms, which I noticed on my way to my upgrade.
In the morning I woke up and out my window were the Green
Mountains and a lake and silence! I packed up a few things and headed to the AT
for my first solo hike of my life. It went ok. Directions and staying on the
trail are no problem for me. Snakes and other such things…… well, I gotta say,
after eight years in the city, I’m not sure if I can get the city completely
out of me, even when I’m in the woods. I may have let out a little scream when
I saw the snake and might have even clapped my hands at it…. What? Who does
that??!!
After I reached
the top of the mountain I may have looked around quickly (took a pic!) and noticed no one was
around and realized I didn’t have a plan for more snakes or coyotes (there was
a sign to “beware of coyotes” down at the trail head….. so at the top of the
mountain I realized I didn’t really know what “beware” truly meant and its
relationship to seeing coyotes. I was aware that they may be around me but that
sign didn’t really instruct me on what to do if I saw them. My legs were kinda shot once I got to
the top of the mountain because I realized I never stopped for a break. Even
so, I forced my shaky/tired legs to kinda jog/hike fast down the mountain. I
was aware of coyotes and needed to make sure I got down before one of them made
an appearance. (Note to self: do a little animal research before hiking alone
next time)
When I made it down (again, with no break) I felt super
proud of myself. I have hiked a LOT in my life. I LOVE, LOVE hiking. I love the
feeling at the top of the mountain and how good food tastes after a hike. I
have never felt scared in the woods or nature. So I realized this hiking solo
might take some time to get use to but it’ll be time well spent.
In the evening I went into town to get some dinner. It was
called “the anchor” and I left with more friends than I went in with. A rare
book collector who comes to NYC often gave me his card and invited me to attend
some Greenwich village book event. The bartender gave me the history of the
town and he gave me some good ideas for some more Vermont activities. I ate
well and had great conversations! Dessert and tea was on the back porch of this
classy café and when I was leaving the waitress in the café told me I was her
favorite customer all day! A new friend!
On Wednesday I did a little trail running. (I think I felt
like if I was moving fast enough I wouldn’t give myself a chance to think about
the snakes and stuff…. Okay I do need to add….. normally I am not afraid of
snakes and bears and stuff. It isn’t half as scary when another human body is
around; it just so happened that no other human bodies were around this time)
My legs needed a serious break after trail running so I
spent some time canoeing/sitting in the canoe and reading. NICE!
I had read about a 100 mile view that just outside of town
so before dinner I drove over to it and……. Breathtaking! The picture doesn’t do
justice. I just sat and stared and
realized that this little world that I live in is simply amazing and how I’m
thankful to have the life I have!
On my way back to town I stopped in this country Inn just to
get a pamphlet cause it looked so amazing from the outside, I just had to see
the inside. Forty-five minutes
later, having been given a free tour of the wine cellar, an info packet for
next time, and a conversation with what I must say, was a very fine looking man.
I got completely flustered when he asked who I was in Vermont with. I lied. I said I in town with four
friends and left him standing there! (who does that?? Especially when it’s a
kind and good looking man in Vermont) anyway……
I walked around town and met some more new friends. I met a
local artist, Jim, who was super talented and owned the local gallery and told
me all about wanting to bring his work to the city but he was too insecure and
nervous…… so we worked through that!!! The bookshop owner use to live in
West Chester and worked in Tribeca and told me “ Vermont is a nice place to
VISIT.” That was all she had to say for me to completely realize I don’t know
if I’ll ever be able to leave NYC.
Dinner was at the Red Covered Inn - An outdoor grill. I
ordered a half-pound of shrimp and ate it all! Washed it down with some white
wine while talking to the bartender who wanted to know everything I knew about
the man who eats 60 some hotdogs in Coney Island every 4th of July.
I let him know that even though I live in Brooklyn does not mean I condone
everything that happens there. A couple sitting at the bar were from
Connecticut and said they come to Vermont almost every weekend. By the end of
dinner and drinks the woman from Connecticut had given me her phone number and
told me I was welcome to come over to their country house and use their kayaks
and she drew me a map. Before I left I also had a list of three other lakes to
explore from the bartender who kept telling me that there was just way too much
to do in just four days, I’d have to come back.
I love that in Vermont that when they say, “so much to do” they
mean the number of hikes, lakes, and places to explore are the so much. I
really like that.
Thursday was my day of departure. I did some canoeing and
had to say my goodbye to Ann. We had spent at least an hour the night before
talking about our lives and I really like her! I told her I’d come back for
sure.
This year is so about living my life. After about a year and
a half of putting my life back together after so many friends left NY and the
time and energy I had to put into mending my broken heart, I now feel like I
have my life back. It’s not perfect and it is far from what I would have
expected my life to be at thirty, but I’m happy. These are the cards I was dealt and I’m going to play them
to the best of my ability! Thanks
for reading!
