Mountain Orientation

Well after spending the last few days relaxing on the beach in Virginia Beach (and a quick trip into North Carolina's outer banks), we decided a trip to Charlottesville was in store. The last week has been exhausting, and living out of a hotel is certainly getting old. Dad and I have been running back and forth from Portsmouth to Norfolk to Virginia Beach, so a trip to the mountains sounded promising.

Since getting here, Charlottesville is quickly becoming one of my favorite places around. The University of Virginia boasts a breathtaking campus, as it is rich in history and culture. Charlottesville is a very vibrant town, and it seems to encompass the lifestyle of those living within its boundaries. It is a town with incredible character, and is very easy to fall in love with. I have a feeling that each time I visit, it is going to be harder and harder to leave.

However, most of the pictures posted here are from much smaller towns, including Lovington, Scottsville, and similar towns hardly appearing on the map. Many of the pictures are from orchards just off the highway, which happened to feature some of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen. The pictures hardly capture the depth of these orchards, but I promise their beauty does not fall short of my claim. (And just for the record, we only touched on the outskirts of the mountains. The Appalachians boast a whole different level of intensity further West of our expedition.)

As we drove through small mountain towns and passed by the incredible views, I began to wonder how differently people would view the world if they were able to experience these landscapes. There is not doubt in my mind that if all of America was like this, or at least all of America were able to experience it, our nation would be much more patriotic on the whole. I found myself to be overwhelmed by a certain pride for my country after learning of its beauty and purity.

Furthermore, the simple inspiration of these landscapes is powerful. As you drive through the mountains, orchards, and forests, the landscapes and their history seem to breathe life into you. With each town that we explored, I found myself desiring to see more. I began to realize that there is so much more to life than my troubles and everyday routine, and I've got to get out there and see it! I found myself wanting to live longer just so I could have more time to explore it all, in turn leaving me with a desire to live healthier. I figure, the healthier I am, the more life I have to breathe, the more of God's creation I get to see. It is a strange addiction and inspiration, but I am willing to bet you will find the same joy in your adventures.

My hope in sharing these pictures is that those not so close to the beautiful landscapes of our historic land would find inspiration in what I am sharing. Hopefully, it will open your mind not just to new images, but to new ideas and perspectives on life. This is a country worth exploring, one to be proud of, and it is up to you to live a lifestyle than will someday enable you to do so.