Taking Stock at a Milestone - One-Third of 63 National Parks Completed!

For those who appreciate stats:

· 15,219 Miles Driven

· 20 States and 1 US Territory Passed Through

· 15 Weeks on the Road

· 21 National Parks Visited

· 42 Parks to Go!

I’m celebrating having completed one-third of my journey to visit all 63 National Parks this year! It has been so rewarding thus far! I hope you are enjoying my travel musings and ecotherapy postings.

In the last few days I returned to my former home of Ossining, New York where I lived for 23 years while raising my kids. I visited with Elissa, a dear friend I have known for 19 years. We met when our kids went to the same nursery school and have remained friends ever since. I also got to spend time with my dear friend Steve who I have known for 42 years (since I was in eighth grade)! Where has the time gone?

I spent some time visiting Riley’s tree that we planted at Cliffdale Farm and stopped by the cemetery for some quiet contemplation at his resting place. These visits have been difficult as so many challenging memories came back to me.

It seems every building I passed in town had some memory tied to it. They are mostly good times raising my kids in this wonderful community. I wasn’t sure how I would feel to be back after almost four years. But after a day, it felt familiar, more like home.

I ate, drank, laughed and cried. And I wished I had more time to spend with everyone.

It has been so joyous to visit with family and so many friends from all different parts of my life. The East Coast has showered me with a bounty of love which I will treasure and hold close as I head north and then back west.

As I watched the sunset over the Hudson, I reflected on how far I have come since I was last in this place and I felt completely content with where I was at this moment and excited about where I was headed next.

Thank you to everyone who has been interacting with my posts and who has supported my trip. You probably don’t realize it, but it means a great deal to me to feel connected to all of you. Keep ‘em coming!

If you’re enjoying following my journey, I would be grateful if you might consider supporting my GoFundMe https://gofund.me/af9756b8 as I travel to Maine and then head back west again to the next group of National Parks.