A few years ago, the details and points of interest of Northern Arizona were all but unknown to Paige Spowart in her native North and South Carolina. The far off distant desert lands of the west were hardly mentioned during her academic years. She grew up believing the desert had nothing to offer anyone; characterized by cracked foundations, killer heat and insects, and brittle skeletons of lost wanderers.  Arizona was not discussed or pondered, on any travel bucket list or any radar created by Spowart.

Spowart grew up in the rural suburbs of Raleigh, North Carolina, nestled in age between her older and younger sister. With the comfortable life provided by her parents, Spowart found little reason to bloom any faster than she felt necessary. She had her family, her friends, seven pets, an intimate church family, a revered private school education, and assorted after-school sports and extra-curricular weekend activities to occupy her time.

Though Spowart’s life seemed orderly, ideal and to an extent, lavished, she never felt satisfied or fulfilled.

“It was this irresistible quench for another place,” she said. “I had complacency for places and people I had not yet met. I wanted to go meet them right away.”

Though quiet in nature in her elementary years, Spowart blossomed into a social, spontaneous and humor-seeking teen with a severe case of the travel bug. She was aware of the characteristics she had developed over the years and categorized them as tools that she could later use to meet people and learn places.

“It all started with my mission trip to Guatemala with my church. One of my youth leaders asked me if I wanted to go to Guatemala with them to help build homes and serve children at a local orphanage,” said Spowart. “I remember thinking ‘who would say no to this?’”

From Guatemala, to Mexico, to Italy to Africa, years of traveling, whether for missions or class trips, Spowart felt refreshed, recharged and at the heart of it, and most like herself when she was in an unfamiliar place.

Spowart’s college career at Appalachian State University is a strong leading factor for her love of the outdoors. The University, nestled in the small town of Boone in western North Carolina, offered an academically rewarding education. The lesser-known reward of attending this University is its green rolling hills, seasonal snow peaked mountains, and its call to the simple life. Spowart felt at home in the quaint, yet adventurous town right away. The ability and readiness to see similar faces and indescribable places is the feeling of home you never knew you needed.

Post graduation and just shy of two years ago, the monotony and redundancy of day-to-day life on the East Coast became too comfortable for Spowart. She felt she had everything at her finger tips and wanted to get rid of that feeling.  At the age of 27, she yearned for a challenge and a new point of view. After many tear-filled goodbyes, three months of planning, a quick transfer of three-fourths of her clothing to the dumpster, and a set of new windshield wipers, Spowart began her cross-country journey to Phoenix, Arizona. Though Spowart had motives towards an international move, Arizona was a humble stepping stone for Spowart as her sister had recently moved there with her husband.

The first two weeks of her new chapter in Phoenix, were full of job interviews and scouting out places to hike and explore.

“Phoenix itself does not have much to offer for hiking, but so many places surrounding Phoenix that dip down into its valleys are rich with lengthy hikes, beautiful wildlife, surprising terrain and water! Water was the real kicker for me,” Spowart said.

Spowart has enjoyed getting outside and, more particularly, hiking since she started traveling at a young age.

“The best way to get to know your home, where you live, is to get outside and pursue its surroundings. There’s more than you think,” she said.

Many of Spowart’s hikes led her to all sides of the state, except for the utmost North. Martin Stamat, a North Carolina native and four-year resident in Northern Arizona, was a very dear and distant friend to Spowart. The two attended Appalachian State University together, as well as, worked together at a local resort that overlooked the Blue Ridge Mountains. Like that of Spowart’s, Stamat had done a similar move to the West coast years before and raved of the wonder of his new home. Spowart and Stamat had ept in touch.

Phoenix, though a heavily populated city with plenty to offer, was not exactly what Spowart had in mind for the next chapter in her life. After many visits to Page, Arizona, with invitation from Stamat, Spowart found herself in constant curiosity and confusion on how such a place existed without her knowledge. The high curves of the Mesa, the cool tone of vegetation speckled across the red desert, and the deep blue green of the Colorado River were mesmerizing.

Though Stamat introduced Spowart to many hikes on her consistent visits to explore Page, Stamat explained that they had only seen such a small percentage of the area and there was way more than they could imagine. Spowart was captivated by the landscape. It’s surprising, unmatched beauty and its endless identity kept Spowart thrilled. Spowart made the move to Page in September of 2017.

Today, Spowart and Stamat are dating. The two love to explore as many parts of the desert country as each weekend allows. They can be found driving the streets of Page in Stamat’s refashioned Jeep with their dog, Paria, anxiously panting for their next adventure. Likeminded, the two seek to not only learn more about northern Arizona and southern Utah, but to help protect and conserve it so everyone can do the same. Spowart has joined the non-profit team at the Glen Canyon Natural History Association as well as the team at The Chronicle. 

Through her employment efforts here in Page, Spowart is learning more about the area and its people every day. The small town, the large spanning landscape and the diminished need for a comfortable lifestyle, are everything she never knew she needed.

“Page, Arizona may not exist over international waters; but it exists in the country I call home,” she said. “I always thought I needed to go to the farthest borders to feel the most fulfilled. The city of Page has been so unexpected. The desert not only has the ability to nourish those planted in its foundation, but also nourishes seeds foreign to its soil. I wake up in this desert mystery and I feel nourished every day.”  

Spowart looks forward to meeting more people, learning more about her new home and reveling over both while reporting with The Chronicle.

“It’s a great excuse to get to talk about this place and its people; I am thankful I get to be the one to highlight its features,” says Spowart.