Growing up in the midwest, there wasn’t much rock to climb or any cool National Parks to explore. It wasn’t until the last four years or so that I got outdoors and finally realized what I had been missing – it was quite a bit.
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I lived in Indiana for most of my life until 2018. I’ve lived in Ohio since then. Neither state offers picturesque scenery that makes your jaw drop, but both do offer something awfully convenient: proximity to the country’s best sport climbing destination! The Red River Gorge in Slade, Kentucky feels more like my home than any house or apartment I’ve lived in and has taught me more about myself than I thought possible. Rain or shine, cloudy or sunny, the Red has always brought a sense of belonging and comfort. The Red was the first step to my transformation of my new perspective and life style – in just four short years, my desire to be outside hiking, traveling, and rock climbing bloomed over night like a wildflower in the spring time. I was psyched and craved more after each trip.
What’s funny is my first trip down to the country’s best climbing destination consisted of zero rock climbing. It was a hiking trip. I hiked the to Natural Bridge and became one of the many thousands of people who become inspired by nature’s beauty and engulfed in my surroundings. The sight from the natural bridge made me realize that I needed more of these phenomenons in my life and that I hadn’t really been living until that moment. It was months until I went back to the Red to actually do some rock climbing. I needed to commit to that aspect of my life next. Climbing was terrifying at first!
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Teacher Taylor Travels 