Escape to Bear Mountain

I LOVE FALL--the leaves changing color, layered clothing and pumpkin flavored everything.  My roommate Natalie invited me to her house an hour north of NYC near Bear Mountain to go hiking, promising amazing views of the Hudson river and mountains covered densely in orange, red and yellow trees.  All week, I looked forward to being surrounded by nature and couldn't wait to escape the city.

Staring out of the Metro North express train, the high rise projects in Harlem quickly passed into lush mountains trailing the Hudson River.  When I jumped off the train into Garrison, I felt like I stepped into a kids storybook where nature is capable of magical things (like I had arrived at Hogwarts!!).  Skyscrapers were replaced by towering autumn trees, sirens replaced by silence and the stench of trash, well was replaced by what you expect a non-stinky place to smell like.  Yes, I am dorking out over nature but it has been too long since I have left the city or have went home.

Natalie's parents were the sweetest, feeding me every second (I love parents) with fresh fruit salad, apple cider, salami provolone sandwiches, zucchini bread...it doesn't end.  We went hiking up a trail behind her house to Spy Rock.  The entire hike my feet were crunching acorns (sorry squirrels!) and freshly fallen leaves.  We were the only people on the trail, just us and the mountain--I loved it.

The rest of the day we played an intense game of scrabble, had traditional stuffed cabbage for dinner and sat next to a fire pit roasting marshmallows for smores and drinking wine.  Being so far from my family and Hawaii, I really appreciate the company of my roommates' or friends' family, reminds me that there's a lot more important things in life than just work and going out.  The only downside of this trip is I didn't get to see deer...