The dating world, my job, and pretty much all of life itself has me so disgusted right that I just want to run away and hide from the world for a while, even if it’s just for a few days.
When I’m feeling like this, only the mountains really help me feel better. Not the beach, mind you, partly I think because as a result of living on Long Island even the mere thought of anything remotely resembling a beach sends me into a fit of unhinged rage, so nope, gotta be the mountains. Always has been, and always where my heart will be.
So I thought about my work schedule and the feasibility of getting away somewhere on a semi-regular basis when I get my extended weekend off. (Every other week I get 4 days off from work. Don’t you just hate me now? :-D) Anyhoo, I basically have two options: either flying, or saving the cost of airfare and a car rental by taking a short trip to one of the nearby mountain ranges within driving distance of New York.
I do love driving on the open road though, so I’ve considered a few possibilities:
White Mountains in New Hampshire: they’re easily the highest mountain range in New England, and I always have a blast every time I visit New Hampshire, so it’s definitely a strong possibility. But when I think “getaway” I’m thinking luxury cabin rental, complete with fireplace, jacuzzi, wi-fi, and neatly snuggled somewhere on the mountainside with a glorious view. New Hampshire seems to be more of a Bed and Breakfast hotspot than a log cabin destination though, so I probably won’t go that route.
Where's the log cabins???
Adirondacks in New York: I know this region like the back of my hand now. And while I love Lake George, it’s a bit too commercial for my tastes, so I’m considering Lake Placid instead, which is nestled more deeply in the epicenter of the Adirondacks and has just the right balance of rustic and civilization that I tend to favor.
Only problem, it's still New York.
Catskills in New York: I’m not sure why I continue to blow right past this area on my way to the Adirondacks, despite its convenient proximity to New York City and Long Island, but I do. Could be a bad experience I once had as a kid when my father dragged me and momsie up there to go fishing, only to spend the whole time there futilely looking for a fishing spot that WASN’T declared illegal by the state or required a permit. Dweeb. I haven’t been back since, but maybe I should give it a second look.
Mount Greylock in Massachusetts: Imagine my surprise when I discovered that Massachusetts actually had mountains. Greylock though is virtually a solitary mountain surrounded by land flat as a pancake. It’s actually pretty weird to look at, particularly from Williamstown, but it’s a mountain. The area that intrigues me though is the Route 2 byway that snakes through North Adams and Williamstown. It offered some breathtakingly sweeping views of the northwestern valleys of Massachusetts, and I remember passing by a hotel/restaurant while I was there that was perched on a cliffside and thinking, “Man, I’d love to stay there for a night or two.” I would probably get too bored after the first night though.
Off the Mohawk Trail (Route 2) . But is it mountainy enough?
Finally, I’ve thought of the Smokies in Tennessee too, but it’s just too far for a weekend getaway thing, even if they are THE place to go for luxury log cabin rentals.
If I decide to fly however, I have only one destination in mind: COLORADO. OH YEAH.
AMERICA, #$%^ YEAH
In fact, despite the added costs I’m really surprised just how easy it was for me to hop on a Frontier plane and head off to Denver, then bus to downtown and pick up a rental for cheap. It’s actually worth the added costs that I’d do this every month at the sacrifice of visiting other areas in the country (and world.) Yeah, I really loved Colorado that much. The only unknown is where to go after I land and grab my car.
If you’re experts on getaways in Colorado within driving distance of Denver hit me up with some knowledge. I need the inside scoop on cabin rentals that offer the same amenities I enjoyed when I was renting one in Tennessee, complete with jacuzzis (both inside AND out, tee hee), fireplace, LCD TVs, semi-secluded, yet with unobstructed views of sweet, gloriously purple mountains crowning my good with some brotherhood, youknowwhatimsayin?
Right now I’m checking out Estes Park as a possibility, though I like what I’m reading about Breckenridge too, which is close enough that I could revisit Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs if I have the time. Mostly though, I think I just want to soak in a jacuzzi and watch the mountains put on a show and forget about the world. Guess I’ll just have to keep researching and see what I come up with.
If you have some ideas or you have a favorite mountain getaway of your own you’d like to share, let me know in the comments. :-)
