October 11-14, 2024
*Names have been abbreviated for privacy
Friday, October 11, 2024
We left after work on Friday at 4:01 which is definitely our best time yet! I had pre-made some “Subway” sandwiches at home and packed them for the road. We had been in touch with the friends we were meeting, and we really thought we’d be the last ones to arrive. It turns out we were much further ahead than them, so we stopped at New Trail Brewing for a beer and wood-fired pizza from the food truck they had on site. The beer was okay- they mainly had IPAs which are not my favorite, but it was still good. We also enjoyed the pizza and were excited to be able to store leftovers in our fridge. They had great fire pits with seating outside as well. The overall setting was nice, but the surrounding area was kind of weird as it sat in the middle of an industrial park. Nevertheless, we had a good time.
We ended up meeting the first set of friends (M1 & M2) in the designated parking lot we had discussed beforehand. We hung out in the van, chit-chatted a bit, and then met up with the second set of friends (H & A). Once we had all said our greetings, we made our way up a gravel path to a meadow that is used as a helicopter pad at the top of a hill. It was here that we set up camp for the night. The boys (M1 and H) watched for shooting stars while the girls (M2 and A) got ready for bed. At this point, it was around midnight, and we were very tired. It had also chilled off quite a bit, so Jeff started our little diesel heater! This was our first trip using it, and it was perfect. I was so warm and toasty all night. It was definitely worth the investment!
Saturday, October 12, 2024
The girls decided that sleeping in was a must, so we woke up around 8:30, well-rested and excited for the day ahead. As I was making breakfast, A introduced us to granola bagels! It’s just a toasted bagel with cream cheese, but you put Nature Valley granola pieces on top! It sounded kind of weird to me at first, but it was so delicious and filling! We also shared some apple cider, roasted almonds, and beef jerky that M1 had brought. Our friends came prepared with really good food!
Next we went into town to look at a cute shop. Jeff and I shared a birch beer before going on a short hike to a repel site. At the site, M2 and I sat and watched as M1, H, A, and Jeffrey repelled over the side of a small, moss-covered waterfall/cliff. It was very picturesque, and I was very grateful that M2 was a bit more laid back like me. I like to hike and explore, but I’m not exactly a thrill seeker, and I was glad I had another person to visit with while the thrill seekers hung off the side of the cliff. We briefly thought about top climbing but decided to head back to the parking lot for lunch instead.
At the picnic table, we enjoyed H strumming his small guitar, eating sandwiches, and sparkling water. We then hiked through the wilderness to a swimming hole with some cliff jumping. (Mind you, it was only 60 degrees…). Once we got there, we briefly got into the frigid water and skipped some stones. A was very adventurous, and she ended up jumping off the cliff into the water! Once she swam out of the water, her body was in shock from how cold it was. She recovered, and then we made our way to a fire tower. We paid $5 each via credit card on an ancient machine to enter through a very janky, metal circular door. Paint was chipping, everything was creaky, and there were numerous messages of hope for those climbing the tower (due to people harming themselves at such a high height, I believe). As somber as that thought was, the view was breathtaking, especially with all of the pretty fall leaves. We stayed up there for a good 30 minutes taking pictures and enjoying the views.
We then went back to our campsite where we started making dinner. Jeff and I made an onion, green pepper, potato home fry dish. We also brought fudgey brownies. H and A brought ice cream, and M1 and M2 made steaks and grilled cajun/paprika corn. M1 really knows how to grill! It was the best steak I have ever had in my entire life. The seasoned crust was delicious. It really was the best camp meal we’ve ever had.
That night, we had a small fire in the dirt (that we could easily disperse and cover since we were on a helicopter pad in a meadow), talked about work and future aspirations, and then we went to bed.
Sunday, October 13, 2024
We woke up to a torrential downpour. It had actually rained most of the night. That’s one thing about our van that I don’t mind as much: rain. While it puts a damper on a lot of our day plans, I absolutely love it when it rains at night while we’re camping because it makes me all that more grateful for our van and how easy and dry our setup is. It’s also super cozy to be reading my kindle in bed, dry and warm, rain pounding on the hood of our van. It’s definitely a vibe.
As the morning continued, I made coffee for M1 and M2 as they were getting ready to go back home to spend time with family. Jeff and I hung out with H and A for a while under their canopy before we went our separate ways as well.
After everyone dispersed, Jeff and I were a bit confused as to what to do with the rest of our long weekend. I feel this way often whenever we separate from friends while camping. We love going out just the two of us, but we really feed off of others’ energy, so when they leave, it feels like a bit of a let down and we struggle to make decisions as to what to do next.
Eventually, we decided to start for home, but almost immediately, the weather started to improve and we felt guilty for cutting our time short. So, we hiked Mt. Nittany in State College, explored a creepy abandoned fire tower at the top of another mountain, and then drove 46 minutes back to Bald Eagle State Park where we camped and were able to take showers. It started raining again, and we enjoyed Wild Rice Chowder (a favorite) all warm and cozy while we watched Kara and Nate.
Monday, October 14, 2024
After getting ready for the day, we went to Waffle Shop in Bellefonte for brunch. I got strawberry waffles, and Jeff got French toast. They were very yummy. We then went to a Boote Centre to try on Blundstone boots (very nice, very pricy), visited St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store, a Goodwill with no fitting rooms (a waste of time), and an antique store with an incredibly steep driveway. We finished off our time in State College by going to Berkey Creamery and walking around campus. We enjoyed some meat sticks from the creamery on the way home and then enjoyed chicken noodle soup with Jeff’s family.
We didn’t realize it at the time, but this would be our last trip of the 2024 season! What a blessing to end such a fun year with great friends.
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