High Falls (DeKalb County, Alabama)

I'm on my way home from running a Half-Marathon in and around Cathedral Caverns State Park in north-eastern Alabama, but that doesn't mean I can't make a couple of stops on the way home. The first is to visit High Falls State Park near Grove Oak, AL. This park is pretty much in the middle of nowhere and when I arrive at the visitor's center, there is no one here except the receptionist and one ranger. They are friendly though and provide directions to the best viewing locations for the falls.

It's only a short walk, which is probably a good thing since my legs have already has a pretty good workout today. Arriving at Town Creek after only a hundred yards or so, I'm impressed by the waterfall. It's a powerful one and very broad. In addition the falls itself, there is an interesting arch rising from the water, which was in all likelihood carved out by the rushing creek waters. I spend a few minutes taking in the view before heading back to the car. It was only a slight detour for me, but well worth it.

Cathedral Caverns (Marshall County, Alabama)

This write-up is technically part of the previous event I wrote about, which was the Race to the Cave Half-Marathon, but due to the spectacular scenery I felt the cave deserved it's own section. The final mile or so of the race was within the cave and though I walked most of this part due to my poor eyesight, the minimal lighting, and of course, the twelve miles I had just run/walked, I think it was for the best. It kept me from falling and more importantly, allowed me to take all of the pictures included here. 

The large cave is contained within Cathedral Caverns State Park in North-eastern Alabama and is a karst-type cave meaning it was made of stone and mineral deposits. It includes one of the most beautiful stalagmite forests I've seen among all of the many caves I have visited. 

After entering the large entrance, the poured concrete path takes visitors through a gigantic chamber, roughly the size of a football field. From the amount of large boulders below the walkway, it appears much of the roof of this chamber has collapsed in eons past. 

From this large cave, we enter several chambers of stalagmites and stalactites. Jellyfish and bacon formations are very prevalent and I'm in awe of some of the gorgeous formations. One of the largest stalagmite columns ever discovered is located here. Goliath it is called and at a height of 45 feet and circumference of 243 feet it is a spectacle to behold.

There are approximately seven distinct areas within this rock forest and rather than try to describe how beautiful some of this amazing eye candy is, I'm simply going to let the pictures do the talking. It is worth noting how well preserved the rock formations in this cave are. I've visited a lot of caves where the stalactites and stalagmites had been broken off in decades past by visitors wanting to take a souvenir with them. That is not the case here, as most everything is preserved in its natural state.

The race course had us traveling through the cave making a turn and finally finishing just beyond the large chamber we started at. This is definitely one of the most stunning caves I have ever had the pleasure to be inside and I would recommend it to anyone.

Race to the Cave Half-Marathon (Marshall County, Alabama)

 

For most of the half-marathons I have run, I seek out new and interesting venues. Today, I'll be running the Race to the Cave Half-Marathon, which begins and ends at Cathedral Cave State Park in Northern Alabama. The finish of the race is actually inside the cave, which should make this really unique. Since the drive is a little over three hours, I had decided to drive over last night and stay at a nearby hotel. This, of course, after having attended a beer festival yesterday afternoon. One of my good friends always gives me a hard time about running the day after a beer festival, but my best times always seem to come in these scenarios. That's not to say that I'm looking to set a personal record at today's race, as I'm horribly out of shape for this race.

After parking my car in the grass in the designated area, I head over to get my bib and t-shirt. It's early and the sun has only just risen, which means it's going to be a very cold start. The weather app on my phone indicates that it is only 28°. This should be fun. Luckily, I prepared for this and have running gloves, a lightweight down vest and leggings on. I check-in and then head back to the car to enjoy some heat while pinning my bib to my shorts.

A few minutes before the scheduled start time, I head back over towards the start line and get in line for the porto-potties. Got to empty the bladder before shaking it up. The line is longer than I had hoped and I begin chatting with four ladies ahead of me in line. As we realize that the race will start a couple of minutes before our turn in the facilities, I tell them that we're probably just better off taking care of business now rather than waiting in line at an aid station along the way where there are only a couple of stalls. They agree and in turn, we each do our business and then start the race a couple of minutes after the horn.

The first short section is gravel, but this quickly turns to pavement as we head out onto the park roads. I'm at the back with the walkers at the start, but soon catch up to other runners. I would estimate about five-hundred runners for this combined half-marathon and 10k event. Though it's still quite cold, I feel pretty good for the first couple of miles and maintain a decent pace. 

Soon, we hit a few hills and my pace goes from a slow run to a fast walk. I really struggle with hills and by the looks of it many runners here do as well. I change what I'm hearing in my earbuds from the driving beats of my running playlist to continue an audiobook I've been listening to. That and the cold, which doesn't seem to go away even as the sun is rising higher in the sky, probably contribute to my lack of excitement for running a lot more, though I do make several pushes along the way.

The middle miles of the race are through some extraordinarily beautiful farmland, though we're at the last day of winter and nothing has been planted yet. The rolling hills in the distance and the open fields dotted with farm houses makes for a very Rockwellian feel to this part of the race. I end up walking and talking with a few other runners along the way.

As the course begins to take us back towards the starting line and the cave, we hit a large hill and now that I've run over ten miles, there is no way my knees are going to let me ascend this thing at any speed. I resign myself to walk most of the rest of the race. At the top of the hill, we enter the giant mouth of Cathedral Caverns and from what I'm seeing inside, I don't think I will regret that decision to walk.

With about a mile left, we enter the only minimally lit walkways within the cave. Of course, this forces me to choose to run in darkness or with everything being blurry since I've been wearing my prescription sunglasses. I opt for blurry, which seems the safer of the two choices. The first section inside the cave takes us through one of the largest cave chambers I've ever seen (and I've seen quite a lot of them), from there we enter the realm of the stalactites and stalagmites. It's amazing beautiful and I think this trip through the cave justifies it's own write-up. I'll save the detail for that. 

The course surface inside the cave is wet as you might expect inside a cave and the temperature has gone up. It's probably in the high 50's in here with very high humidity. As I make my way through the twists and turns of the walkway, I take time to several pictures, but I'm also going slow so that I don't injury myself. Between my poor vision and the slippery surface, I think that's best and it will definitely affect my overall time, but the beautiful scenery I'm experiencing makes me not care so much. 

Eventually, I reach the turn and a volunteer hands me a little glow-stick, which I assume proves I made it all the way through. From here, I follow the route I took coming in and eventually return to the large room near the cave entrance to pass through the finishers' arch with an official time of 3:23:48. It's a terrible time, but I was more concerned with the journey than the destination in this case and the cave did not disappoint. I grab my medal, some refreshment, and find a seat back out in the cold March air before returning to my car and heading home. Overall, I really enjoyed this race. Finishing in such a beautiful underground venue was completely unique in my experience and I would recommend this race to anyone.

Arabia Mountain Bike Trail - Lyons Road Dead End to South Rockdale Park (Rockdale County, Georgia)

 

For a while now, I've been intending to check out the Arabia Mountain Bike Trails, which offer over thirty miles of paved and boardwalk paths for road bike enthusiasts. When one of my friends posted a Meetup event to do this, it seemed the perfect opportunity to finally get down that way.

After loading my bike onto my roof rack, it only took me about 45-minutes to make the drive to our intended starting point at the end of Lyons Road. Some of the riders were already there when I arrived. The group is planning to ride 25-30 miles, but I warned them that I probably wasn't in shape for that much and would probably turn back at some point. This will be my first ride in several months, as I'm not the biggest fan of riding my bike when it's very cold. To that end and given the early spring-like temperatures this morning, I wore several layers, including a windbreaker that I think will save me from most of the chill.

Shortly after the last rider arrived, our small group started peddling south along the paved trail. It felt pretty good to be riding again, but I knew my legs would not be up for the mileage these folks were planning. The wind whipped around my face and even with my Oakley sunglasses protecting my eyes, I felt some tears starting to form from the cold air. The ride was mostly smooth and downhill at this point, and of course the descents were really fast. 

We soon came to Alexander Lake and crossed a well-constructed horseshoe-shaped bridge across its western end. It was a nice view. From there, the trail weaved through the woods offering some uphill sections, which I struggled with a bit. Eventually, we started riding parallel to the South River. At one point we stopped to walk over a small extension bridge and get a great view of the muddy river below us. 

The group planned to ride all the way to the Monastery, which is another six miles or so, but as my legs were feeling like spaghetti, I told them I would likely turn back sometime soon and they continued on with their ride. I made it a little bit further to the entrance to the South Rockdale Park and then decided my legs had had enough. I turned my bike around and began a slow ride back to where we started. 

I'm really impressed with the quality of the bike trails here and I hope to be able to do more of them this summer. I'm only disappointed that I wasn't in better riding shape for today's adventure, but I still managed to ride about 11.8 miles in total.

Cabretta Beach Adventure Weekend (McIntosh County, Georgia)

The Georgia Conservancy is an outstanding organization that dedicates their efforts to protecting our natural environments and inspiring people to do the same. As part of the later, they lead several trips each year to some of the wilder parts of Georgia. I was lucky enough to join them a year or so ago for one such adventure into the Okefenokee Swamp. This weekend I'm headed to the Georgia coast for another trip with the organization. This time, we'll be camping out on Cabretta Beach and kayaking out to the nearby Blackbeard Island. This three areas make up the larger Sapelo Island, which has a rich history that we'll learn about along the way.

After the long drive, I finally reached the Sapelo Island Visitor's Center, where we will collect our gear and then ride the ferry over to the island. As folks arrive, we get to talking about the upcoming weekend. Everyone seems excited. I've visited several of the other barrier islands along the Georgia coast, but this will be my first time on Sapelo. I'm looking forward to it, as this particular island is heavily protected and can only be visited by permit, which the Georgia Conservancy arranged for the group. Shortly before our departure time, we loaded all of our gear onto the ferry and with a whistle from the boat captain, we were off.

The ferry ride through the salt marshes only takes about twenty minutes, but it offers some great views of what's to come. Upon our arrival, we unload all of the gear and place it on a long flatbed trailer with benches fashioned on either side. This will be our transport to our campground. With the twenty-five or so of us loaded on, our campground host hooks up his pickup truck to the trailer and begins the short drive to Cabretta Beach. The roads area  combination of pavement and dirt - mostly pavement as we pass through Hog Hammock, which is the only remaining Gullah-Geechees community in existence and the includes the only full-time inhabitants of the island. These people are descended from the enslaved peoples brought here against their will from West Africa in the 1700 and 1800's. Their culture is rich, as can be seen by their community. 

Finally arriving at Cabretta Beach, we unpack the trailer and settle in to the campground, which is quite expansive. I think I'm going to like our campsite quite a lot. It's very open and full of young live oaks with their spider branches spreading out. The earth is soft and should make for a comfortable night's sleep with my sleeping pad between me and it. I quickly erect my tent and get my gear sorted for the weekend. Before dinner, I decide to take a quick walk out to the actual beach. We're wedged between the salt marsh and the ocean-side beach. It's a grand location. 

Returning to the campsite, our hosts have kicked-off happy hour. The trip is partially sponsored by Creature Comforts, one of my favorite Georgia Breweries, and they sent a supply of their products to keep us hydrated. I enjoy a couple while sitting around the raging campfire and waiting for dinner. We're also treated to a table of snacks, including hummus, pimento cheese, and assorted vegetables and crackers to dip with. It's a great way for everyone in the group to get acquainted. 

Before too much time has passed, we're treated to a delicious chili for dinner, complete with all the toppings you could want. We crowd the picnic tables near our outdoor kitchen and continue conversation while finishing our dinner and drinks. After dinner, we return to the campfire, which has been built inside a ring of tabby blocks and surrounded by benches. One of our hosts mentions a hike out to the beach under the moonlight in a few minutes and several of us decide to join him.

It's only a short walk and with a nearly full moon, only the occasional headlamp is required to avoid muddy areas. The beach is made of fine white sand and with the tide currently out, we have a huge swath of it. As we make our way down way north along the beach, the ocean waves gently roll in to our right. We find a few small jelly fish that have been stranded by the waves and one larger one that is being fed on by a small crab. One of my fellow attendees picks this one up for a closer examination. 

After getting back to camp, I decide to turn in for the night. It's getting cool, but I should be plenty warm enough in under my quilt. Once settled, I quickly fall asleep and only wake a couple of times through the night.

The morning comes with a cool breeze blowing in from the ocean. Actually, it's more than just a breeze. These winds are pretty strong and a concern for our plan to kayak to the nearby Blackbeard Island. I take a walk to rouse myself from slumber and find myself back on the beach again where we had hiked last night. The winds are very strong and the waves are now pounding the shoreline. With the tide now in, there is much less beach to see. I revisit an item that caught my attention last night, but that I didn't really examine too closely. A washed up and overturned 'boat' has been wedged into the sand here by the unstopping waves and tides. However, this 'boat' is made of very uncommon materials, including blue canvas tarps, wire-ties and styrofoam. All of this has been secured around a frame of steel pipes that were somewhat hastily welded together. I wonder if this craft was used by someone trying to reach American shores? We'll likely never know, but it's interesting to think about.

Returning to camp, I'm greeted by the smell of smooth, buttery oats and fresh fruit for breakfast. I enjoy a bowl of this along with a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Soon after breakfast, we are asked to get our kayaking gear ready as we load back up onto the trailer and are transported to our launch point. From what I'm told, our kayaking guides don't believe the gusting winds will cause us much of a problem due to our planned route and the way it is protected by the shoreline. The road here is dirt and includes some deep puddles that the truck nearly gets stuck in a couple of times. There must be a foot of water in some of these, but we manage to arrive at the kayak launch without any trouble. 

Our guides give a brief overview of the plan for the day and then get everyone outfitted with a kayak. I end up with a paddling partner in a large tandem. While I'm an experience paddler, I've never been in a tandem and so this will be a learning experience. We launch our boats and gather along the shoreline waiting for everyone to be on the water before heading over to Blackbeard Island. I find myself trying to steer a little bit from the front seat, but quickly find that my efforts are not very productive. It seems the front paddler provides most of the power, while the individual in the back has much more control over the direction we are traveling. 

It's a short trip and after only twenty or thirty minutes on the water, we ground our kayaks on a long, pristine beach on the extreme southern end of Blackbeard Island. This particular island is a National Wildlife Refuge, mostly protected for migrating birds. There is no development on the island and visitation is heavily regulated. As a wilderness area, no machinery is allowed on the island, meaning the few trails that exist are cut by machete and two-man saws when necessary, instead of chainsaws as one would expect elsewhere.

We leave our boats and discuss our plan. Everyone is free to explore at their leisure, but we'll reconvene here by the boats in about an hour-and-a-half. I decide to head off into the interior alone for a bit. The coastal forest is pristine here and the ground is defined by undulations of sandy hills, grown over by the vegetation. Most of the trees here are pine, with the occasional live oak. There is also a huge amount of palmetto, which I have to fight my way through on a few occasions. There is no trail to speak of, but that makes it all the better. 

I make my way to the ocean-side beach, which stretches as far as the eye can see to the north. It's pristine and untouched, with the high winds driving in wave after wave to pound the island. Heading back into the forest, I try to cut across and meet up with the larger group that was headed west. It takes a bit of bushwhacking, but eventually, I catch up with them and continue my exploration. This really is a highlight of the trip. I enjoy seeing these untouched areas so much.

At the appointed time, we start heading back to the area where we beached the kayaks. Along the way, we spot some bald eagle nests and their residents high overhead. Cathy Sakas, a renowned expert on the bio-diversity of these coastal islands has joined us and gives a short talk about the various samples collected by the group during our explorations. These samples include seashells, sand dollars, seed pods from various plants and trees, and human refuse that has found it's way to these shores. It's interesting and she definitely knows here material.

With the talk finished, we enjoy a quick lunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, which we made before leaving camp, and then load into our kayaks and hit the water for the return trip. We'll be paddling alongside Little Blackbeard Island, which was separated from the larger section during a recent hurricane. As we make our way, a group of white pelicans eyes us suspiciously and eventually leave the water and take to the sky above us. We reach the point where we are going to leave the water, which is conveniently within walking distance of our campsite. Each in turn, we paddle our boats into a narrow slit and leave the water. As I exit the boat, I end up planting my foot in a muddy hole and sinking several inches into it. Luckily, there is a water hose back at camp.

While everyone settles, I decide to take the opportunity to take a quick shower. Yes, I said shower. I'm so used to camping or backpacking without the ability to shower, but this campsite has a bathhouse, complete with a water heater and three shower units. I love being outside, but I equally love the idea of a hot shower once my day is over. I feel so much better after cleaning up. I spend a little time outside trying to get the mud off of my shoe, which results in my primary shoes getting pretty soaked. Luckily, I brought another pair to wear. I place the wet ones on one of the tabby blocks near the campfire to dry. 

Happy hour has started once again and I enjoy a couple of beers, while we wait for dinner to be prepared. It's low country boil for dinner tonight. For those that are unfamiliar with this dish, a low country boil consists of small corn cobs, potatoes, peel & eat shrimp, and usually some form of pork sausage. Boil to doneness and add Bay Seasoning to taste. You're ready to dig in. I make a plate of food and head over to the fire. For some reason, I'm much colder right now than I have been all day. Perhaps, it's the shower. Either way, the raging campfire warms me up nicely. 

We stay up for a few hours telling tales around the campfire. Many members of the group make smores, but I'm not really wanting anything so sweet this evening and so, I remain content with the conversation and my Creature Comforts Tropicali. Around 10:30, I decide to turn in for the night. It feels good to crawl back into my tent after a day well spent and I'm quickly asleep.

Breakfast this last morning, consists of a nice egg, pepper, and sausage scramble. As we're not departing the island until 3:30pm, we have plenty of time to break down camp and get back to the ferry. Still, I don't waste much time after breakfast and soon bring my loaded pack to the trailer. I'd rather be early than late. I spend the next couple of hours conversing around the campfire and exploring the nearby area once again. It's very relaxing.

After loading the trailer, we start our trip back through Hog Hammock and toward the ferry dock, but we make a stop at the South End House, a mansion owned by several wealthy socialites over the years, including R. J. Reynolds Jr., heir to the tobacco empire. Later it was turned into a lodge and remains as a historic site. Here, we are able to explore the rooms and grounds of the mansion for an hour or so. It's quite beautiful. Our guides offer me another beer from the cooler, which they dug out from under the other gear. Who am I to turn down a could beer, and I enjoy it while sitting on the edge of an empty pool, complete with a marble statue of the Roman Goddess Venus in the center of it.

With my beer finished and our time expired, we load back onto the trailer and complete the trip to the dock. Unloading the gear is something akin to a factory assembly line and everything is stacked in minutes ready to be loaded onto the ferry once it arrives. We wait for about thirty minutes before the boat arrives and then with similar efficiency load everything onto the boat. 

And with that, my weekend adventure on Cabretta Beach is complete. We ferry over to the shore and load our gear into our individual cars. We say our goodbyes and thank the staff for a terrific weekend before going our separate ways. This truly was a magical weekend and I'm so very grateful I was able to be part of it. The islands were amazing and per their intention, the Georgia Conservancy has inspired me to do what I can to protect this area.

Bond Swamp (Twiggs County, Georgia)

 

I'm on my way to the Georgia coast for the weekend, but along the way I thought I would stop off and check out Bond Swamp, which is a wildlife refuge south of Macon, GA. I've wanted to visit this place for a while, but hadn't had a reason for the long drive until now.

Once I left I-75, it was relatively easy to find the parking area for the Beaver Swamp Trailhead. I parked my car and began exploring. I was only able to get a few hundred yards before I ran into the swampy forest floor. With all of the recent rain, much of the trail is under water right now. I turned back and hiked the opposite direction, but found similar conditions that way as well. To be honest, this area seems like it would be more interesting to hunters, who are able to use this area during specified times of the year. As for hiking, it doesn't seem to be an ideal location, but it was nice to get out and stretch my legs at least.

Big Beach Half-Marathon (Baldwin County, Alabama)

The main focus of this trip is the Big Beach Half-Marathon, being held in the gorgeous little town of Gulf Shores, AL. I'm not in shape to run a half, but I need a good kick in the ass and maybe this will be it. The drive from Atlanta to Gulf Shores is roughly six and a half hours. To break that up a little bit, I stopped at a historical fort and Native American mound site along the way. Once I arrived in Gulf Shores though, I got checked into my hotel and then immediately headed out to enjoy what the town has to offer. I've had the pleasure of visiting Gulf Shores once before, many years ago. The parents of one of my best friend's wife own a home along the beach nearby and I was able to spend a few days there kicking back and relaxing. It was a great time and I really enjoyed the area, which made it all the more desirable to return when I saw this half-marathon opportunity. 

From the hotel, I first hit a nearby brewery recommended by my buddy and then walked just a short distance to enjoy some locally caught oysters for dinner. They were delicious along with a Caesar salad. Know that I have to get up early though for the race, I decide to head back to the hotel and turn in pretty early. 

I didn't sleep all that well, but since I had allowed myself plenty of time to sleep, I think I'll be okay. I get up and get ready for the race. Walking out to my car, I fall in love with the cool, but somehow warming, ocean breeze blowing in. It should make for a great day on the race course. There is a high chance of rain later today, but I think I'll be done well before that happens. 

Finding a parking spot just a short distance from the starting line, I walk over and get my bib well in advance of the starting time. The starting corrals are right along the beach and offer a great view of the sunrise. I make use of the provided port-o-potty and finish off a bottle of water, while waiting for the race to start. It looks to be a fairly small race with maybe five-hundred participants. As the start time approaches, the call to line up in the corrals come and I make my way to the three hour section, which is what I'm hoping for. We'll see how that prediction turns out. 

At the appointed time and with no obvious gun shot or horn that I could hear, I see the runners in front of me moving forward as those in front of them move further forward and eventually start running as they pass under the arch. I make my way and begin with a pretty slow pace. The course quickly turns through a section of the town and predictably, my bladder decides to let me know that it's time for another stop. I leave the course and make use of a nearby Hardee's restroom, before returning to my slow paced run.

Soon, the course enters Gulf Shores State park along some paved paths. It's quite pretty here and all of the palms give a sense of the tropics. I can already feel myself getting tired after the first two miles and decide to walk some small up-hills. I'm not feeling bad, but I just don't have the stamina since I haven't been training. The aid stations are plentiful and spaced out at about every mile-and-a-half or so. I alternate between water and gaterade at each of them in an attempt to keep myself well hydrated. The air temperature is just about perfect hovering around sixty degrees.

After about the six-mile mark, the course turns south and then west to run along the southern border of the park. I've been doing a mix of walking and running for the past couple of miles, but maintaining a reasonable pace overall given my current physical condition. Around mile eight though, I feel the first of some shooting pains in my calves. I have felt these before when I hadn't been training regularly and tried to push myself too much. Soon, the pain intensifies and I'm forced to walk even more. It seems that the muscles used for walking don't really irritate the same spot as running does.

The course enters a salt marsh area and our path is now along very long and well-constructed board walks for the next couple of miles. I try to run a bit more at various points, but the pain becomes debilitating and after only a few steps, I'm forced back to a walk. There goes my hopes for a reasonable time. I should have known better than to try and run a half without training. Ah well, I think to myself again how this might be just the kick in the ass that I need.

The final section of the course returns runners to town and eventually along the beach to finish where we started. I cross the finish line at 3:05:18, which is ridiculously slow, but given the pain I'm experiencing in my calves right now, I really don't care about that. I grab a banana and water, as the race volunteers place my finishing medal around my neck. After that, I find a place to sit down for a few minutes. 

I'm hurting, but I need to get back to the hotel, shower, and get on the road towards home. I muster the will power to get all of this accomplished. Just as I pull out of the hotel parking lot, the rains begin and will continue for me all the way home. It was a really great and well-organized race held in a beautiful and fun little town. I just wish I had been in better shape for it and wasn't in so much pain now. I make a promise to myself that I will get back in shape starting as soon as I've recovered from this current situation.