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19 Facts About West Virginia

I'm from West Virginia which is a place a lot of people don't know much about. In fact, I've met several people that have asked me "What part of western Virginia are you from?" It's pretty crazy to be from a state that some people don't even realize exists. So I thought I would round up some cool facts about West Virginia that you might not know.   1. Are you a fan of the NBA? Did you know the white silhouette in the NBA logo is Jerry West, who is from West Virginia? He is from Kanawha County.      2. If you enjoy Mother's Day you should know that the very first Mother's Day was held in Grafton, WV in 1908. Unfortunately, the woman that created the holiday, Anna Jarvis, died in a Pennsylvania sanatarium. She actually regretted starting the holiday because she felt it had become too commercialized.      3, The city of Huntington is named after Collins P. Huntington, a man that eventually became one of the most despised railroad men in the whole county. One book even states that he came to…
Score: 1.23

Nontraditional Student in Japan

 
  Introduction  Have you ever felt that the world is outside of your grasp?  Things happen to everyone else, why would they happen to you?  That dream job you’ve always wanted, but resigned yourself to never being good enough for it?  This was what I felt even as I started at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. My life was surrounded my dead-end retail jobs and wasn’t going anywhere. After five years of this, however, I reevaluated my life.   Why did I believe that I couldn’t do more? It was time for a change. It was time for me to be more.    There was a huge gap in my life.   I spent all my life working one job after another, trying to make money, but never making anything. The jobs were boring, and I never wanted to be in any position long enough to move up and get experience at a different level.  After a divorce, I was lost. I was tired of my dead-end jobs, I wasn’t making enough money to live on my own, and leaning on other people was giving me more guilt than pleasure. How is a woman supposed to…
Score: 1.44

Eastern Kentucky: A Place Worth Exploring

When I tell people I am from Eastern Kentucky, someone usually makes a joke about the old film, Deliverance, or Colonel Sanders.   There are several ideas and stereotypes about my home state that are not all too positive in nature. Delving into those is for another day, however. Right now I want to take you on a journey through Eastern Kentucky, and show you that it is more than a stereotype. It is a place worth exploring.       Red River Gorge   The Red River Gorge is a place unknown to most unless you are a climber. The 29,000-acre expanse of forest and canyon boast some of the best climbing this side of the Mississippi. I have met people from all over the world who have come to explore the trad lines or attend Rocktoberfest at the Red.   For those of us who are not such a fan of heights, the Gorge offers ample other outdoor adventures. Take a day hike or spend a few nights on the trail to experience all this hidden gem has to offer - from arches and sweeping canyon views to peaceful waterfalls…
Score: 1.06

A Closer Look at Western South Dakota

When my husband first told me he was offered a job in Spearfish, South Dakota, I cried.   At the time, we were ranch sitting near the Wind River Range in Wyoming, after having spent a season working in southwestern Colorado - now we were moving to South Dakota? Does anyone even live there? Where are the mountains? What if we hate it   Needless to say, I had a lot of concerns and preconceived notions about what western South Dakota was like - none of which made me want to move there.  However, it was a permanent job that would open the door to permanent jobs elsewhere - and by elsewhere I mean somewhere beautiful with mountains, forests, and charming little towns, anywhere besides windswept South Dakota where the cattle population is greater than the human population.        Doubts and dithering aside, my husband and I decided we better take the opportunity while we had it. We packed our things and moved to South Dakota, with absolutely no clue of what to expect.        Whitewood In March   We arrived in the…
Score: 1.11

Wandering the Western Slope: The Charming Towns and Rugged Wilderness of Southwestern Colorado

Perhaps you have explored Denver and wandered the undulating paths of Rocky Mountain National Park; maybe you have even summited Pikes Peak - one of the most popular fourteeners in the Colorado front range. Are you familiar, however, with the less populated and equally stunning Western Slope?      The Western Slope of Colorado consists of everything in the state that is west of the continental divide. This region is considerably more remote than the front range, or Eastern Slope, which includes the larger cities - Denver and Colorado Springs.    If you are looking to avoid big cities and find solitude in the outdoors while exploring Colorado, west of the divide is the place to be. Here you will find smaller crowds, greater seclusion, and charming mountain towns boasting great food, local breweries, and lively summer festivals.     Durango, CO   I want to begin this Western Slope tour with Durango, a small city in the southwestern corner of Colorado. Durango provides all of the comforts and…
Score: 1.06

8 Must-Visit Places in Coastal Oregon - Perfect Getaway with Outdoor Explorations and Wanderings

 
On my first full day in Oregon, I met a woman who asked me how long I would be staying. I replied that I would only be there for the summer while I completed my internship. She then proceeded to warn me, with a sly smile on her face, that I should be careful or Oregon will steal my heart and I will not want to leave.    I went back home at the end of that summer, but the words spoken prophetically by the woman in the cafe rang true. I did not go to Oregon expecting it to steal my heart the way it did. It didn’t happen quickly, but rather slow, like winding up a narrow mountain path. This was not due to any lack in beauty or personality. Oregon, as far as I am concerned, is not lacking an ounce of either.          From the jagged cliff lines and dense rain forests of the West Coast to the soaring peaks of the Cascade Mountain Range, coastal Oregon is a place like no other. Meander along famous Highway 101 from North to South (or vice versa) and you will discover a vast diversity in landscape…
Score: 1.17