Sunrise.

Was up and out the door much earlier than usual this morning and as I emerged from the subway, I managed to catch a glimpse of a great golden sun beginning to rise over the New York City skyline. As the beams of light streamed through the fog that hung low over the city streets, I couldn't help but be taken aback by the beauty of it all. There's truly nothing like standing witness to the dawn of a new day-- watching as the world basks in a warm glow of renewal and rebirth.

As I made my way through the park, my mind of course wandered back to Charlottesville and to one of my all-time favorite spots to watch the sunrise-- Humpback Rocks. Nestled within the Blue Ridge Mountains, Humpback Rocks is a well-known outcrop amongst locals that provides an unparalleled, 360-degree panorama view of the Shenandoah Valley. And my goodness, it's truly breathtaking.

And if you can bear to face an early alarm --and a steep, vertical climb at twilight-- conquering the mountain in time for the sunrise is a real treat:

Fingers crossed that I'll be able to take one last trip down to squeeze in another hike before the weather turns too, too cold!