Sometimes when you have a case of the Mondays on a Wednesday, the only thing left to do is just get in the car and drive. Fortunately, I live exactly 25 miles from the Swift Run Gap entrance to the Shenandoah National Park, so I left work early and started another journey. The adventure began on a clear hot day, 95 degrees and sunny, but by the time I stopped for gas the sky had turned omniously dark. I knew a storm was coming but I wasn’t going to let that ruin my few hours of freedom. I pushed on through the downpour and lightning to meet my friend at one of the Shenandoah overlooks, at about 3400ft. We waited for the skies to clear and selected an easy trail.
Today’s hike was about getting away from work, recharging our minds and spirits, and reconnecting with nature, not pushing ourselves to the limit. The trail was beautiful and quiet after the storm, and the only sounds we heard were the sounds of the forest. In the end we were a little tired, but refreshed and rejuvinated. Our reward? An otherworldly photo of the mist passing through the forest canopy.
Jaunting Jen 
Thanks for capturing why I love this place that I call home. The mountains call my name when ever I have the chance, I go.
May I make a copy of this print of the trail into the forest. I would like to hang it in my office.