Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 69

But long after the sun settled behind
FROM FAR LEFT: Mother and daughter share a moment
far above the New River Gorge.
Laura and Rory share a moment on the forest floor. And
yet another next to the rushing river.
It's Dad's turn to hold Rory as Kiwi turns for a pose as well.
into the wild. That's what we wanted this
trip, not just for ourselves, but for our
first born too. For her to be able to feel
the earth wholly, without distraction.
So, we went into the wilderness, driving
away from the New River Gorge
Bridge, the focal point of the park, into
the gorge itself. Turning from normal
paved roads, to narrow paved roads,
to gravel, to dirt. The wilderness rising
around us with each passing change until
we were only following a narrow dirt
trail, barely wide enough for our vehicle,
through thick pines and tall cedars that
sliced the sun into strips as we passed beneath
them. When the road dead-ended
at a primitive campground at the bottom
of the Gorge beside the mighty river we
stopped. Cell phone service gone, cribs
long forgotten and all entertainment but
nature lost.
Around us the valley hummed with
life that thrives in the thick air in the final
stretch of sticky summer days. Bugs
zoomed past, birds dove for them, fish
leapt from the water, the river swam
thick and muddy.
We set up camp in the trees, rain dripping
finely around us. A damp tent with
lukewarm oatmeal sitting in our bellies
didn't seem like a good enough home for
my daughter even for a night.
the mountains after painting its way yellow
and gold through the branches of
trees and over the curve of our tent, I
laid awake with my husband asleep on
one side of me, my baby on the other,
and I felt home.
It's easy for the idea of home to transform
from somewhere you return to
when you need comfort and rest to that
of a house with an HVAC system, a full
fridge, soft beds, throw pillows and walls
that don't sag with humidity, especially
as a mother.
But somehow in all her wild rugged
beauty, with her mosquitos buzzing and
hills humming with gnats and flies, with
her open sky roof and dirt carpet, the
gorge had made a home for me. Not out
of anything that could be bought but out
of what she was.
Camping doesn't sound like it's the
same as motherhood, but perhaps they
aren't all that different. At the heart of
both is the desire to make a home, however
temporary, out of themselves. And
even when it doesn't feel like enough,
maybe, just maybe, it is.
JULY/AUGUST 2024 69

Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024

Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - Cover1
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - Cover2
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 3
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 4
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 5
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 6
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 7
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 8
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 9
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 10
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 11
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 12
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 13
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 14
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 15
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 16
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 17
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 18
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 19
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 20
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 21
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 22
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 23
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 24
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 25
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 26
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 27
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 28
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 29
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 30
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 31
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 32
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 33
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 34
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 35
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 36
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 37
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 38
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 39
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 40
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 41
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 42
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 43
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 44
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 45
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 46
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 47
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 48
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 49
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 50
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 51
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 52
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 53
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 54
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 55
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 56
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 57
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 58
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 59
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 60
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 61
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 62
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 63
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 64
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 65
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 66
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 67
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 68
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 69
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 70
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 71
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 72
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 73
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 74
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 75
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 76
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 77
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 78
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 79
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 80
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 81
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - 82
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - Cover3
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2024 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/brc-jf-2025
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-nov-dec-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-sept-oct-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-july-august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-may-june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-march-april-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-january-february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-november-december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-sept-oct-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-july-august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-may-june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-march-april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-january-february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-november-december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-september-october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-july-august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-may-june-2022
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0506
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0910
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20170102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20151112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20141112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20131112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20130910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20130708
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com