During the final week of my trip, I stayed with my parents in Maine. They live on a lake and the scenery is beautiful. Unfortunately, I failed to take many pictures. I was just so happy to make it to Maine and enjoy the feeling of being back in my original home state.

The moment I stepped into the camp, just the smell brought back so many memories. I spent my summer days here as a child and they were some of the best days of my life.

Throughout the week, I ran on the camp road and I loved every minute of it.

The food! We had lobster rolls, apple pie, and potato salad among other favorites. One downside of living in Tennessee is the lack of seafood. I missed it so much!

I enjoyed spending time with my family– who I haven’t seen in a few years– and resting up from my trip. By the time the week was over, I was ready to return to Tennessee and my beautiful Smoky Mountains.

While this trip was a blur of driving, camping, hiking, and visiting, I made many memories.

I had originally planned to record this trip as I went. That went out the window when I realized that I would be on the move and away from internet much of the time. But it was a really nice break from the world of technology. I read three books in my free time and did a lot of thinking and soul searching.

Sometimes the memories are better when you live in the moment and leave the distractions of normal life behind. I would definitely recommend taking a road trip to anyone who wants to unplug and return back to the simple life.

Happy trails!