Wind Dancer - Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour (Clark County, Nevada)

I've always wanted to ride in a helicopter, but have never had the opportunity. A few months ago, I was reminded of this when I saw one of those 'bucket list posts' on Facebook. I thought to myself this was a fairly easy one to check off the list, especially with a trip to Las Vegas coming up. And so, I looked at companies that offered helicopter rides in and around Sin City. I finally decided to go with Maverick Helicopters and chose their Wind Dancer tour, which flies from Las Vegas to the western part of the Grand Canyon and back.

Originally, the company offered hotel pick up, but for some reason, they stopped doing this. They notified me well in advance and since I had a rental car anyway, this wasn't really much of an inconvenience. After waking up, showering, and grabbing some breakfast I drove from Paris on the Strip just a couple of miles south to Maverick's headquarters, which is just on the edge of the airport property. My flight wasn't for almost an hour and so, I just sat back and relaxed for a bit. I was kind of tired anyway, as I didn't get into Las Vegas until late last night. 

At about 8:45am, our pilot came out and collected everyone in his group. He introduced himself, checked us in, and then quickly covered our agenda and flight plan before taking us outside into the secure area, where he showed us the Airbus EC130 we would be flying in. He gave a quick safety briefing and then loaded us into the ship - eight of us total, including our pilot.

With that, we were off. I was actually pretty amazed by how smooth the take off was. We left the ground and then hovered about ten feet off the ground while we shuttled down the side of the airport a few hundred feet and then to the area where we would really 'take off' and head into the skies over Las Vegas. There were actually a number of tours happening at the same time and so, it felt almost like we were part of a fleet of helicopters.

The view of the Strip was really neat. I've seen it from the air many, many times, but never this close. It was as though we were just floating above the massive casino resorts. Departing the city, we headed due east towards Hoover Dam, which offered more extraordinary views. We circled around a little bit, which gave us the opportunity for some amazing pictures. I've toured the dam before and driven across it many times, but seeing it from this perspective is unique.

Next we headed over Lake Mead and the surrounding desert landscape. Having explored many of these areas on foot or by jeep in the past, it was really interesting to try and get my bearings. Our pilot was great about pointing things out as we they came into view. Everyone was wearing the headphones you see in the movies and some great classic rock was playing, but frequently, he would interject interesting information about our location or historical trivia.

As we passed over the lake, I asked about St. Thomas. It seems it should be further north from our current location, but it's difficult to tell as we are nearly 1,000 feet above the desert. The pilot wasn't familiar with formerly flooded town of St. Thomas, but seemed very interested to read up on it after the tour. 

Leaving the flooded area that is Lake Mead, the Colorado River became clearly visible as it carves it's way through the sandstone desert. We flew over a saddle that the pilot referred to as Indian Pass and from there, descended into the Grand Canyon. He pointed out the Grand Canyon West Skywalk to us as we passed by it, nearly at the same altitude. 

Dropping further into the mighty canyon, we located our landing zone, which already had the other three helicopters in our 'fleet' on the ground, each near it's own picnic table. Because of some crosswinds, our pilot had to turn around fly back in from the west, which offered us even more views of the green Colorado far below us. 

I don't know the exact elevation of our landing pad, but it was probably midway up the canyon wall. With the helicopter now on the ground and the rotors now fully stopped, the pilot opened our doors and we exited the ship. The views from up here are great. He brought out a cooler and from the nearby picnic table offered us some refreshments, including a nice glass of champagne. With this kind of view, how could I turn that down. 

We remained on the ground for about 20 minutes, which gave ample time to walk around the cliff we had landed on and explore. The pilot also suggested we take advantage of some of the nearby rocks and/or bushes to tend to matters of relief (if you know what I mean). With the bubbly now gone and having devoured a small bag of pretzels, we were asked to re-enter the helicopter and were soon in the air once again. 

Before heading back to Las Vegas, it was necessary to refuel at a location that Maverick owns out in the middle of nowhere in the desert. As we landed, our three companion ships were already on the ground, which made for an interesting view and even gave impressions of a military exercise. Once on the ground, we again exited the helicopter and were able to explore some of the desert flora, while our pilot refueled the ship. The area has a lot of Joshua trees, prickly pear, cholla, and barrel cacti, and they are quite beautiful in their natural setting.

After only about 10 minutes, we were back in the ship and on our way back to the landing strip where we started. We followed a similar path, but came into Las Vegas from the north and so flew down the length of the Strip. Again, this was an amazing view and a totally unique way to experience Las Vegas. 

The trip in total was about 2.5 hours and we covered about 80-miles each way. Our pilot was great and my co-adventurers were all very nice. Quite honestly, this was a really amazing experience and I would recommend it to anyway. And now, I can cross that item off of my bucket list.

Panola Mountain to South River Trail (Rockdale County, Georgia)

I'm pushing myself pretty hard to get back into shape for some big events coming up in the spring. Today, I decided to check out the South River Trail starting at Panola Mountain State Park. This is a paved trail and part of the Arabia Mountain trail system, which is quite extensive and encompasses dozens of miles. I arrived at the parking area after showing my parks pass at the entrance to find it very cold. Luckily, I bundled up this morning. After getting my bearings, I started walking the trail. 

This paved trail was built with road bikes in mind and so, it relatively flat and I can set a good pace. It wanders through the woods of the park for the first couple of miles before turning northeast towards the South River. Along the way, I find a couple of sections that have been burned and discover an old fireplace still standing in a grove of pine trees. Not a quarter-mile further, I discover the ruins of another old house, which presumably burnt down as well. This later one has two tall fireplaces still rising from the foundation and must have been a fairly large dwelling in its day.

Just after exploring the ruins of that old house, the trail crosses a well made bridge across the South River. The bridge is large and seems very sturdy, but some of the wooden flooring has rotted away and needs to be replaced. I opt to walk along one of the cross beams just in case. The river itself is flowing slowly with  mostly clear water and either shore is covered with sand. I assume this is sand from the ancient piedmont that has been eroded away. 

The trail continues northeast and passes the Lyons Family Farm, a remnant of the early 1800's. It's been well preserved, but appears not much different from other old farm houses I've visited. Focused more on the exercise than the history today, I don't really spend any time wandering around the farm and simply continue along the trail, which now starts to turn back and run parallel to the river. 

At one point in the distance and through the trees, I see something that I think is a red backpack sitting atop a white kayak or canoe. I stare at it for a bit and even think I recognize a person there, but I decide to keep walking. A while later on the way back, I will realize that it is actually the engine block and front bumper of an old truck, which is rotted down to the frame. It's an interesting thing to see how it any way you look at it.

After reaching Miners Creek Park, I finally decided to turn around. I have plans this evening and need to get home in time to fix dinner for my family before heading off on my next adventure. The return trip is uneventful with a single exception. 

When back in the park, I take a spur trail to the Panola Mountain Overlook, which follows a long, straight boardwalk out to a viewing platform overlooking the tree-covered monadnock. Stretching out before me on the overlook is a field of lichen-covered granite, white and mint green. The landscape then falls way to the base of the mountain which rises again in the distance. Atop the mountain, which I've summited a few times over the years, it's easy to spot a few clear granite areas, where the trees have not yet taken root. 

Finally back at my car, I take off my puffy jacket and hat and prepare for the drive home. I got in about 8.8 miles today, which is not quite as much as I had wanted, but it's still not a bad day. One of my big adventures this year will have me doing a lot of road walking and so, walking on pavement like this occasionally is probably good training for my knees. I may return to this trail someday, but likely on my bike next time.

South Rockdale Park (Rockdale County, Georgia)

It rained just about all day yesterday, which prevented me from getting more trail miles in, but as the rains cleared in the evening, I started thinking I would hike with the Meetup group. Sunday, turned out to be the perfect day to hike. The group was planning to hike the trails in and around South Rockdale Park, a bit southeast of Panola mountain and about forty-five minutes from my house. It's a new place that I've never hiked, which made it a perfect choice.

I had an errand to run before the hike and so, ended up at the trailhead about thirty minutes before the scheduled start time, but before long the others started arriving. Several friends would be joining today, which always makes for a great time. The trails here are mostly mountain bike trails, which are usually unattractive to me, but these are different in that the switchbacks are spread out widely from each other. As we departed the pavement and hit the woods, it was obvious it was going to be a nice day.

After just a couple of miles, we found ourselves hiking parallel to the South River, which offered some really nice views. It seems the trail system here has been redone at some point recently, as the blazes are a little confusing and often indicate two different options when coming to a fork. Thankfully, today's leader has ridden here quite a bit and knows the way very well. Some of the older trails are covered with leaves and really difficult to find, but we manage.

At one point we stop by the river to find the foundations of a now vanished bridge. One of my friends does a quick internet search and suggests it might have been called the Daniel Bridge, as there is the remnant of a road here that dead ends at the river near where the bridge once stood. That name is as good as any - the Daniel Bridge it is. Just a bit further along the trail, we find ourselves next to rock outcropping that extends a third of the way into the river. Several of us walk out and snap some pictures. 

The next item of note is a wooden suspension bridge over one of the feeder creeks. The bridge is quite a bit of disrepair, but still seems sturdy. The far end has been destroyed and we're forced to climb over some of the wreckage to get back to ground level. Nothing crazy though. From there, the trails head back into the woods and away from the river. Though there is a paved bike path through the area, we do our best to avoid that and stick to the dirt. 

On our way back towards the cars, we pass a section of creek that has eroded the nearby hillside into a twenty foot muddy cliff. It's actually pretty interesting to see. Beyond that, we find the remnants of what was likely a moonshine still at some point in time. Now, it's just the rusted hull of a tank with holes in it.

Finally back at our cars, my GPS track suggests that we've hiked about 8.2 miles, which is pretty good for one of the Sunday hikes. Additionally, this was a really nice park to hike in and around. The trails are well maintained, though sometimes hard to find, and there are enough interesting things along the way to make the hike worthwhile. While several of the hikers are going to dinner afterwards, I'm headed home. What a great way to spend a day.

Amicalola Falls - Base Trail (Dawson County, Georgia)

With my wife sick and having just spent the night at the Len Foote Hike Inn, I was anxious to get back home, but I wanted to check out a very short trail to the bottom of Amicalola Falls before departing the park. When I was here a couple of years ago, this trail was shut off for construction. Today, that's not the case and I want to see what kind of view it offers of the tallest water fall in Georgia.

Driving down from the upper parking lot near the top of the falls, I follow the main road past the visitors center and park again at the northern end towards the bottom of the waterfall. The trail is paved, but climbs a steep grade up the eastern ridge towards the waterfall. There three or four places with benches for people to rest as they make the climb. Being in a hurry, I don't rest and continue upwards. I'm breathing a bit hard when I reach the best spot for a picture of the mighty waterfall. I snap a couple and then head back the way I came. This little detour only cost me about fifteen minutes and it was worth it.

Len Foote Hike Inn Loop (Dawson County, Georgia)

Continuing another tradition that I seem to have started, some months ago I decided to spend the first weekend of the new year at the Len Foote Hike Inn. Again this year, I posted it in the Meetup and one friend decided to join me, though others signed up and failed to book rooms. Unfortunately, my wife has been ill over the last few days and I felt very badly leaving her. I messaged the other friend that was going to see if he would mind leading (at the time, I didn't know the other participants hadn't booked rooms). Just after sending him the message though, I saw comment that he was going to leave early and hike up to Springer Mountain, the southern terminus of the AT (Appalachian Trail), and would just meet me at the Inn. With no other option and believing I had new hikers may not know the way, I reluctantly drove to the trailhead. My wife assured me she would be okay during my short trip.

After checking by phone from the Amicalola Falls State Park visitors center, I headed up to the trailhead and waited for the others to arrive. They never did though and as I would later find out after asking the Innkeeper to check reservations, they hadn't even booked rooms for the trail. Ah well. I departed the trailhead alone and made my way along the Hike Inn Trail towards the forest lodge, which is a very popular northern Georgia attraction. 

The trail is well marked by green blazes, while the AT Approach Trail uses blue blazes. We will take the blue blazed trail when we head back tomorrow. This trail passes a number of small water crossings, all with well-constructed bridges over them. Rhododendrons are everywhere in the low-lying areas between ridges. It is a bit of a workout, but after about 4.8 miles, I wander into the lobby of the Inn and get my room key.

One thing I love about this place is that it has hot showers. While not a luxury hotel by any stretch of the imagination, the Len Foote Hike Inn offers a comfortable get away deep in the woods of Appalachia. The rooms are quite Spartan, with a set of bunkbeds and plywood for wallpaper. It gets the job done though and offers a quiet retreat for the hustle and bustle of city life. After getting into my room, I remove my boots and rest for just a few minutes. Dinner isn't until 6:00 pm in the dining hall two buildings over. 

After a few minutes, I gather my fresh cloths and head next door to the bath house, where I enjoy a wonderful, but short shower. The Inn is run very sustainably and guests are encouraged to limit their hot water usage. Knowing the reputation this place has and supporting it's mission of sustainability, I do my best to comply. The hot shower is great though.

With sweat pants and slippers on, I head down to the sun room, the last connected room of the facility. There are a couple of families here playing games. I find a book about Benton McKaye and begin reading. Before long, my friend pops his head in and we catch up a bit while waiting for the dinner bell, which sounds promptly at 6:00 pm as advertised. 

Heading to the dining hall, we find seating with a family of four (grandfather, father, and two sons). We enjoy conversation over roast turkey, green beans, salad, mashed potatoes, and a wonderful apple-olive oil cake. I meant to get the recipe for the cake, but forgot about it. At one point, one of the volunteer Innkeepers mentions that tonight is a super moon and several people had out to the Sun Room to catch a peak. I follow suit and get an okay picture. 

Once back in the dining hall and with dinner now complete, our host offers a short lecture chronicling the life and times of Grandma Gatewood, who was the first woman to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. She did this just a few years after it's completion and well after she had reached mid-life. Carrying nothing more than a shower curtain for shelter and a homemade denim bag draped across her shoulder with supplies, she hiked the approximately 2,200 miles of the trail. She was a tough woman and makes all of us look like pansies. With the lecture complete, everyone heads back to their respective rooms. Though, it's still a bit early, I crawl into bed and do a couple of things on my phone before passing into dreamland.

I had set my alarm for 6:00 am and awoke when it sounded off near my head. My plan was to get up and get packed before breakfast, this would allow me to get back home at a reasonable time. After packing, I headed down to the dining hall to make a cup of tea and then to walk out by the Sun Room and see the rise of the morning sun with many of the other guests. 

Returning to the dining hall, everything worked to plan and after a hearty breakfast of bacon, eggs and grits, we hit the trail bright and early. The walk back to the park was uneventful and we made pretty good time. As I had hoped, we were back at our cars just after 10:00 am. My total distance for the two-day affair was 9.9 miles. I really do enjoy staying at the Hike Inn; I just wish my wife hadn't been sick and the others that had signed up had shown up.

First Day Hike: Falls to Farm (White County, Georgia)

For the third time in four years, I decided to get up early on New Years Day and join the state park service, the Find Outdoors organization, and the city of Helen for their annual First Day Hike: Falls to Farm, which is advertised as eleven miles spanning from Anna Ruby Falls in the north and leading all the way down to the Hardman Farm Historic Site just outside of Helen. This year though, I decided to post the even on the meetup and a good friend, as well as a new friend decided to join me. 

As this is a supported hike, we checked in at the farm and listened to the briefing offered by the organizers. Once we were all set, everyone loaded onto three shuttles that would transport us from the farm to the bottom of Anna Ruby Falls, and then allow us to hike back down. The weather is actually perfect today. It's a little chilly, but once we start moving, it should be ideal.

Arriving at the parking area and visitor center for the federally managed waterfall, we check in once more and then start making our way up the paved trail towards the double-waterfall, which is one of my favorites in the state. Everyone in my group is a strong hiker and so, we quickly pass several other groups along the ascent. Once at the waterfall, we stop for a moment to get a couple of pictures before turning right and starting the Smith Creek Trail down to Unicoi State Park. This event, Falls to Farm, is actually a linking of three different trails: Smith Creek Trail, Unicoi to Helen Trail, and the Hardman Farm Trail. 

I remembered the Smith Creek Trail being mostly downhill in this direction and told my friends as much, but after the third or fourth big climb they justifiably started ribbing me a bit. No pain, no gain. They don't complain all that much and actually enjoy getting the workout, as do I, but that doesn't mean they want take advantage of giving me a hard time.

Once we reach Unicoi State Park, which represents the longest section of the hike, we are greeted by one of the organizers at a small table. We check in and are offered breakfast biscuits with a huge slab of ham steak on it all wrapped in foil. It's a nice breakfast to recharge on, though I only about half of it as I'm trying to lose some weight. Through the park, we're required to do just a little bit of road walking until we reach the head of the next section, the Unicoi to Helen trail. 

This section passes uneventfully as we hike alongside Smith Creek, which will soon flow into the adolescent Chattahoochee River that passes through the city of Helen. We pass a couple of other hikers through this section. I don't believe they were part of the event, as I think there is only one trail-runner, one of the organizers, and a couple with a pair of small dogs powerwalking ahead of us. Still, it's a beautiful day and I'm glad to see folks out enjoying the holiday in the great outdoors. 

Reaching Helen, we stop at the last check point and are greeted with a granola bar. From there, we're on pavement, as we make our way through the city and eventually hit the paved Hardman Farm path southeast of town. I've spent a fair amount of time in Helen over the years, but it's really slow today. There are people walking the trail, but other than that there really aren't many people here, which is a little surprising. Perhaps, many of the bars and restaurants are closed for the holiday.

After another mile or so on the paved path, we reach out destination of Hardman Farm. We are greeted by the organizers and offered a place to sit and relax. They have water, snacks, chili and Brunswick stew prepared to refill our caloric gap. Apparently, the chili was donated by the local Waffle House and the organizers added in some fixins for it. I enjoy a small bowl and a bottle of water. My friends do something similar. Though, we're done with the hike we talk about and decide to do a tasting at a nearby winery and then possibly enjoy a German ale at one of the many themed restaurants in Helen. Our distance was about 10.2 miles - a little shy of the advertised 11, but still a great way to kick off the new year. Bring on 2026!

Buzzards Roost Loop at Rocky Face Ridge (Whitfield County, Georgia)

What better way to end the year than with getting in some decent trail miles on a completely new trail. Some time back, I saw one of the local hiking groups post an event for the Buzzard's Roost Loop at Rocky Face Ridge and I was interested in going. Unfortunately, something came up for me or weather forced the organizer to cancel or for whatever reason, the hike didn't happen. Since then, I've been looking for an excuse to check out this trail. When planning the New Year's Eve hike that I would eventually post for the Meetup I lead hikes for, I was considering two other trails, but eventually, landed on this one. 

The drive from my home is just under two hours, but the trailhead is very easy to find as it is just off of Interstate 75 a few miles south of Chattanooga, TN. Rocky Face Ridge is a long straight ridge that runs parallel to the highway. The trailhead is a large open gravel lot with a restroom and map dispenser. When I arrived, I found the other hikers from my group that had signed up and wanted to check out this new trail. We all knew each other and so we skipped the introductions and quickly started walking. 

The initial part of the trail crosses a grassy field with a well worn winding path through it. Along the way, we pass a couple of mock Civil War cannons. I don't know the exact history of this place, but we all speculate that this area must have seen battle as General Sherman marched his troops towards Atlanta. The cannons likely commemorate the battle that took place here. Before long, we pass by a home just at the edge of the wooded area that blankets the side of the mountain. From there, we are in the tree-cover.

Our path leads up the side of the ridge via a series of switchbacks. This is a popular mountain biking area and straight section of trail intersects the switchbacks at many points to provide a straight-ish downhill for those seeking an adrenal rush. Eventually, the trail levels out and we begin heading south along the eastern side of the ridge. 

At the southern tip, we are offered a magnificent view of the surrounding landscape. The ridge is not too tall, but still rises a couple of hundred feet above the surrounding plane. The view is spectacular though. We also notice that there is another trail here leading to the summit of the mountain, called Buzzard's Roost. While I consider checking that one out, I suspect it would be slightly less mileage than continuing the loop that drops down the western side of the mountain and then heads north. We choose the longer route. 

After another couple of miles, we stop for a lunch break on some rocks that litter the side of the mountain. I pull out my peanut butter sandwich and an apple, while my companions starting eating sandwiches of their own construction. My apple, the honey crisp variety, is one of the juiciest I've ever eaten and I'm forced to wipe myself clean after finishing it. We're only stopped for a few minutes and then get back to our walk. 

We pass a couple of mountain bikers along the western side and then eventually start the inevitable climb back up and over. This really is a nice trail and I bet it would be great for mountain biking. Though I don't really participate in the sport (I prefer road biking), I'll recommend this park to a couple of friends. 

Finally junction where we chose to go south earlier, we start our trek down the ridge and back towards our cars. Once we arrive a the parking lot, I check the mileage and see we got in about 10.6 miles. Not a bad way to spend the day. We say our goodbyes and head to our respective homes. I'll probably enjoy some snacks and wine with my family tonight, but early to bed, as I have another moderate hike early tomorrow morning.