Liberty To SoHo NYC

Braving the masses, we took in the sights at Liberty Island and then made our way over to Castle Garden in the Financial district of NYC. Making our way through Wall Street, we stopped and explored the history at Trinity Church. This is by far one of my favorite destinations in NYC. The history of these hallowed grounds is unbelievable. Taking a stroll through the grounds, you’ll quickly understand why. Leaving Trinity, we made our way to Chinatown in search of Hello Kitty memorabilia for Bailey. Dinner was had in a tiny little alleyway next to a row of small restaurants and it was absolutely amazing! After dinner we made our way toward Hook & Ladder #8 and stumbled upon The Bean, which Bailey was ecstatic about as she still hasn’t stopped talking about the Bean we visited in Chicago on a previous trip. With the sun setting, we finally made it to Hook & Ladder #8 to see the home of, you guessed it, The Ghostbusters. While we were there we did get to meet some of the awesome people of FDNY too. With the sun fully set we made one final stop for the evening at the 9/11 Memorial Pools. I have visited these both in the day and at night and it hits in a completely different way at night. It truly is a spectacle to behold and a fitting memorial to all of those who lost their lives that day and in the years to come….

Conquering Personal Boundaries

Bailey here, was pushed slightly out of her comfort zone on the way into camp. Nothing dangerous, but it pressed firmly past her preconceived limitations in her mind and did not make for a happy ride. After arriving at camp, it was like a whole new Bailey emerged. She was running around exploring everything with Fiona, happy as could be. Sure, I know what you’re thinking. The poor thing was probably scared and of course she was happy to get out of that truck.  You’re exactly right and wrong. She was scared because she had already decided the outcome of the event before she/we had even tried. We’ve all done that, haven’t we? But her happiness was not to because she got out of the truck. It was because she was pushed past her comfort zone and discovered the world didn’t end because she thought it would. She discovered life. So happiness can be directly related to life. Who would’ve thought. Sometimes we need to push our boundaries to see what lies on the other side. To grow into better, stronger versions of ourselves. 

Exploring Blackwater

Jennifer and Bailey look over the powerful Blackwater River

Nature’s power on display as the Blackwater River cascades over the rock face

On the days leading up to Overland Expo East 2021, we visited a few of the more touristy area’s in the beautiful state of West Virginia. One of those places being Blackwater Falls near Davis, WV. If you haven’t been, we highly recommend adding it to your list of attractions and places to visit. Yes, there’s a trading post (aka tourist shop/trap) in the parking lot, but don’t let that deter you. Nor the masses that you’ll come upon while making the short journey to the falls from the parking lot. It’s worth it, trust me. We recommend visiting the historical markers and info stations along the short hike down to the observation decks. We found them very interesting and they allowed us to see the falls from a different perspective. You’ll understand what I mean if you take the time to read them. We won’t spoil that for you. No bother if you choose to bypass the info centers and head straight to the falls though. Nature’s power, showcasing the beautiful waters of the Blackwater River, cascading over the rock face is by far the main attraction here and is enough to keep anyone petrified with awe.