Recently I [Co-Editor Joe Abraham] made the pilgrimage back home to the Carolinas to attend the wedding of two of my best friends from college.

It had been three years since I've been back home, and aside from a few new fast food joints replacing ones that had failed, everything else was still intact.

The trip was wonderful as it allowed me to reconnect with friends and recharge before an exciting fall covering high school sports and the upcoming 2019 elections.

It also allowed for some reflection. At 26 it's amazing what changes you see in loved ones after even a short time away, as they have, like yourself, aged and matured. But no matter how much time passes, it's truly a great thing to see how quickly your friend group reconnects when they're all together, and it's like no time passed at all.

As I met friends of friends and new southerners, the typical question that followed was “Where do you live now?”

I told them the Catskills region in Sullivan County. What surprised me is even people I met, who rarely if at all, made a trip to the state of New York had heard of the many great resorts that are part of our area's history such as Grossingers and the Concord. They'd even heard of our area's new attractions like Resorts World and the Kartrite.

I don't know why I was surprised, considering our region is recognized as one of the premier tourism destinations worldwide. But I still thought it was pretty exciting.

While I should get the hint by now, I'm always fascinated with the unique qualities of each state in our country. A 10-hour car ride provided every opportunity to see that. From the tobacco fields in my home state, hills in Virginia, beauty of the Potomac and rock structures along interstate 81 in Pennsylvania, there was some marvelous sites.

I also traveled through our nation's capital and Wilmington, Delaware and made a pit stop in Philly on the way home for their famous Cheese Steak. Don't believe all the stereotypes you hear, Philly residents are charming, not at all like the mean spirits they are made out to be.

But the biggest takeaway was how lucky we are to live in the Catskills. I encountered a number of cities with industry ... from cigarette factories and paper mills, which smelled much worse today than when I was growing up.

And no matter how bright the sun, smog filled the air.

I realize that aside from the dead skunk encountered on most cross-country drives, the air here is very pure. And few things beat something as simple as fresh air. As fall continues to progress, we'll also be treated to some breathtaking fall foliage, that I haven't seen anywhere else.

So in conclusion, I had a blast but am happy to be back here in the Sullivan Catskills.