We stayed at The Sassafras Treehouse on the Wander Chatt property — and it was even better than the pictures. Picture gallery is at the bottom of the post.
Turns out… we don’t do relaxing all that well.
We lasted 30 minutes sitting on the deck before we both looked at each other and said, “We need something to do.”
So… we made tequila shots. Smoked a cigar (note to self: never again). Laughed. Talked. Wandered. Honestly? It was perfect in its own weird way.
That first morning, I even did my Ladder workout right there on the deck.
Didn’t realize how far I’d come until my husband pointed out that I’d toted both carry-on suitcases up the hill and the 15 steps to the treehouse — without stopping.
That’s when it hit me — these workouts are working.
We grabbed breakfast at a tiny local spot called 136 Café on Highway 136 — a little mom-and-pop diner that felt like it belonged in a movie. Simple. Local. Good.
Then we headed to Cloudland Canyon State Park.
First stop: the Overlook Trail — flat, easy, and stunning. One mile roundtrip. Gorgeous view. Perfect for warming up.
Feeling ambitious (and still a little full of ourselves), we decided to hit the Waterfall Trail — specifically the section with 250 stairsteps straight down into the deep canyon…and then 250 more stairsteps straight up to get back out.
Right before we hiked, I downed my Energize peptide for hydration.
Y’all… we were soaked. Wringing-wet, sweat-dripping, legs-burning kind of workout.
My Whoop band clocked cardio in zone 3 the whole time. (By the way you can get a month free)
But the next morning? No soreness. That peptide worked. My legs knew I did something — but I wasn’t hobbling. One of the best parts, though? The people we met on the trail.
Folks would stop mid-hike just to chat. Dogs came by for head scratches — and you know me, I was all in for that fur therapy.
There were little bends in the trail where people gathered to rest and talk — all ages, from all over the country. Just good energy all around.
By day two of eating at the diner, we were already in full conversation with the waitress like old friends.
That night we cleaned up and had dinner at Canyon Grill — beautiful, upscale, tucked right into the woods.
I ordered the catfish… and what showed up on my plate was a whole headless fish.
They called it “Slash and Burn Catfish” (aka a crispy-fried, jalapeno-ginger-black bean situation that looked straight out of a food show). And yes — it was delicious. Plus Tiramisu for dessert!
It was the perfect quiet, kind of trip we expected…
But it was full of laughs, movement, magic (including a rainbow that showed up just for us), and memories we’ll talk about forever.
There was even slow dancing and eye gazing on the deck. Retirement with my husband is looking pretty awesome.
On the last day, we were up early, had breakfast at the 135 cafe again, and headed home.
We’re still figuring things out — like how to pack lighter. We’re used to driving and having space, but when we start traveling overseas, less will be more. But here’s something I can’t leave out…
My business has provided this kind of travel freedom. Not just the money — the time, the choices, the experiences.
And I’d feel selfish not to tell you what an extra $200–$500/month can really create: memories — not just bill payments.
Curious what that could look like for you? Here’s the door that opened everything for me.
