Good Bye, Morgantown

Mount Baker: the view from my new back door. 

After 24 years of growing up in Morgantown, West Virginia, I am packing up my bike and running shoes and heading out to the Pacific Northwest- Bellingham, Washington to be exact. Why Bellingham? It is an hour and a half north of Seattle, an hour south of Vancouver, a two hour drive to North Cascades National Park and a ferry ride to the Olympic Mountains. 

My Chevy Cavalier 

Morgantown is a great place to live, and I am truly going to miss it. I am going to miss not only my family and friends, but also the one-of-a-kind places to eat like Black Bear, Richwood Grill and New Day Bakery. I am going to miss the energy that escalates through the town on football Saturday and the hometown pride expressed by every native. I am going to miss my silver Chevy Cavalier, my trusty station wagon of 7 ½ years.  A big thanks to my dad for keeping her running and picking me up when she left me stranded. Leaving Morgantown has made my realize how many special people I have in my life and how lucky I am to be a part of this community.

View from Cooper's Rock State Forest, WV

Even though I am trading in the musket for a horned helmet (Western Washington Vikings), I will always be a Mountaineer. I promise to be a positive representative of our state in whatever I do. I realize that Washington will be a big change, and I am certain homesickness is inevitable.  It will be an adventure and a true test of growth and maturity. And if I don’t like it, I know the country roads will be here to take me home.