Shenandoah National Park, Zach Bryan, and a Few Unexpected Surprises

After exploring the bustle of Washington DC, we traded city streets for mountain trails and headed to Shenandoah National Park. The park is a place of rolling hills, sweeping overlooks, and endless green, but the trail we chose quickly reminded us that beauty often comes with a challenge. We set out on the Dark Hollow Falls hike, which, while short, packed quite the punch. The trail was steep and rocky, and more than once I questioned my decision to attempt it. But when we finally reached the base of the falls, the sight of the cascading water made every step worth it. There’s just something about the sound of a waterfall that erases all the struggle it took to get there. However, you know what they say, what goes down must come up, and that hike made me happy to go back to work the next day for my body to recover.

This was the view of the waterfall at the end of the Dark Hallow Falls hike.

From Shenandoah, we took a road trip north to New Jersey for something completely different—the Willie Nelson Outlaw Music Festival. The lineup was unforgettable: Zach Bryan, Chris Stapleton, and Willie Nelson himself. At the time, Zach Bryan was still early in his career, and we were already big fans. Seeing him in a smaller venue before he skyrocketed to fame made the night extra special. It felt like we were witnessing a moment in music history, surrounded by fellow fans who knew just how talented he was. What makes us laugh now were the people who surrounded us and missed Zach's show as they were primarily interested in Chris Stapleton and Willie Nelson. I bet you they are kicking themselves now.

Earlier days of Zach Bryan before he really made it.

While we were in Shenandoah, practicality also came calling. We had Amazon packages sent to a location to be picked up, which was waiting at James Madison University, so we stopped by campus to collect them. Of course, me being me, I couldn’t resist wandering into the JMU bookstore. My husband, on the other hand, was not nearly as amused and kept ushering me toward the door. I insisted, with all the passion of a die-hard fan (of that sweatshirt), that I was a “giant JMU Dukes fan” and absolutely needed that sweatshirt. (Spoiler: I got the sweatshirt. Sometimes persistence pays off!)

Not everything on this leg of the trip was fun and games, though. We had our very first encounter with what I lovingly refer to as a “nope rope”—a snake. I don’t care how harmless it might have been, in my mind it was plotting a way to slither into our Airstream and set up camp. Needless to say, I did not sleep soundly that night.

This part of our journey had it all: breathtaking nature, legendary live music, campus bookstore shenanigans, and a brush with wildlife I’d rather forget. Looking back, it was the perfect mix of adventure, laughter, and just a touch of drama—everything that makes traveling memorable.

A pretty sunset at Shenandoah National Park