A GORGE-ous Birthday
Over the years, mini trips have easily become one of our favorite things to do in celebration of a special occasion. But in the midst of 2020 where traveling can be dangerous, we've aimed to find remote locations within a couple hours from home where we can be left to quarantine from the rest of the world. So, as Bryn's 29th birthday approached I decided to find a small Airbnb for some much needed relaxation smack dab in the middle of isolated mother nature herself. Maybe we could conjure up an adventure while we were at it!
We stayed at "The Aldo" which was one of a handful of Airbnb's on the large property called The WILDS allowing for prime quarantine time down in Stanton KY. Having all the comforts of home, this space gave us function and pizzazz and not just for us but for our oldest 2 pups who typically cannot travel with us due to space limitations as well as their health. Located in Red River Gorge, we were nestled up against a beautiful hillside that provided us with a front stage view of Mother nature herself. Delicately draped bistros illuminated the vibrantly green moss that crept up the tree trunks around us as we soaked in the energy of the trees as the sun started to begin setting.
Our first evening was spent hiking a steep and treacherous trail which led all the way up to sunset point. The old geezers lounged back at the house to rest and recharge from their long car ride in. Instead, we had a lovely little cat join us along the trail as he began leading us initially escorting us all the way to the very top! Knowing the lay of the land we named him Conrad the Comrade as he showed us the way around his kingdom. With the trail being marked as moderate - difficult in level, we had to work for our view having to scale large boulders using rope to climb our way up to the next level. This was no small feat especially for a birthday girl who is incredibly afraid of heights. (on a ridiculously steep hillside with no cell service while using tattered climbing ropes. I can't blame her there lol) But Conrad led the way climbing up first and would then sit and wait until we met him at each checkpoint before moving on. No pain no gain! And that cat has all the gains!💪🐱 But we pushed past our fears and made it back down before night fall.
Once the hike was complete our legs felt like utter jello. Never have I ever climbed a trail THAT steep before but by golly it was well worth it and was much deserving of a tall glass of wine! Our time with nature was just what the doctor ordered and so by the 2nd day when it started raining, we were ready to kick back and relax indoors. The house had a massive shuffle board table, an indoor color show fireplace, and even an XXL sized sectional that made even Kodak look small. We felt right at home and so being able to bring our pups made the whole experience that much better. This trip gave us some quality bonding time with the 2 of them that would of been extremely difficult to do with the rest of our pack being present otherwise. Our senior kids typically aren’t up for much adventuring anymore so just even being away from their house was a stimulating experience. With a concrete slab off the back doors, potty breaks were simple and quick but when the rain let up we were able to blaze a few hiking trails that wrapped around the property for some easy strolling time. They got to take naps on a massive leather couch, fetch toys across an open concrete floor plan, and eat hot dogs fresh off the campfire. What a life to live as a senior dog!
Bringing ingredients for some of our favorite meals, we cooked each dish in their fabulously stocked kitchen and enjoyed every bit of our time there as a family. The longer we’ve been together, we've learned that we prefer having an experience over giving/receiving physical items as a gift. With memories made, we always leave feeling more fulfilled with another adventure under our belts. This trip was no exception to that as we returned home with smiles on our faces and one happily celebrated Bryn. We left feeling recharged and ready to CREATE after celebrating such a special occasion in such a magical location. Inspiration sits in our back pockets as we move forward in the next phase of I AM HUMAN for 2021.