When despair grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting for their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
— Wendell Berry, The Peace of Wild Things
Naturally, this unseasonably warm weather has had me itching to go on a hike in my favorite place. So a couple days after Christmas, I decided we would take advantage of one of the last wildly mild days of my time in Kentucky and check out a new spot in Red River Gorge. So my brother, Alan, my fiancé, Ryan, and I set out to Grays Arch on a 65-degree December morning.
Read More“A wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.”
Read MoreRock Bridge is a fairly easy 1.4-mile loop that leads to a natural rock bridge (get its name now?) and a fairly large waterfall. It is the only rock bridge in the Gorge that actually spans running water, as it stretches over Swift Camp Creek. Rock Bridge Arch is what is known as a waterfall arch, where a waterfall cut through less-resistant rock, leaving the arch behind. Rock Bridge is also unique because it is composed of limestone rather than sandstone like most of the arches in the Gorge.
Read MoreI can't believe I've been home a whole summer, and this is the first time I'm getting out to Red River Gorge! (I guess that's what happens when you work the old 8-5 Monday through Friday and spend every weekend wedding venue shopping.) Luckily, I had a day free during my last weekend in Kentucky, and what a better way to spend it than heading out to the Gorge. We decided to bring along Ryan's parent's puppy, Daisy, and try out a new trail: Pinch 'Em Tight.
Read MoreThis is Ryan, my fiancé. Two weeks ago, he proposed. It was perfect (well, not really, but we'll get to that). This story starts three years ago.
Read MoreThis is Hannah, my fiancée. You may know her as a modern-day pirate as seen in the photo, or more likely as the author of this site (seeing how it's named after her and all) and you probably read her recent post about our engagement. If not, you should read that first, because it's better than mine and more original. You can read it here.
Read MoreBy the time my brother, Alan, and I finally arrived at the trailhead parking for Auxier Ridge Trail, my car was covered in dust. And as soon as we stepped out of the car, we too were covered in dust. It was a dry, hot day—which was strange because storm clouds rolled overhead intermittently, and we were graced with a few episodes of sprinkling rain. Nonetheless, it was a beautiful day to hike, as what seemed like an innumerable number of others thought, judging by the overflowing parking lot.
Read MoreLast weekend, two of my best friends from Asbury, Kari and Kayla, joined me on a road trip to Red River Gorge, entrusting me with the job of navigation since they'd never been there (I'll let you decide whether that was a good idea). Our church, lunch, hiking schedule promised to play out for the perfect Sunday afternoon of adventuring.
Read MoreAs a hard-line INFJ, I find it very difficult to do anything without extensive planning. So when my brother suggested he, my boyfriend, and I spontaneously go hiking in Red River Gorge, which we are not familiar with in the slightest, instead of Natural Bridge State Park, which I could navigate in my sleep, I had to try very hard not to refuse. As I turned left, forced to choose by the sign that indicated the Gorge could be found both ways, and my boyfriend frantically tried to find a trailhead along the new road, I had to remind myself that the best adventures are usually not created while following a bullet-point list. However, a bullet-point list can be created out of said adventures.
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