Recently, I had the opportunity to get out of town for a minute, by myself. The destination was Hardy, Arkansas, on the Spring River. From the second I pulled into this quaint river town, my mood immediately changed from anxious to peaceful. What is it about traveling that can totally change your perspective? I was literally just two hours away from home, but my sense of self and mindset quickly improved.
While I felt a little strange about traveling without my family, I knew it was what my soul needed, and in the end it was just what the doctor ordered for all of us. Not to mention my girls encouraged me to do it, as they wanted a few boy-free days. It’s no surprise that the past six months have been hard for many of us. So much isolation and desperation — and anxiety. Sometimes you just need a break.
Getting away by myself has been on my mind for some time, especially the prospect of venturing into nature. The water, the trees, wildlife, and yes, the quiet. My batteries were low and creativity was waning. Ultimately, I needed a boost that only a road trip could deliver. Thankfully, I wasn’t completely alone, as I dragged Chalupa along to be my road dog. Chalupa is my 6-year-old pit bull/shepherd mix. She’s a 70-pound brick house with a heart of gold.
Five seconds after arriving at my friend’s cabin, I took the quick nickel tour to get the lay of the land and fell in love with what would be my new home for two days.
What was I going to do first? I could fish, swim, canoe, hike, or just chill. I’m a planner, so I first wanted to unload the groceries and make sure that Chalupa was comfortable. Once we got settled in, it was down to the dock where I tried to get Chalupa in a canoe. She thought about it but wasn’t feeling it, so I set her up on the screened-in porch for some rest and relaxation while I paddled down to the rock beach just down the way.
My trip was midweek, so the river was pretty chill with only a few beach goers enjoying unseasonably cool weather. I envisioned myself setting up like I was on the Gulf Coast, but this was a special place that I didn’t want to disturb with my beach setup. I also wanted to get back and check in on Chalupa.
Chalupa was fine, of course, and I began to cook some food and play some tunes on the smart speaker. If the pandemic has taught me one thing it’s that I like to cook and use my hands. I brought some shrimp and scallops and made some ceviche for the first night. Then I just relaxed for a bit, and after recording some music, I switched on the Cubs/Cardinals game on the radio to wind down for the night.
Day two started and I had to do some work, including jumping on a couple of Zoom calls. Once that was done, I headed into town to grab a few snacks and supplies. But the river kept calling, and before I knew it, I was back at that sweet little rock beach. This time I ran into my friend Robert, who greeted me (with distance), introduced me to his wife Susan, and showed me how to navigate the nearby waterfall. After a quick visit, they were back to their cabin to work and I was once again able to do whatever I wanted. Crazy how having no agenda can be overwhelming. So I tried to do some fishing and took Chalupa on a walk before cooking out some sausages and chilling on the dock for what felt like hours. I almost forgot how the stars look when you are out of the city. I saw two shooting stars in 10 minutes. Chalupa sat next to me the whole time on the dock, and we just listened to the river together.
In the end, I got my mojo back and recorded some new music. I also listened to some new music, went on some walks, canoed, and ate some good food, enjoyed along with some delicious beers. And then I was back home hugging on my girls. Turns out a little absence does make the heart grow fonder.
If you are able, I highly recommend getting away by your lonesome. I’m grateful for the solitude, and silence, and now I look forward to what should surely be a fun and interesting fall.
Jeff Hulett is a freelance writer, musician, and PR consultant in Memphis. He lives in the Vollintine Evergreen neighborhood with his wife Annie, two girls Ella and Beatrice, and two dogs Chalupa and Princess Freckles.