Photo left to right: Taylor Rojek, Ben Tavares, Samantha Spengler, Parul Mittal, Stephanie Huynh, Madison Hanna
In the second iteration of a remote work experience by The Pennsylvania Wilds this year, Kane — in the Allegheny National Forest and Surrounds Landscape of the Wilds — has become the temporary home to six individuals.
These participants are from all different areas of the country and have been working, living, and playing in Kane for the past month. While living in the PA Wilds region, the participants get to enjoy everything that Kane has to offer.
The walkable community offers a variety of local businesses and easy access to many outdoor recreation opportunities and attractions. This historic gem, in the heart of the Allegheny National Forest, is the perfect place for any remote worker that wants an adventurous work-life balance.
Meet the participants of “The Wilds Are Working: A Remote Lifestyle Experience,” an initiative that offers remote workers the opportunity to live and work in the towns in the PA Wilds:
Mads, or Madison Hanna, has been a digital nomad since 2017. She has traveled throughout the country, ensuring she was always surrounded by nature.
“I run my own “remote-always” brand storytelling studio, Curated Compass. I partner with brands needing a little TLC and help communicate their stories to their customers.”
She loves the freedom of working for herself and managing a remote team but also loves being outside. Though Mads had visited western PA growing up, she never had the chance to explore the PA Wilds region.
“I’ve been curious about small-town living, and I’m excited to slow things down in Kane, make meaningful relationships, and get out and explore the wilds!”
The central Jersey native turned Philly dweller, Stephanie Huynh is a product analyst for an international education nonprofit.
“While I love the hustle and bustle of city living, my boyfriend and I are very excited to explore the more rural town of Kane, PA.” What drew Stephanie to apply for this program is the fascination of a small walkable community, supporting local businesses, and spending time outdoors.
As a passionate traveler and lover of trying new things, she looks forward to hiking and biking on all the Kane trails!
Parul Mittal has lived in some interesting places throughout his life so far, including his current residence, Arlington, Virginia, Kansas City, Toronto, India, and Belgium. So what brought Parul to Kane, PA?
The Wilds Are Working program highlighted novel ways to spend the downtime while working remotely in Information Security. “For me, that means exploring the forests and trails, Kane’s community events, local eateries and businesses, and getting to know the people that make it all happen.”
Parul’s hobbies include yoga, swimming, reading, hiking, shopping, trying new foods, visiting wineries/breweries, and traveling, just to name a few. These hobbies align with many of the exciting activities available in the PA Wilds region.
The lifelong Pennsylvania resident, Taylor Rojek, resides in the Lehigh Valley. Taylor has worked for Bicycling magazine, Popular Mechanics, and Runner’s World. She recently left to work remotely with Sports Illustrated.
Taylor has embraced the travel and connection opportunities that remote work offers.
She loves biking, but she also enjoys SUPing (stand-up paddle boarding), eating ice cream, and hanging out with her dog Rosie, who is joining her in Kane, “we’re excited to take advantage of the amazing mountain biking and hiking that the PA Wilds has to offer!”
“I’m sure you’ve heard the cliché that some people live to work, and others work to live. I think I’ve found a wonderful middle ground,” Samantha Spengler described her “work-life.” She’s a journalist and loves what she does, but also loves when she logs off and indulges in hobbies.
The former Chicagoan turned Philadelphian loves city life, which includes “spending time in local coffee shops, going to trivia with friends, visiting the Wissahickon Valley Park, and often just walking around one of the city’s many neighborhoods.”
But Philly is still a city, which sets it far away from the state park hiking trails, creeks for kayaking, and backroads. Missing the “evening sound of crickets and the scattered glow of fireflies,” Sam thought the Wilds Are Working program would be a great way to experience something different without making a long-term commitment.
Ben Tavares is a mental health professional residing in Philadelphia. He had grown up in a small and rural Massachusetts, so he went to the city for a change of pace and more opportunities. The opportunity to live, work, and play in the PA Wilds piqued his interest immediately.
“I feel a comfort in small towns with familiar faces and enjoy integrating into the flow of town life. I have always felt more at peace in places where everyone knows each other’s names. This is distinctly lacking in a city of over a million people. I also have a deep love and appreciation for nature, having spent time in southern Alaska and far eastern Maine on my family’s land growing up.”
He has been thinking about moving out of Philly in the next few years, so this opportunity is a perfect way to see if the PA Wilds feels like the right place to settle down.
Because the WAW experience is supposed to give a small taste of what it would be like for the participants to actually live in a community in the PA Wilds, they were able to bring along (if possible) the people who they usually share their life with, such as partners, children and pets.
A meet-and-greet event at the Kane Manor at the beginning of the program allowed the participants to get to know each other and the community (while showing off their incredible personalities).
Stay up-to-date on the Wilds Are Working initiative at WildsAreWorking.com, or by following the PA Wilds on social media.
Is your community interested in potentially hosting the next location for the Wilds Are Working initiative? PA Wilds Center hopes to collaborate with two communities in 2023 and two additional communities in 2024. Communities are invited to submit an interest form and will be contacted by PA Wilds Center staff for further discussion as part of the review process. The deadline for submitting the interest form is November 18, 2022. Click here to learn more.
Cara Aungst lives in Central PA with her husband, two dogs and five kids (who are all taller than her). She writes about travel, innovation and industry in the heart of Pennsylvania. You can reach her on LinkedIn or by emailing CaraAungst@gmail.com.
Author: Guest Contributor
The Pennsylvania Wilds is home to more than 2 million acres of public land, 50 state game lands, 29 state parks, 8 state forests, 2 National Wild & Scenic Rivers, abundant wildlife, hundreds of miles of land and water trails, some of the darkest skies in the country, and the largest elk herd in the northeast.
The PA Wilds team is grateful to share the many stories of this region through the words and images of our talented guest contributors.