Atlanta Botanical Gardens - Garden Lights (Fulton County, Georgia)

 
It's a cold night a few days before Christmas. Each year, the Atlanta Botanical Garden puts up a barrage of holiday lights around their park and we thought it might be something that my mother would enjoy visiting. After the drive downtown to the garden, we had to wait in line in our car for about thirty minutes before we could gain entry, even though we had purchased timed tickets in advance. It's just that popular, I guess. Eventually, we got parked and headed into the gardens.

The initial area was sort of a brick courtyard with a number of trees decorated troves of green, blue, and purple lights. Lots of attendees wandered around the area. From there, we walked up to a slightly elevated terrace where a number of model trains were running through more decorated trees. As we exited this area, a fellow attendee offered us an extra drink ticket she had and after some discussion, I walked down and grabbed a whiskey-spiked eggnog and a warm cider for us to sip on as we continued our stroll through the event.

We wandered for a while down lines of rainbow colored tree sculptures, along another courtyard with lighted geometric shapes (probably made of plastic or glass) in the general shape of small trees and shrubs, and through a number of tunnels lit with strands of colored lights. From here, we dumped out near a fountain with giant floating lotus blossoms. On the other side of the fountain, a stand offering ingredients to make smores over some nearby fire pits tempted us, we opted not to partake.

From there, we entered a building meant to represent a tropical rain forest at night. Inside the humidity was almost unbearable in our winter gear, and so, we made a quick walk through. Sounds represent the night calls of the jungle ring throughout the room and green laser lights, presumably meant to simulate lightning bugs, dance on every surface as we make our way to the exit. It was interesting, but just too uncomfortable to spend much time in.

Finally, we make our way past the Ice Goddess Fountain and through the canopy among Nature's Wonders. The Ice Goddess is a giant statue set behind a beautiful water feature. Her hair is made of several lines of green and blue lights, providing a divine scene. The canopy walk takes us through a forest where long streams of colored lights hang like the tracks of raindrops from the tree tops. These streams are light activated and change patterns in coordination with numerous pieces of orchestral music blaring from loud speakers. It's a fantastic display and a great way to end a fun evening. My mother seemed to really enjoy herself; mission accomplished.

Fort Frederica (Glynn County, Georgia)

On my long drive home from Cumberland Island, I decided to stop at and explore the ruins of an old English fort. Fort Frederica was built for the sole purpose to protect English interests in the new world from the Spanish in Florida. It's about a twenty-mile detour, but I think it will be worth it. 

Once I arrive, I grab a map and begin walking around what is now a National Monument preserving the former community and military installation. Not much remains, but archaeologists have uncovered quite a lot about daily life in the town community, which was constructed mostly of tabby in the mid-1730's. The basic layout is a grid, of which street signs have been erected to give a since of the areas former organization. Excavated foundations line the roads at evenly-spaced intervals and informational signs indicate what each building is thought to have been (blacksmith, baker, candle-maker, etc.). 

Approaching the shoreline, the remains of the King's Magazine stand as a the first line of defense against approaching invaders. A battery of canons were originally here and have been returned to greet unwelcome visitors by sea. In conjunction with the fort wall that surrounded the entire community, this must have been a pretty secure location from to safeguard the waterways to Savannah. In 1742, it did just that as a battle was waged by the Spanish to take the surrounding lands. The fort held and the invaders repelled. It's amazing to be able to walk among the ruins of such a place.

Cumberland Island Adventure Weekend (Camden County, Georgia)

Off for another fun-filled adventure weekend. This time I'll be revisiting one of the first destinations I hit after my move to Georgia, Cumberland Island. It was almost exactly two years ago that I joined REI for my first bike-packing adventure during a long weekend on the largest and southernmost of Georgia's barrier islands. It was fantastic time and I really enjoyed it, but I found myself wishing I had a little more time to explore the island. For this trip, I'll again be joining REI, but for a simple camp out. The REI guides will be leading several hikes during the weekend, but they are all optional and I will have lots of time to explore on my own. REI simply provides the campsite, meals, and ferry to the island . . . oh, and some optional wine and beer in the evenings.

It's a long drive from Atlanta and with the ferry leaving the dock at 2:00 PM sharp, I need to get an early start. I packed the night before and was able to get quick shower and hit the road just after 6:00 AM, which should give me more than enough time to stop for lunch somewhere along the way. It's raining most of the way down and I note that my driver's side wiper blade is starting to rip. I start alternating the wiper speed in relation to how hard the rain is falling in the hopes that it will last me the trip. As I start approaching Savannah, the rains seems to dwindle down to and eventually disappear completely.

When I arrive in St. Mary's, Georgia, our meeting spot, I find a parking spot and walk over to the check-in. The guides do the standard COVID-19 screener and then tell me I can put my gear anywhere as we wait for the ferry to arrive. I have almost an hour to burn. I head back to the jeep and do a quick change of clothes. I had worn very comfortable items for the drive down, but I'm hoping to get a hike in once we get to the island and after getting my tent set up. So, best to change into some more outdoor-ready clothes while I have the time.

At the appointed time, we load up ourselves and our gear onto the large ferry. About sixty-five of us in all, which includes our guides, some backpackers, some adventurers going on the bike-packing trip that I did two years ago, and the rest filled in by those just going for the camp out, like I am. The ferry ride is pretty quick and I get to know some of my fellow campers as we make our way through the coastal waterways on our way to the Sea Camp Dock on the western side of the island. We quickly disembark and after a few words from the lead guide about the plan for the evening, I quickly head off to Camp Armadillo (my assigned area) to set up my tent. Some of the folks here have never been camping before and require some assistance to erect their tents. While I do help with a couple of quick questions, I have my tent and sleep system ready to go in a matter of minutes. I tell my neighbors that I'm going to head off and get a few miles in before dinner. I know they are doing drinks and hors-d'œuvres at 5:15 PM, which gives me about an hour-and-a-half to explore. 

I head out to the eastern beach, which is just short stroll from our campsite. From there, the great Atlantic Ocean opens up before me in all it's glory. I turn right to head south along the shoreline. In the distance, I see a large yellow buoy that has washed up. After about a mile-and-a-half along the beach, I see the marker for Dungeness Beach and decide to head inland to wards the ruins of the old mansion. Along the way, I encounter several wild horses busy about their business. They are cautious of me, but don't seem to feel overly threatened. Still, I give them a wide berth as I walk around them. I also encounter several armadillo, none of which seem to have gotten much wiser since my last visit to this place. 

Along the way, I spot a sign for a cemetery and decide to head through the salt-water woods a bit to check it out. Here lie the remains of some of the Miller-Green family, overlooking the southern salt marshes. Beyond, a well constructed observation deck affords me the opportunity to enjoy a spectacular sunset  It seems almost magical. Further on, I walk through the re-purposed housing of the former estate staff, now residences for the Park Service personnel. I note the magnificent live oaks here. Some of which sprawl out almost like a gigantic spider on the land. The resurrection moss is thick on some of the large low-hanging branches and with the lush green color of the moss, I assume it has been raining recently.

As I turn to head back, I had down the main road of the island, which is a combination of dirt, sand, and gravel. I spot a couple of deer running off into the palmetto woods at the site of me. One turns back to get a better look and I snap a decent picture of her, before she follows her friends. 

Arriving back at camp, I covered roughly five miles this evening, though I didn't track it. After dropping my pack, I had over to the kitchen camp and I'm greeted with a nice cold craft beer. Now, this is the way it's suppose to be. The guides have prepared some trays of charcuterie for us, while they work on dinner. A campfire is just starting to roar and I take the opportunity to chat with some of my fellow campers. They seem somewhat surprised that I was able to get in such a nice hike already, but after showing them some of the pictures on my phone, the surprise changes to mild jealousy. 

For dinner tonight, we enjoy a hearty vegetable stew along with some sauteed chicken. It's actually pretty tasty. We all enjoy more alcohol while we finish our dinner and then two our guides announce that they will be leading a night hike in a little bit. It's completely optional, but what else would I do I have to do. After we've had time for our dinner to settle a bit, those of us going on the hike group up and head out. The pace is purposely set pretty slow and I catch myself having to walk with purpose to prevent myself from getting to far ahead. Our goal is the Nightingale Trail, which I passed the trailheads for earlier, but did not explore. I'm glad it will be something new and the added benefit of the darkness adds a great element.

We spot a couple of armadillos as we make our way through the woods. An somewhat elderly gentleman ventured off at one point to find a "facili-tree" and after he doesn't return, the guides begin to get a little concerned. One of the guides starts retracing our steps, while the rest of us wait. Soon, the gentleman shows up from the opposite direction that we were expecting him from. He's fine and just got turned around a bit, but now we're stuck and the other guide is hastily making her way back the way we came looking for him. After discussing it with the remaining guide, I offer to run back and let her know that he's safe and with the group. We agree and that's exactly what I do. After about a quarter-mile, I get within earshot of the search party and let them know that they can come back, which they do.

Heading back to camp, with the entire group, we say our good night' and head off to our respective tents. This night hike was about 3.5 miles, bringing my total for the day to about 10 miles, which includes carrying my gear from the dock to the campsite. As I lay down on my sleeping pad, I think about the remainder of the weekend and look forward to what tomorrow may hold.

I awake a little before sun-up and head down to the restrooms, a short stroll away. I also decide to take advantage of the showers available there. The water is freezing cold, but it's suppose to be near 80 degrees this afternoon. I think the chances of becoming hypothermic are pretty remote. That said, I don't think I was truly prepared for that ice-cold water hitting my chest. It was quite a body shock and certainly stirred me from any thought of falling back asleep any time soon. I quickly lather up and then do my best to rinse the soap and dirt off of me under the shower-head. I'm not sure I got all of the suds, but I've had enough of this for now.

Returning to camp, I grab my mug and eating utensils before making my way back over to the kitchen camp. This morning, we have something of a continental breakfast, including bagels, fruit, oats, and the remaining charcuterie from last night. I fill a plate and chat with other campers, while I roll around plans in my head. Originally, I had considered making my way all the way to the northern end of the island, a round-trip distance of approximately 24 miles. I'm confident I could do this, but after finding out that all the water north of hear requires purification treatment and me without my filter, I decide to settle for something a little more south.

In addition to breakfast, the guides have also put out trays of meats and cheeses and other food-stores for us to make our own lunch. I opted for a ham and Swiss, along with a couple of granola bars.This should serve me well on my solo adventure across the southern end of the island. The guides will be leading a hike through the Dungeness Ruins, which I want to explore as well, but I want to get an earlier start and after cleaning my bowl and spoon, I grab my day pack and head south on the main road.

Quickly, I run directly into the shadow of the once expansive Dungeness Mansion, owned by the Carnegie family. They built the mansion in the 1880's and lived in it for roughly 40 years. The mansion was destroyed by fire in 1959, leaving a massive ruin for modern visitors to admire and explore. The grounds include several other structures a garden, a boat house, and an ice house. It must have been something in it's day with 59 rooms, but now, it just provides an interesting rest spot for black vultures to land on and wild horses to tromp around.

After passing through the main part of the grounds, I head off along the marsh trail, which is mostly on an elevated board walk above the salt marshes. In the distance, I can see a small group of wild-horses feeding on the tender grasses and overhead, more black vultures circle in search of their next meal to scavenge. That won't be me. Popping out from the boardwalk I encounter a sandy area with dead and dying trees poking out from the white sands. Even more of these flying black harbingers of death can be seen here, perched on the branches of these trees. It resembles what a post-apocalyptic landscape might look like and I capture what I think is a great shot of it.

From here, I make way back out to the beach. If I were to turn left, I would essential follow the same route as yesterday, but in reverse. I decide to head right and further south instead. I'm hoping to explore the South End Trail, should it still be there. After nearly two more miles along the beach and following in the footprints of more wild-horses, I see the black and white pole marking the trail. Heading in, I quickly get confused as to which is the man-made trail and which trails were made by the horses. Further still and I encounter an area overgrown with thorn-bushes. I try to force my way through them only to snag my shirt several times. The reports I had read suggested that this trail might be difficult to find and follow, but I'm not even sure I'm on the trail and I decide to head back to the beach. 

I stop at the long stone pier to enjoy my sandwich. I decide that I will simply make my way along the beach to the southern tip of the island. The sandwich is good and returns to me some much-needed energy. Along the way, I pass by Pelican Beach, and true to its name, a large number of pelicans are hanging out along the sandy shoreline with some of their much smaller, but more numerous distant cousins. As I've followed the beach, I encounter all kinds of the living ocean washed up on the sands, including a pair small sharks, a bird that I think is a king fisher, and several horseshoe crabs, all of which have become or will soon become food for the vultures, which even here are ever present. A reminder that nothing in life is permanent and natures recycles everything. After hitting the southern-most point, I turn and head back up the beach to my camp. I was able to get in 10.2 miles on this little trek and I'm ready to relax a bit.

Once I get back to camp, I find that I'm one of the few there, as most of the group has accompanied the guides on the Dungeness Hike. I take seat in my comfortable camp chair, tilt my hat down to block the sun, and doze off for a little while. When I awaken, the hikers are just now returning. I'm hot and sweaty and with the current temperature feeling like the high 70's or low 80's, I decide to cool off once more in that frigid shower. It's pretty much the same routine I followed this morning, but I do feel much better after having cleaned up a bit.

Just in time, I head on over to the kitchen camp and enjoy a couple more nice beers. In addition to more charcuterie, our camp chef has also prepared a delicious appetizer salad consisting of arugula, fennel, apples, thin slices of red chili, mint, and cilantro in a honey-sweetened vinaigrette dressing. It's really, really good. It's pirate night this evening and our guides have prepared a number of pirate-based activities to keep things interesting. For dinner, we'll be enjoying a low country boil pretty standard-fare in this part of the world and made by combining peel-and-eat shrimp, boiled potatoes, sausage, and small ears of corn on the cob. It's pretty tasty.

For desert, it's a smores kind of night. We're presented with several options for our chocolate and provided with a small marshmallow roasting skewer. It's rather comical explaining the concept of a smore to some of the non-campers and then watching them attempt to make them over the campfire. Those of us more experienced, try our best to provide some guidance, but in the end, making a smore is a very personal thing.

After our adventure with fire, several of us head out onto the beach for some stargazing. With Jacksonville, FL only a few miles to the south, it's not true dark-sky conditions, but it's far better than can be experienced in Atlanta. The tide has pulled the waters way out and I walk what seems like almost a quarter-mile before finally finding the sea. It's nice out here and the group is enjoying hearing about the constellations and heavenly bodies far above us.

With that, we head back to camp for the night. I crawl in my tent and notice that I have several insect bites on my arms and legs. These are likely from the "no-see-ums" that I experienced my last time on the island - small gnats and biting flies so small they can't really be seen unless you are specifically looking for them, thus the name. Regardless, they have feasted on me pretty well. I crawl under my backpacking quilt and try to doze off. It's warm and very humid. I wake sometime around midnight soaking wet with sweat, but soon fall back asleep. Around 3:00 AM, I'm again awakened by the sound of raindrops on my rain fly. It's been perfect so far on this trip; I guess we have to expect a little bit of weather. 

I finally rise from my dream state around 6:45 AM and begin packing my clothes. We'll be getting back on the ferry around 10:30 for the return trip to civilization. After I finish packing the items inside my tent, I head over for breakfast. I leave my tent up in the hopes that some of the water from the early-morning rain will dry in the time it takes me to eat. It does a little, but not much. For breakfast this morning, we're enjoying shakshouka, a North-African dish prepared by poaching eggs in a thick tomato-based sauce with onions and peppers. It's quite tasty.

After breakfast, I return to my campsite and breakdown what remains of my gear, before carrying it to the dock. There I chat with the guides as we await the arrival of the ferry. I'm sad to be leaving this relaxing and wondrous place, but I'm very glad I had the opportunity to return once again. As the ferry pulls away, the guides, who are remaining on the island for another day, wave to us and do a wave for us. As we approach the mainland, we encounter a few dolphins swimming in the shallow coastal waters. It's dreary this morning and I think everyone is now anxious to get back to their cars after the long ferry ride, though given the opportunity to remain on the island for a few more days, I suspect each and everyone one of us would have jumped at the chance. Overall, it was a magnificent experience.

Pine Log Creek Trail (Bartow County, Georgia)

 

Today, I decided to join one of the Atlanta-area outdoor groups to explore Pine Log Creek, which is a several miles north of Lake Allatoona. I was unaware of this trail system until I saw the event posting, but as the timing worked out and it was a new place to explore, I decided to give it a go. It's a little over an hour drive from my home and I left early enough to account for any traffic. You never know what crazy events you might encounter on the highways around the city. When I arrived at the parking area, I was the first one there. A couple of cars were present, but judging by the frost on their windows, I suspect they had been left there all night. It's cold this morning and I leave my coat on while I await for the others. They arrive soon after and we do a quick introduction before hitting the trail, staring with the western loop.

After a short straight-away, we cross an elevated bridge over Pine Log Creek and drop down on the other side. I took my coat off just before we left and though our pace is pretty slow, I'm already glad I made that choice as I'm starting to warm up just by moving. The leaves have mostly fallen and cover the trail like a blanket, but the indention left by previous trekkers leaves little doubt of the path. As we follow alongside a steep hillside above a feeder creek, I notice and point out a wasp next affixed to two tree branches and suspended far above the ground on the far side of the gully.

The four of us trek on, while getting into discussions on various topics including wine, the pandemic, a brief history of the Jewish people, Roman architectural challenges, and a myriad of other fascinating topics. All the while, we make our way up and around to the highest point of today's trail along a series of large switchbacks. At one point on the way up, I notice a buck in the distance dashing off away from us. He was probably wanting to avoid getting into a conversation about the pandemic.

Dropping back down the far side of the small mountain, we hit the intersection with the eastern loop and begin to head that way. This second loop is much shorter than the first, but takes us to the water-filled pit of a former granite quarry. The waters are an eerie blue and on the far side of the "lake" a giant boulder juts out of the water looking much like the head of a crocodile, complete with an eye. We see a few other hikers in this area as we make our way around to the interesting boulder. Though we cannot traverse around the entire lake, we do go as far as we reasonably can, which includes a fair bit of scrambling.

Turning back, we decide to hike up the far side and around the far side of the quarry to see what is there. It takes us a steep hill that unfortunately offers very little in the way of views, but it was still a good workout. From here, we bushwhack our way back down the hill, shuffling through the fallen leaves until we return to the quarry and head back towards the parking lot on the remaining section of the eastern loop, which later intersects with the lower half of the western loop.

All in all, we managed to cover about 6.1 miles, including our little off-trail adventure. The scenery was quite beautiful and for a hike I had never heard of before a few days ago, this made for a great way to start the morning. As always the company was fantastic and I wish them well as I get in my jeep and drive away.

Tribble Mill Park (Gwinnett County, Georgia)

 

I sat at home this morning trying to decide on someplace to hike. I had originally wanted to get my new bike and/or my new kayak out for the first time, but it's fairly cold again this morning and so, hiking seemed a better option. After debating on a few options for a while, I eventually just decided to join the Meetup group and hike around Tribble Mill Park, which is only about fifteen minutes from my house. I was reluctant to do this hike again only because I've explore these trails many times and for the most part don't like repeating trails. That said though, it will be good to get out again with the larger group.

When I arrive, I'm one of the first to walk over towards the playground, which is the designated meeting area. Today's leader arrives shortly after me, as well as about twenty other hikers, all of them ready to get some exercise. We do a quick round of introductions, per tradition, and then hit the woods. 

The trails here are a combination of pavement and single-track through the woods. Today we'll stick mostly to the single-track. As we pass right beside the lake, several ducks begin swimming away from us. With the autumn colors on the distant shore as a backdrop, it makes for a nice photo composition. 

We end up doing the loops around the wood as well as the winding mountain bike trails, which continually cut back on themselves to add distance. I really dislike these kinds of trails, but it's decent exercise as we're maintain a solid pace. After making our way around the smaller of the two lakes, we start heading back towards the parking area. 

Our overall distance was a moderate 8.1 miles, but the great company always makes it worthwhile. Several of the group decide to hit a nearby bar and grill for some post-hike grub and adult beverages. Who am I to say no to something like that. Until next time.

Pine Mountain via Coopers Furnace (Bartow County, Georgia)

 

Since I've got a long list of hike ideas compiled and it's been a few months since I've lead a hike for the Meetup group I most often hike with, I decided to organize one for this morning. I think the reason I haven't organized in a while is simply due to the fact that I don't like hiking in the hot and humid Georgia summers very much. I've been hiking over the past several months, but mostly away from home. It's well into fall now and the temperatures are dropping quickly. So, today I will lead a group to the summit of Pine Mountain from Coopers Furnace, knocking out a couple of different loops as part of the ordeal. I did have to specify in the event description that this is the "other Pine Mountain" and not to be confused with the one in west-central Georgia. Today, we'll be a bit northwest of Atlanta on the northern shores of the Etowah River and Allatoona Lake.

I arrive at the trailhead early, as I normally do when I'm leading. I just like to get a feel for where the trail starts and any other concerns that may be worth noting. I also like to set a good example. It's cold this morning; In the mid-30's, I think. After I walk around a bit to get my bearings and figure out where the trail actually starts, I take a seat on a picnic table beside the river and wait for others to show up. It doesn't take long before they start coming in. By our start time of 9:00 AM, eight of us have managed to brave the brisk morning air to get some exercise in. After our traditional round of introductions, we quickly hit the trail.

The trail passes by the immense Coopers Furnace. Built in the 1830's to smelt Iron, it is all that remains of the pre-Civil War town of Etowah, which was mostly destroyed during Sherman's Atlanta Campaign. It now serves as a reminder of the ancient industry of decades past. A clipped pyramid rising some 40 or so feet from the grass, it's an imposing site.

Continuing past the furnace, we get a solid pace going as we make the straight-away towards Pine Mountain. We first take the northern section of the eastern loop. It's well maintained though a little steep. After a few switchbacks, we reach the side trail to the summit. While I try to set an expectation of a fast pace in my event description, sometimes the group just can't keep up. Today's gang is gung-ho though and though some of them are struggling a little bit with the 3.3ish mph pace I'm leading at, they urge me to keep it up when I ask about slowing down. Apparently, they want to push themselves. Awesome!

At the spur, we walk out a hundred yards or so to the overlook, which is giving rest to a few fellow hikers that came up for the view. A number of large boulders provide manageable seats and I tell the group we'll take a ten minute break here for water and snacks. The view is pretty nice, though the small trees partially block the view of the lake, even this late into autumn. 

With last warning, we pack up and head back the way we came. From here, we head over to the northern section of the western loop, which is short, but much more rugged than it's counterpart. Completing the loop, we head back towards the summit and then back down the southern section of the eastern loop, which returns us to the straight section and finally our cars. 

Along the way, I had been monitoring the distance and elevation gain/loss. It seems the Alltrails.com track is a bit off and I later learn, it's because the listed track does the western loop twice essentially. That means we only got in 7.4 miles instead of the planned 8.9 miles, but it was still a great hike and everyone seems to have enjoyed it. I congratulate some of those that were struggling a bit for doing such a great job. After our goodbyes, we all head our separate ways, but we'll have a fond memory of this pleasant trail.

Gibbs Garden (Cherokee County, Georgia)

 

I've been meaning to get my mother out for a couple of weeks and thought she might enjoy seeing the fall colors on the Japanese maple trees at Gibbs Garden about an hour north of Atlanta. I visited this charming place two years ago about this time before she moved in with us, and I really enjoyed it. I think she will to.

We arrived an hour or so after the garden opened for the day, but well before the big crowds have entered. It's a cool morning, but we dress appropriately. As we make our way along the paved walkways and through the gorgeous autumn palate of bright reds, oranges, and yellows, my mother constantly gets distracted by the beautiful foliage all around us. It really is quite stunning and the Japanese cultural elements scattered about add just the right amount of flare. 

After walking through the garden, we stop to have some lunch at the garden's little cafe. I often get pretty busy with life, but I do try to set some time aside to spend time with my mother. I know she probably gets bored as my wife and I work through the week, but I hope she does enjoy these occasional little adventures that I try to do with her. 

Lula Lake Landtrust - Hike Bike Brew (Walker County, Georgia)

 

The highlight of my travels today takes me to the Lula Lake Land Trust on Lookout Mountain for the annual Hike Bike Brew fundraiser. I had hoped to attend this event last year, but it was cancelled due to the pandemic. Luckily, the organizers decided to move forward with it this year and that allows me to enjoy two of my favorite things, hiking and beer, into a single event.

Arriving shortly after the event's start, but well before the check-in cut-off time, I'm directed to a parking spot atop a tall hill. Good thing I drive a big jeep. As I walk down to the starting point, I'm happy to see the way things are set up. As I provide my name to the organizers for check-in, I'm provided with a silicon cup which will be home to several beers over the next couple of hours. Here at the start I see two food service tents and a stage being set up for a little later this afternoon and more importantly, two brewery tents ready to provide me with my first tastes.

Taking a few minutes to enjoy a couple of beers here at the start, I eventually start down the trail. Today's trail is a only a little over three miles and mostly follows the gravel road through the land trust, though one section will take us up to the bluff area. All along the way and spaced fairly evenly, breweries from the greater Chattanooga area have set up tents and will provide samples of their offerings. It's similar to any other beer festival I have attended (and I've attended a lot of them), but the hiking element is unique and much to my liking.

There are quite a few people here today and while I must wait in short lines at some of the brewery tents, it's not bad at all. I also appreciate that the beers available run the gamut of styles. Offered styles include everything from saisons to IPAs to stouts, and even a summer shandy. As something of a beer connoisseur (I am a certified Cicerone after all), I can't help but judge the quality of the beers as make way along the trail. Most are pretty good. There are a couple of stand outs and a couple that probably shouldn't have been served, but overall it's a pretty good field of options.

After crossing the creek over Rock Creek, the trail splits to provide something of a lollipop configuration. I head up the steep hill towards the bluff area. Once at the top, I'm treated to more tasters and a magnificent view the Chattanooga Valley. The late fall colors are in full affect as I gaze upon the distant rolling hills with a tasty brew in my hand. If this were heaven, I wouldn't be complaining. It's pretty amazing to be up here on such a beautiful day.

Continuing on, I hit more beer tent and enjoy some conversation with other hikers as we make our way back down the bluff trail and toward the famous Lula Falls. While the main trail itself only offers a view of the top of the falls from a distance, another trail has been hewn out of the hillside with wooden and stone steps leading down a steep path to the bottom of the falls. Of course, I have to go down there. Even though I have visited this place before, it doesn't diminish the shock and awe of such a site. Perhaps the several beers I've already had make it even more spectacular. As I and a few others make our way back up the steps after taking in the view for a few minutes, I comment about what a great idea it is to climb this somewhat hazardous path while enjoying a nice alcohol-induced buzz. Luckily, everyone seems to make it to the top safely.

The next two beer tents are set up side-by-side just above Lula Lake itself. The "lake" is actually just the pool at the bottom of another waterfall along Rock Creek. This second waterfall is significantly smaller than Lula Falls, but it does create a large pool that gives this area it's name. From here, I return back to the starting area.

Though I've been trying to pace myself as I've hiked the path, I do realize that I probably shouldn't be driving just yet and so, I take some time at the event starting area to enjoy some of the provided food, which includes a slice of pizza and a hot dog. I'm able to chat with some of my fellow hikers and beer lovers while we listen to a bluegrass band play from the back of a flat bed truck. It's very pleasant. I also check in to see just how far I hiked and see that it was about 3.7 miles. After about forty-five minutes, I feel that my buzz has dissipated and that it's safe for me to drive home. I head up the steep hill and climb into my jeep for the long ride home. This was a fantastic event and I'm very glad I was able to participate. 

Resaca Battlefield (Gordon County, Georgia)

 My second stop brings me to the Resaca Battlefield just a bit further north along I-75 in northern Georgia. This area was the site of a bloody civil war battle during the Union's Atlanta Campaign. The battle was waged between May 13th and 15th, 1864 and resulted in a Confederate defeat and a combined 6,100 casualties.

Though the battlefield has been preserved and seems to be well maintained, little remains from that time. Several historical plaques provide details of the battle and the different troop movements throughout. Several longer walking paths provide a full tour of the area, but unfortunately, I don't have enough time to explore much of them today. For now, I will have to settle for taking in the landscape from a high point and simply imagining the horrors that were unleashed during those terrible three days.

New Echota (Gordon County, Georgia)

I'm heading up to north Georgia this morning for an event, but decided to make a couple of site-seeing stops along the way. First, I decided to visit New Echota, which I have passed the sign for many times and always had an interest in seeing, but never stopped until today. New Echota was the short-lived Cherokee Nation capital from 1825 until about 1838, when the remaining Cherokee were forcible removed from their homes and to reservations in Oklahoma along the Trail of Tears. In the late 1950's after some archaeological digs in the area, several of the structures were rebuilt to their historical state and the area was set aside as a state historical park. It should be noted that one building, the Worcester House, was still standing from the time of the Cherokee, but had been remodeled multiple times over the decades.

As I walked around the historical log cabins and other structures, I couldn't help but think of this community as equal to or greater than other towns I have visited representing this time frame. My meaning here is that if one didn't know that this was a Native American community, it could not be differentiated from any other town of the time. To think of the Cherokee as savage or lesser than the European usurpers that stole their land and decimated their culture, is simply inaccurate. These were modern people living in modern (for the time, that is) homes and inhabiting a modern community. It's a great scar on the honor of the United States that we treated these people as we did. 

I spend about half-an hour wandering around the town. Approximately a dozen buildings have been restored and are spread out across a few acres, though this is a poor representation of the once 4,000 buildings that once made up the town. It's humbling to walk among history like this and I wish I could spend more time, but I have someplace to be and I must move on for now.

City of Oaks Half-Marathon (Wake County, North Carolina)

We drove to Raleigh, NC this weekend so that I can run the City of Oaks Half-Marathon. My wife went to school here at North Carolina State University and still has friends and fond memories in the area. After spending most of Saturday visiting with some of her closest friends, I went to sleep early at our hotel knowing that I had to rise well before sunrise for the race. 

After a quick walk through the brisk morning air, I arrived at the start line, where a couple of thousand participants were starting to gather for the collection of races. The event hosts several distances, including a full marathon, half-marathon, 10k, and 5k. I had originally signed up for the full marathon, but I have been struggling recently and thought it wiser to drop down to the half.

As the sun starts to peek over the horizon, we enter the corral and await the starting gun. I seem to have forgotten my earbuds, which is unfortunate. The sound of a steady beat in my ear often keeps me going when I'm having a hard time on a course. I'll have to make do with the music provided along the course. With a countdown from 10, we're on our way. The full, half, and 10k, all start at the same time, while the 5k begins about 20 minutes later.

It's a pretty big race and for the first mile or so, it's just a wall of people running through the streets of downtown Raleigh. After a bit though, the crowd seems to spread out. I'm really struggling during this first couple of miles and the rolling hills here don't seem to help. The course zigzags through the city streets and begins to make it's way through the NC State main campus. As I understand it from my wife, the school actually has four campuses spread around town, but this one is the largest and considered the main campus. 

We continue to zigzag and I start feeling a little better by the end of mile three, but I'm still not feeling it this morning. Sometimes, you just feel hungry and ready to tear up a race course and other times, you ask yourself why you chose to do such a silly thing. I'm feeling the later this morning. That said though, I'm going to push myself to finish the race. I hate leaving things undone.

As we continue on, we soon hit the 5k turn point and a couple of miles further the 10k turn point. The rolling hills continue to be a problem, and I'm starting to feel it in my legs. Thankfully, the compression braces are helping me knees tremendously and I don't feel any specific pain there, though a general achiness is present all over my body. The temperature is good for running this morning. It feels like it's hovering around 45-50 degrees, but there is a cool wind blowing that makes it feel even colder. It does prevent me from sweating profusely though.

Reach the half-marathon turn point, which is a little beyond the eight mile mark, I'm really starting to feel it and I'm beginning to wonder if I will be able to complete the race. Interestingly, they course is set up in such a way that the turn points are not the half-way points of each distance. All of that zigzaging through downtown is not repeated on the return route and so the turn-point is well beyond the half-way point of each race. 

I'm thankful for downhills and I'm able to run these, but the uphill sections, of which there are several are causing me pretty solid pain now and I'm forced to walk many of them. As I return to the downtown area and near the end of the race, each step is painful, but I'm now determined to finish. With one final turn, the finish line comes into view and the last couple of hundred yards are on a downhill. I feel the sense of accomplishment as I run under the banner and check my time.

As a volunteer places my finisher's medal around my neck, I see that my time of 2:45:41 is considerably slower than I had hoped, but again, I realize that this was not a morning where I was feeling it and with the pain now welling up in my legs, I'm just thankful to be done. Now, I just have a short mile walk back to the hotel . . . and it's mostly uphill . . . 

Okefenokee Swamp Adventure Weekend (Charlton County, Georgia)

 

I have a distinct memory of watching an episode of Scooby Doo as a child. In this story, the gang visits the Okefenokee Swamp and investigates some kind of strange alligator creature. I can't remember much more about it, but the thought of the Okefenokee Swamp has stuck with me for all of these decades and since moving to Georgia, I've been interested in visiting this place. Luckily, the Georgia Conservancy organizes such a trip each year. Though it was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic, I was able to register for this year's trip.

With a full weekend of exploration planned, I make the five hour drive from my home near Atlanta to the Suwanee Eco-Lodge in Fargo, GA, near the Florida border. This will be our base camp for the weekend's adventures. After checking in, I get my tent set up on the outskirts of the facility and then head back over to the lodge. There were options to get a room here, but I'm perfectly comfortable in my tent, and it seems many others that will be on this adventure felt the same way, as there are a dozen or so tents pitched around the facility. As I make the short walk over to the lodge for the evening's festivities, I make small talk with some of my fellow adventurers. 

The evening begins with a happy hour sponsored by Sweetwater Brewing Company out of Atlanta and continues in the dining area with a fantastic turkey chili. While eating dinner, the organizers go over the weekend's agenda and cover several housekeeping items. As we finish our meals, the naturalist, Cathy Sakas, gives an interesting lecture on the ecology of the swamp. Finally, we all retire to a raging campfire outside, not far from my tent. I spend a little time with the group, but it's getting late and we have an early call in the morning.

Rising a little before 6:00 AM, I crawl out from under my quilt. The temperatures were perfect for camping last night, hovering right around 50 degrees. It's a little cool, when I step out of my tent, but very tolerable. I make my way over to the lodge for some coffee, while the crew finishes preparing breakfast. On this morning's menu are steel-cut oats with fresh strawberries and blueberries. I must say that these berries seem to have been picked earlier this morning as they are bursting with flavor. After everyone gets some food in their bellies, we caravan over to Stephen C. Foster State Park, which is about twenty miles away. From Here, we will launch our kayaks and canoes into the black waters of the swamp.

Though I have recently just purchased a new kayak, I didn't know that I would have it by the time this trip came around and so, I opted to share a rented canoe seat with another participant. In this case, it's Brian, the Communications Director for the Conservancy. He's very knowledgeable and a great paddler. I've never actually used a canoe before and it's quite different than a kayak. It takes a little getting used to, but eventually and with Brian's guidance, we begin working well as a team.

Our first paddle takes us east on the Suwanee River to Billy's Island. This is not my first time in a swamp, but each time, I'm left in awe of the diversity of life in these wet and wild wonderlands. Numerous bird species fly above us and feed from the water. Plants of all varieties, including Cypress Trees and the Spanish Moss hanging from them, frame the area in a almost mystical way.

After about two miles on the slow moving water, we reach Billy's Island. Truthfully, it's somewhat difficult to discern dry land from swamp here due to the thick vegetation, but luckily our guides know where they are going. We exit our watercraft and head to a large clearing for lunch. These were not provided by the organizers, but I had the forethought to purchase a couple of Jimmy John's subs for today and tomorrow and keep them in the cooler. It's very tasty and several of my peers comment that they should have done the same thing, as they enjoy their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Soon, Cathy Sakas, from last night's lecture, begins a short hike around the island, pointing out the diverse life along the way, including several spider species. It seems we are strolling through the now overgrown remains of the Herbard Cypress Company Logging Camp, which ceased operations here nearly a century ago. Over the decades, much of the equipment and shelters have been dismantled and moved, but some remnants still remain. These include two boilers from steam locomotive engines, which were used to transport the felled cypress logs, and the frame of an old car. I'm sure there are more artifacts in and among the palmettos that cover this area now, but it is protected and Cathy asks us not to venture beyond the warning signs, which I can certainly respect.

Loading ourselves back into the boats, we begin the paddle back to the launch point. Along the way, the group splits in two and some of us head north up Minnie's Lake Run, which is a narrow passage to a remote canoe dock and camping platform. Of course, I choose to take this detour and explore. After all, that's what I'm here for. The passage is much more narrow than the river, with sections only a few feet wide. It's something of a comedy to see some of the inexperienced paddlers trying to maneuver in and around the cypress trees rising from the water. We even have a couple of gentle pileups, but luckily no one is hurt or goes in for a swim. We do see a few small alligators along this passage and Cathy says we are likely to see even larger ones on tomorrows route. Eventually, we reach the dock and make our turn. According to Brian, we are the first group to actually get this far on the trip. On most years, several paddlers make the attempt but are forced to turn back due to time constraints.

Returning to the launch point, we take our boats out of the water and head back to the lodge. Another lively happy hour gives way to a terrific barbeque dinner complete with all the fixins. While we enjoy our dinner, members of the conservancy discuss their efforts to protect and preserve the swamp we have spent our day exploring. I think part of the strategy of the conservancy is to bring people out here to connect with the swamp and thereby become invested in it. Once invested, visitors are more likely to contribute to efforts to preserve the natural environment. The strategy works!

Once we finish dinner, we head out to stargaze. An astronomy club from one of the local universities has brought out several medium sized telescopes and have targeted several of the wonders of the night sky. This is the perfect place to do such a thing and the skies are gorgeous and open here. In fact, this is the only place east of the Mississippi that I have ever been able to see the Milky Way. Taking advantage of the telescopes, I'm treated to wonderful views of Saturn, Jupiter, and a few other heavenly bodies. After a bit, I head over to the campfire and join my compatriots for some merriment before I head back to my tent for a good night's sleep.

Again, the overnight temperatures were just about perfect. Unfortunately, I had a few too many post-happy hour beers and suffered from a couple bouts of the hiccups through the night. I still managed to get a decent night's sleep, but it could have been better. Sleeping in slightly later this morning, the sun is almost up when I make my way over to the lodge for coffee and breakfast. On the menu today, we have a sausage and onion quiche, which is quite tasty, especially with some hot sauce and jalapenos added to it.

We'll return to the swamp for one last paddle before we end our weekend. Today, I'll be sharing a canoe with Christine, another participant. We actually have some pretty challenging struggles in steering the boat and end up making a few 360 degree turns on the water, but eventually, we seem to get the hang of it.

Today, we're paddling west towards Mixon's Hammock. This route takes us through gator territory and while none of them appear to be walking on two legs like as in my memory of the Scooby Doo villain, we do encounter some pretty good sized ones. At point, our boat is floating through lily pads and we end up just ten to twelve feet away from a six footer sunning himself on a log. While this was completely accidental and the result of another team steering problem, the animal is docile in these cool temperatures and barely gives any sign that he notices us.

Reaching the Mixon's Hammock, another small island, we leave our boats and find a nice camping area to enjoy our lunch. Again, Cathy shares tales of the ecology and some of her past adventures in this area. It's all very enjoyable and is over far too soon. With a few final words, we climb back into our canoe and paddle back to the launch point. As we leave, I point out a pair of cypress trees to the north that currently have no less than five black buzzards roosting in them. Is this an ominous sign? I can't say, but it's not the last wildlife the group will see. Though Christine and I get there too late to see them, others from our group spot three black bears in an area not far from the launch point. Very diverse wild life in this place. 

Soon, we are back on dry land and saying our goodbyes. This has been an outstanding trip and I have gained a new appreciation for the murky, but life-giving waters of the swamp. I thank the organizers for their efforts and head back to my jeep. I do a quick change of clothes just to get something dry on and then I'm on my way back home.