Ash Wednesday! Cherry Springs and The Kinzua Sky Bridge Adventure

Written By: Ash Catcher 

Hey, it has been a minute! A lot of changes have happened in the past two weeks, I gained a lot of good things, all good things. I also gained an extra year of life so that has been nice as well. So coming off all the birthday hullabaloo I was so thankful I had the opportunity to check a few things off of my bucket list! I went to Cherry Springs for my birthday, it is the darkest spot in all of PA- about a little over 4 hrs outside of Philadelphia where I am currently residing, there is this astronomy field where you can see everything well. I saw stars like real fucking stars for the first time in my life. It was a sobering experience. Sometimes you just need to look up and realize how small you really are. I saw the Milky Way- in its raw entirety despite the clouds which kept rolling in made it all the more spooky.  There is so much more out there than you, your drama, and your bullshit.

I stayed at a beautiful AirBnB over a cafe and art gallery, about a 20 minute trip from Cherry Springs National Park, I traveled deep within the Tioga State Forest, I really needed to just get out and stick my feet on something other than concrete. On the way I made it to the Kinzua Sky Bridge- it has been something I wanted to see for years now all of these things that I wanted are finally coming to. 

This Sky Bridge was something else; it survived a tornado almost 20 years ago. So if a man made structure can withstand an environmental disaster, any problem I face in my life should be a piece of cake… uh birthday cake. I was happy to get out a bit and take some time off from work. I couldn’t tell you the last time I had 3 days off in a row. I am so thankful for this opportunity and will be consciously traveling more this summer. Slowly getting back to Ash.

I also got to see the “ PA Grand Canyon” I have never seen the real one out West but best be sure I plan to do that too. It looks like a glorified gorge, but it was only 10 minutes out of my way on my way back to Philly. So why not? It was decent, lots of people, and a pretty extensive gift shop. I really want to go back and hike in Tioga and Susquehanna State First Parks more. I just need some trees. I love that feeling of feeling small in nature. It is such a grounding experience. ​

Anyone who wants to take a hike hit me up! See you next week!

-Ash Catcher