So, camping has been a part of my life since I was a kid. I`ve always been drawn to the beauty and solitude of the woods! Can`t say I`m an every weekend camper. But, I do go about once a year. So, I`ve got roughly 50 camping trips under my belt. I`ve spent a lot of time in the woods with family and friends! 

  It can be a lot of work at times too! It`s not like you can just pack a suitcase and open it up in your hotel room.  Packing tents and sleeping bags and plenty of food. Then you`ve got to set it all up. Somehow something always seems to get forgotten too. Thankfully there`s usually a market close by.

 As long as there`s no rain I`ve always had a great time exploring the woods, sitting by the campfire, being with family and friends, and just enjoying being close to nature!

In the northern most mountainous part of New Jersey is a place called Stokes State Forest. I`ve been going there since the mid 90`s. Back then they didn`t even have hot showers! Since the very first time I was there I fell in love with the beauty and majesty and overall peacefulness of the place. I`m sure I`ve been there over 20 times. It`s the first place I ever saw a bear. I caught my biggest bass there. I`ve sat in outhouses with giant spiders looming. I even brought the kids before they were even potty trained. Stokes hasn`t changed much at all. It`s dependable, beautiful and really expansive!

In the fall of 2022 I had a weekend camping trip to Stokes scheduled. I had just been camping in the Poconos with a big group of friends and had a great time!

 For this trip, I made some half hearted invites and only my daughter was willing to go. When she bailed at the last minute I wasn`t upset. I had actually been secretly wanting to camp by myself for years. Now was my opportunity!

So, I took the 3 hour drive and arrived around mid afternoon. It was the first time I camped at a site that had a platform for the tent. Mine fit perfectly and I have to say I wish I had done this sooner. It was nice to be set up on a perfectly flat level surface. Over the years I`ve gotten more and more simplified with food too. The night before I went to the local chinese resturaunt and bought a big thing of lo mein and fried rice. It was my dinner each night. It was delicious and I didn`t get tired of it at all. I did have a campfire each night though. But, just for warmth and ambiance. I also brought a pre made quart of coffee. Just heat and drink. After the sun went down and my campfire died back, it was time to climb inside my sleeping bag and and go to bed.

 I didn`t initially plan on writing an EP while I was there. But, I did bring my 6 string ukulele and a pad of paper just in case I got inspired.

 The woods and weather were phenomenal! In October things start to quiet down at the campground. Kids go back to school and the temperature starts to cool down. Each day there were less and less people. Just the way I like it! So, on my first full day after warming up with some hot oatmeal and coffee, I went on a trail hike for about an hour. Stokes has a bunch of different trails. Probably about 50 miles or so. 

The afternoon was sun soaked. I relaxed with a beer and my uke. I soon started working on what would become Walkaway. It was the perfect song to begin this new journey. It literally felt like it signaled a change in my life! This song and camping trip started that. The lyrics mirrored my life at that very moment. I felt happy! I had just written a new song! Maybe I could do the same tomorrow...