On Friday, I took a trip up to Gollub Park on the ridge to the North of campus. I didn’t have much of a plan and didn’t know anything about the area other than the views of the Delaware that Professor Brandes mentioned in class.

When I arrived at the entrance to the park, I was surprised to find dense forest that seemed to extend entirely down the ridge on both sides. I wandered along the trail for 10 minutes or so before coming to the fork in the trail. I still hadn’t found any great views, but decided to take the downstream path which seemed to slope down towards the river. After 20 more minutes of wooded trail, I was getting frustrated that I couldn’t really see the river… and then I stopped. Once I took a moment to examine my surroundings, I realized that for the first time all week, everything around me was almost completely silent. I could even hear the leaves rustling as the breeze drifted through the trees. It was an incredibly peaceful moment.

At some point, about 25 minutes in, I decided to turn back towards the fork in the trail. When I reached the intersection, I continued straight. I only had to hike another hundred yards or so before I encountered a large outcropping of rocks that looked out over the Delaware. It was awesome!

I hadn’t known where I was going, but throughout my walk in the woods, I felt at ease. As we talked about on our kayaking trip, there is a sense of freedom that many of us feel when we get off campus and into nature.

Inspired by my experience getting “lost” in Gollub Park, I decided to spend the rest of the afternoon exploring. When I got back to my car (sorry, I drove there), I decided that I was going to take a right down the backside of the ridge and away from Lafayette. With no plan and a minimal sense of direction, I drove what seemed to be North for about 30 minutes. For miles, I passed nothing but corn fields, glimmering in the golden afternoon light. I had never been to this area, but just like Gollub Park, I found it to be naturally beautiful and free of the hustle and bustle of the Easton area.

When the sun started to set, I pulled out my phone for the first time in hours. “Siri, take me to Lafayette College,” I said.