#6 Mountains

I ♥ Mountains!!!

I had no idea how much I loved mountains, until I realized how much I miss them. Richmond is FLAT! The odd thing is the reason I always wanted to live in Virginia is because I remembered it as green rolling hills.

Hills are a rarity in Richmond!

I didn't realize how much that mattered to me until we had been living here about two years. We flew into Syracuse NY to visit Pierce's family in northern NY. Driving along the NY Thruway, I saw the foothills of the Adirondacks I suddenly felt very homesick.

Driving west on I-64 in Virginia, I never fail to feel relief when I see the mountains in the distance. The closest I get to that thrill in Richmond is driving around Echo Lake Park on Springfield Road, or driving through Bon Air. Richmond is so flat!!! How did I ever end up here?

I grew up on a big hill. I went to college in the Genesee Valley and loved going to Letchworth State Park, known as the "Grand Canyon of the East." I even had my college graduation dinner in the park.

I lived in the Berkshires after college. Why didn't I realize how important mountains were to me when deciding where to settle down?!?!

I can remember the first time I visited Pierce's hometown. I was sitting on the couch, looking out the front door, and amazed at how flat the land was near Ogdensburg NY; that should have been my first indication that mountains were part of me.

I am glad to live in Richmond. The friendships we have made here are invaluable. It's a good place to raise our children. But some way or another, I WILL live closer to mountains eventually!

Now I don't need those big huge Rocky Mountains. I'll take the Adirondacks, Berkshires, or Blue Ridge.

Several years ago, I had the amazing opportunity to visit my friend Alice in Provo UT. I flew into the airport very late at night. As she drove me to her home, I couldn't believe how low the white clouds hung. It became ominous -- the sky was dark all around except for these white clouds. I finally said something and she replied: "those aren't clouds, they're the whitecaps on the mountains!" Those mountains were HUGE!!! They were absolutely beautiful during the day, but I'll take my east coast mountains.