perfect timing

Sometimes life can be tiring, you know? Of course you do. Everyone knows that. Sometimes stuff happens and you get knocked down a little (or a lot), or sometimes stuff that you thought was long gone and over with catches up to you, or sometimes you just get tired of the routine and need a break. 

Well. 

That was me a week ago, before Will and I headed out on our weekend getaway to a cute little cabin just outside of Blacksburg, down in southwest Virginia. 

Tired. And ready for a break.

Our weekend away was perfect timing and a great chance to slow down, spend some uninterrupted time together, and rest up a little. 

Except we didn't really rest. We walked. A lot. But for me (and thankfully him, too), walking is as good as rest, especially when it's on a really beautiful section of the Appalachian Trail. Today I'd like to share some photos of our weekend, if you'd like to see.

Our cabin - Buck Lair. Find more information about it here.

Lovely view from the front porch.

 

This pretty little stream ran right along the bottom of the hill below the cabin.

On Saturday morning, we headed to Virginia Tech for a walk down memory lane. Although my first year was pretty rocky as I adjusted to being away from home, I greatly enjoyed the rest of my time learning and studying on this beautiful campus.

We happened to be on campus on the day of The Big Event, a day where thousands of students and other volunteers give back to the community by helping with various projects around the school and throughout the town of Blacksburg. A very cool way to live out the Virginia Tech motto, "Ut Prosim" or "That I may serve."

On the Drill Field, looking back across to War Memorial Chapel and Torgerson Bridge.

The Duck Pond - a place where I spent many an hour walking with friends or studying quietly in the sunshine. I also practiced seine fishing on the other side of that bridge, and electroshocking from the back of a motor boat that my classmates and I rode all over the pond. Have I mentioned here before how much I loved my Fisheries Science major? Amazing.

Johnson Hall - my home away from home during my sophomore year. I lived here with my great friend and roommate, Maureen, and together we spent plenty of time eating gummy bears, IM'ing each other from our desks that were right next to each other (remember IM?!), fending off the invasion of lady bugs, and once, watching a streaker in the common area during an incredible downpour. And oh yeah, we studied sometimes, too :)

After our walk around campus and a quick brunch at a restaurant downtown, we headed up to Salem where we hopped on the Appalachian Trail for an 8 mile round trip hike to McAfee Knob. We had hiked this same section of trail on our big hike back in '06, but that day we hiked 23 miles through three great overlooks - Dragon's Tooth, McAfee Knob, and Tinker Cliffs - on a day that was completely socked in with fog. This time around, it was a beautiful day and we couldn't wait to see the view from the top. That little purple flower growing through a tree stump was pretty cool, too.

Look! A tree-hugger! Love those white blazes.

And there it is. The view that we missed out on nine years ago. Well worth the trip back up.

This is our photo from our first hike up McAfee Knob back in 2006. Fog. This is a much better view of the ledge though. I had to take the one of Will a little closer up because unlike the March day back in '06 where we were alone on the mountain, April of '15 found us at the top with probably somewhere around 100 other hikers...

There were people everywhere. And the most amazing thing? A ton of them were staring at their cell phones. I was SHOCKED at the number of people we passed that were talking on or looking at their phones. I had to do some deep breathing to keep from shouting "PUT THAT THING DOWN" at every single one of them. 

A beautiful day and a beautiful hike on the AT.

On Sunday morning we had plans to meet some friends for breakfast up in Salem at 10:30, but before we headed out, we made a roaring fire in the woodstove, had a cup of coffee and enjoyed a slow and quiet morning. Someday, I would really love to have a woodstove in my house. So cozy.

Front porch, complete with rocking chairs.

Shotgun shells as cabinet door handles in the kitchen. There were also quite a few deer heads on the walls...thus the name "Buck Lair" I suppose!

Cute little bridge across the creek in front of the cabin.

After a great visit with our friends over breakfast on Sunday, we decided to change things up a little bit and take the Blue Ridge Parkway home instead of Interstate 81. A slower pace for sure, but beautiful scenery and no trucks!  Win! We planned to stop for a late lunch and quick hike at the Peaks of Otter but ended up running out of time and just heading home. Hopefully we'll do a day trip with the kids sometime this summer.

We returned from our weekend refreshed and energized and (for me anyway) ready for the last eight weeks of routines and school and homework before summer. Hopefully it won't be a full year before we head out on a weekend away again. I always love spending time with Will and getting back to the things we love to do together that we don't always have time for here at home: leisurely mornings over coffee and breakfast, long hikes, quiet evenings with hot tea and a good book. It's the simple things, you know? 

Of course you do. Everyone knows that.

P.s. Find photos of our 2014 weekend away here.