Back On My Island. Was Looking For The Gray Man, But It Was Too Sunny Out.

Back on my island. Was looking for the gray man, but it was too sunny out.

There’s no picture on earth that could do Max Patch justice. I have been wanting to see this spot for years. Max patch was the last hike on my list that I haven’t been to yet, and the one corner of Pisgah I haven’t explored. So, I made a special trip today because it was my last Saturday before I move.

I’ve never choked up at a view before, but this place filled me with a rush of emotions. What a year it’s been. What a place to close this chapter. Max Patch is by far the most beautiful view I have seen here. Pisgah, I love you so so much.

A few days ago I found this plant nursery that use to be an old cottage, and oh my gosh!!??? The lengths I would go to live like this.

I’m moving today.

*Long post ahead*

Yesterday was my last Saturday here. This wonderful day has been the light at the end of every dark week I’ve lived through here. Living for the weekends is never a great way to exist, and this past year I have learned it the hard way.

It’s no way to live a life forever. I can’t help but reflect on this past year here at Max Patch Mountain. A huge bucket list item I’ve wanted to see for years, but never came. I have had a list of mountains and hikes I wanted to see while I was here. Max Patch was the ONLY box left unchecked. God, did I save the best for last. My last Saturday as a resident of Greenville.

Walking this loop, I think of the beautiful places I’ve seen. I am now looking at the most beautiful Appalachian landscape I’ve ever seen. I’m wondering, how can I leave something so beautiful? For some reason, I have peace in my heart leaving it behind.

When I reached the top of the mountain, I started to cry. Not of sorrow, but of closure, exhaustion, a “see you later” of sorts. So much emotion from the past year filled me. I look at something so overwhelmingly beautiful - The good side of living here.

All of this was better on paper when I decided to leave my home. I had always wanted to live near the mountains. But beauty and Saturdays are only a part of life. I may not have as many “Wow” and up moments after I move. But I know I will not have the lows I’ve had here. They were so lows. My sense of adventure was too strong here. The call of the void never left me. I HAD to hike and see something beautiful in my free time or else I would loose it.

I’ve seen all the seasons change here except fall. I’ll be honest. When I was considering moving back, I knew my lease ended in September. It was actually extremely hard for me to let autumn here go. I moved here in November after the leaves fell. I wanted to live under the canopy of the deciduous forests and their foliage. I always make a trip during the fall to see the leaves. It hurt knowing that was a sacrifice I had to make. I’ll be back, just not living here.

Maybe if circumstances were different Sunday-Friday, I would have lasted longer here. I know I’ve written so many long posts going back and forth about these decisions. It’s just so profound to me because when I moved here, I truly thought I was going to make this place a home. When winter soon hit, I was all alone, the rose colored glasses I wore to work the first few weeks quickly fell off. It didn’t even snow. The one place in South Carolina it occasionally snows and it didn’t this year.

I really thought I was going to be here for a long time. I truly believed this was going to be a new home for me. I never anticipated any of this happening. I went after a job that looked good on paper, to a place that looked good on paper. I ended up being miserable here.

Autumn is coming and I will be spending it along the coast under the pine forests. Not many colorful leaves. I will be okay. No, I do not think the ocean is as conventionally pretty as Max Patch. But, the shore is what holds what I love most in this world, and if I learned anything this past year, I know what I love the most. Fall along the coast means shrimping with dad. It means decorating coffee shops and standing on an empty beach with cool salt air. I’ve always loved the fall.

I’ll be back to the mountains soon. Already have a trip booked with my friends in October. It’s time to bid adieu to this life. Thank you Pisgah, for the best continuous Saturdays of my life.

Today, I am moving away. Packing up and driving east. With all these emotions - I am so excited to come home.

Congratulations! 🎉 🎊 I’m so excited for this. As you all know on this blog the Southeastern Coast (especially South Carolina) is extremely near and dear to my heart. So it’s so cool learning more about it. Our coastline is known for so much folklore, history, ghost stories, and much more. I eat it up every time I can get my hands on something new to learn. I love seeing snippets of my home here too.

@lowcountry-gothic this reminds me of something you would enjoy also. We got another SC friend here.

- Captain Marrow Book Reveal Trailer -

It is with great excitement that I present this trailer for the reveal of my book cover, title, and premise! I’ve been vague these years working on this project behind the scenes of running the Shipwrecked page, but the topic is dear to me and the research behind putting this book together has been immense. I assure you that despite the premise, this is in fact a pirate history book, delving into the topic. I read long ago that should you write a book, do so to fill a void in your own library - something that doesn’t exist, that you wish you had, but cannot get. I’ve aimed to fill this void, and I’m happy to announce that a follow-up Book 2 is not only planned but already over halfway complete.

I would like to preemptively thank any of you who might share the video, and I welcome any and all questions you might have regarding the book in the comments below. That being said, I’ve also already recorded a YouTube interview and a Spotify podcast which will both be going live in the coming days, in which I’m interviewed about the book and its premise. Further, I plan on making a dedicated text post this evening addressing the topic and premise of the book for those unable to watch.

Pisgah National Forest has really become a special place to me, even on the home level. What I miss so much about my home on the coast is how intimately connected I am to the Lowcountry. Knowing I am going back to it has given me so much hope for the future.

While this past year has been extremely difficult, Pisgah became a very familiar comfort for me. I use to travel, take days off from work, and get hotels just to come to Pisgah National Forest. Being a days trip away this year has been amazing. I will most definitely miss this the most.

This is a place I am very connected to. From Looking Glass to the summit of Mount Mitchell, this place will always be my home away from home. I am so very thankful to have had this escape for comfort. It’s the only place up here I truly know my way around on that intricate level.

And to think I’ve only covered a small portion of this land. I’ll always be back often.