Kennesaw Mountain - Pigeon Hill Trails (Cobb County, Georgia)

 

Kennesaw Mountain National Historic Park is a piece of land set aside to preserve a famous and bloody battle towards the end of the Civil War, as General Sherman made his march towards Atlanta. I've hiked many trails in the park over my time in Georgia, but speaking with the leader of one of the meetups that I often hike with, I learned that he planned to do some unmarked trails today, which peaked my interest. 

Arriving at the overflow parking lot a few minutes before the scheduled start time of noon, I find a shady spot to await the arrival of the others going on today's outing. It's hot today. Not warm, but truly hot. The heat index is expected to rise over 105 degrees. I'm a bit concerned about heat exhaustion and take some steps to help protect myself, including plenty of hydration. Additionally, I opted to carry my water in a little sling as opposed to using my day pack. With the heat and humidity today, I think the pack would have just created a pocket to capture sweat on my back and just raise my body temperature.

People start showing up and congregating around the leader's SUV. With a group of about eighteen hikers, we do a quick round of introductions in the shade and then head into the woods directly from the parking lot. The shade of the thick woods and a slight breeze makes it a little more tolerable in here, but it's still extremely hot. Over the first couple of miles, we make really good time and only really pause to allow people to look at and some canon installations along the Union's 24-Gun Battery. Here some mock cannons have been installed at the original locations and behind the earthen walls that once protected them incoming fire. Though the woods has grown up around this area, it's not difficult to imagine this as an open field where Union canons were battering the Confederate lines. 

Continuing on, we hit an open field and the sun beats down on us harshly for a short distance. Luckily, I used an ample amount of sunscreen today. Even though the heat is uncomfortable, the great conversation makes it all worthwhile. We had discussions across a variety of topics, from hiking shoe comfort to politics and from the origin of human community to the relativity. It's always entertaining and I always learn a few things from these good folks.

Finally stopping at a bridge over Noses Creek, we take a short snack break. The water is flowing reasonably well for this time of year, but it offers little relief from the overbearing heat this day. Even though I'm wearing synthetic materials in the ops of wicking away the moisture, I feel it's something of a lost cause on this day.

Heading back up into the woods, we encounter a series of trenches dug out to serve as cover for soldiers during firearm exchanges. We have some discussion on which way the soldiers were probably firing. Here again, the woods has grown up around the area, but a century and a half ago, this was probably an open field. It's always interesting to see these Civil War sites and playout the battle in my mind.

With a few miles under our belts, we begin making our way back towards the parking lot. It's been a hot hike today, but I think everyone enjoyed themselves. I end up in the lead and find a small stick to wave in front of my face to take the spider webs. On more well-traveled trails, this usually isn't a problem, but these are not well-known trails and with the joro spiders having made their home in this part of the state, it's better to be safe than have a face-full of super-strong spider web and it's maker in your nose.

Getting back to the cars, I see we've hiked right at 9.3 miles. That's more than the leader had originally planned for this hot day, but I don't mind it a bit. Now, several of us will head to local pub for a snack and some cold adult beverages . . . and cold water, lots of cold water.

Tranquil Trail at High Falls (Monroe County, Georgia)

 

On the long drive home from my paddling weekend, I was looking for a place to stop for lunch and stretch my legs a bit. I still had some pasta salad left from yesterday. Near Macon, GA, I saw the sign for High Falls State Park. I've visited the park before, but it seemed like a fine place for my purposes today and so, I decided to stop.

I found a nice picnic table in the shade and refueled myself. It's still so very hot, but I still want to check out the waterfalls while I'm here. After finishing my lunch, I head down the Tranquil Trail, which follows the Towaliga River below the dam and past several cascading waterfalls. The hike requires a little bit of rock hopping over uneven ground, but is overall very easy.

The river is flowing pretty well and makes for a spectacular scene as it plummets over the largest of the cascades. Further down the river, I find a little section where elephant ear plants have choked off a little side channel and made for a . . . well, tranquil little area. Perhaps that's where the trails name comes from. 

Anyway, after hiking a mile or so downstream, I turn back and return to the car. I didn't track the hike as it was a bit impromptu, but it was still enjoyable. Now, I'm just anxious to get home and out of these heat.

Little River Weekend Paddle (Colquitt County, Georgia)

 

The focus of my weekend trip is another adventure with the Georgia Conservancy. This time, we will be camping at Reed Bingham State Park and paddling on the Little River. Arriving at the group shelter around 6:00 PM, I quickly check-in and say hello to friends I have made on past trips. I unload my gear from the car and set up my tent on a nearby open area near the shelter. The ground here is covered in a short grass over a sandy soil, which is home to a number of bustling ant colonies. I try to find a spot with less traffic, but I'm not sure if I succeeded or not. 

After setting up my tent, I head in to the air-conditioned group shelter to enjoy happy hour with friends. It's great reuniting with these wonderful people over a cold beer. Soon, dinner is ready and we enjoy some slow roasted pork tacos with all the 'fixins'. The Georgia Conservancy really does a wonderful job of organizing these events and I'm privileged to be able to participate. After a nice dinner, we set around a firepit outside and enjoy the night sky. Just as I join the group, I spot of series of lights in the sky moving in a straight line and nearly evenly spaced. Apparently, these are some of SpaceX's Starlink satellites which have come online over the past couple of years. Their purpose is to provide cellular service globally, but I'm not sure that's worth the intrusion into the magic of the night sky.

With the hour getting later, most of us decide to turn in for the evening. I crawl into my tent and atop the pile of sleeping pads I prepared earlier. It's too hot to sleep under a blanket or my quilt and so, I just curl up and fall asleep. Hopefully, the tent will keep most of the bugs and critters off of me while I get some rest.

Early the next morning, I awaken before sunrise and head over to the nearby restroom to take care of business. I then head into the shelter and enjoy a cup of coffee. Oddly, this particular coffee doesn't mess with my stomach the way most do and I'm able to enjoy a couple of cups. Breakfast consists of French toast and bacon. Everyone agrees it's a pretty good way to start the day. 

Late morning approaches and we begin to collect at the launch point. I decided to borrow a kayak from the park instead of hauling my personal boat all this way. It's often easier. I believe there are eighteen of us in total and before heading up the river, we get a group shot. Though we are headed against the currant, the paddling is very easy. The Little River was damned up to make this small lake, which is now home to a variety of wildlife, including great blue herons and alligators. 

Soon, we are enter the swampy areas at the north end of the lake and beyond in the flooded river. Our guides, a local, describes the impact of many of the invasive species that have all but taken over this area. They prevent us from heading to a spot he wanted to show us called Amos' Pond. He feels the tangled vines would be too much of a challenge for such a large group. 

The beauty of this place is undeniable though. The tea-colored water of the river is full of tannins from the dead and decaying organic matter at the bottom. This would be classified as a black water river for this fact, but the water is not quite as dark as others I have paddled in the southeast. Continuing up river, we pass numerous cypress trees, some in the middle of the shallow river, and muscadine grapes hanging overhead. As the group begins to splinter into different paces, I tend to stay towards the front of the group and over the course of the next hour or so, we make our way to the Roundtree Bridge, which will be our turning point. 

When we arrive, I beach my boat and head into the woods to take advantage of a 'facilitree' and then munch on some pasta salad I had made for today's paddle. It's pretty tasty and provides the energy boost I needed. That sun beating down on us has really drained a lot of my energy. After just a short time, we climb back into our boats and begin making our way back to the launch point. Today's paddle was originally scheduled for tomorrow, but the area we were going to take the kayaks today was scouted earlier in the week and found to have to many fallen trees to be passable by such a large group. I'm content though, this was a beautiful little tour of the park.

As we approach the lake again, I feel the energy leaving my body. The heat is just to intense without any shade from the trees lining the banks of the river. I grab a few ice cubes from my cooler and toss them under my hat in an effort to cool down, but it's only of marginal assistance. Finally, I beach my boat at the launch point and find a seat in the shade to cool down a bit. I really think I suffered from some minor heat exhaustion, but when my energy has returned I make my way to the air conditioning and spend twenty minutes or so really cooling myself off. While there, I check my tracking app and see that we had only paddled about 6.9 miles, but it sure felt like a lot longer in the heat. I'm guessing it was too hot for the alligators today, as we didn't see any at all.

Before dinner, one of the attendees finds a persimmon tree and having never tried them, I'm anxious to do so. Straight of the tree, they have little flavor and cause a great puckering sensation in the mouth. The ripe ones however are very edible and remind me of sweet potatoes. I'm still quite hungry though by the time early evening rolls around. Dinner tonight will be one of the best gumbos I've had outside of New Orleans. Our cook did a find job and everyone seems to be enjoying it. Much like last night, we head out to converse under the stars. The Starlink satellites make another couple of appearances and become the topic of conversation for a while, but soon, with the entire group fatigued by a long paddle, the relentless heat, and some great food and spirits, most decide to call it a night.

Again, I rise early. This morning I find that my ankles have been feasted on by 'no-see-ums', which are a few varieties of tiny gnats prevalent here in the southeast. Those will be itching for a few days. I head up to enjoy more coffee before breakfast and breaking down my camp. It's always bittersweet to depart these adventures and the great friends I have made over the past couple of years, but it just makes us look forward to the next one. For now, it's time to head home.

Providence Spring (Sumter County, Georgia)

Providence Spring is part of the Andersonville Historical Site. During the civil war, this area served as a Confederate prison, housing captured Union soldiers. As I walk around, I'm able to read a number of informational plaques describing the layout and conditions of this site. From my reading, the prison was rampant with death and disease. At it's height, the prison incarcerated over thirty thousand Union troops.

Through food shortages and water contaminated by a poorly placed latrine, the prisoners were desperate to escape this living hell. As the story goes, a lightning bolt struck a hillside near the creek and up rushed a stream of pure water. It was a welcomed site and probably seen by some as a miracle to provide them some relief. The prison was liberated in 1865 with the prisoners inside being described as "human skeletons amid hellish scenes of desolation". The spring however was celebrated having a stone structure built around it to memorialize the symbol of hope it was for those that suffered here. 

The structure remains and water pours from a hole in the wall at the back of it. Outside the structure another spigot releases the spring water into a series of pools before it finally empties into the overgrown creek below. I walk around the site a bit and can only imagine the horrific lifestyle the prisoners must have endured here. 

Ocmulgee Mounds (Macon-Bibb County, Georgia)

 

I'm on my way to southern Georgia for a weekend paddling trip, but along the way, I wanted to stop at a couple of interesting places. The first is Ocmulgee Mounds, which I had visited shortly after moving to the area nearly four years ago. The site preserves several earthen works created by the South Appalachian Mississippian culture around a thousand years ago. While not nearly as extensive as the Cahokia site near my home town, this historical area is still quite nice to visit and explore. 

After leaving my car, I'm hit by the intense heat of the August sun and as I walk the short distance to the reconstructed Earthen Lodge mound, I'm reconsidering my plan of walking around the entire site. The lodge mound itself does offer some shelter from the 100+ heat index this part of the south is experiencing right now. Entering the interior of the lodge, I'm hit with a rush of cool air. I almost don't want to leave, but after looking around the reconstructed meeting place, I decide I should move on.

A short distance further and the largest of the structures comes into view. The Great Temple Mound rises from the hillside and dominates the landscape. I consider walking the quarter-mile or so to the mound, but with this overbearing heat and still many miles to travel today, I decide against it. I'm remembering now why I had visited this place in December the last time I was hear. I return to my car and pump the air conditioner up, as I continue my journey.

Currahee Mountain Trail (Stephens Couny, Georgia)

 

"Three miles up; three miles down!" was a famous line from the Band of Brothers HBO series, in which paratroopers trained at Currahee Mountain. Since I only live about an hour from the mountain, it seemed an ideal place to get in a few miles. After parking my car at the trailhead, I load my pack, check my water situation, and start making my way up the mountain. I'm going to hike fast, but I'm not going to run as the soldiers in the series did though. 

The 'trail' is actually just a gravel road with a slight incline. The first mile-and-a-half or so is pretty mild and I pass a couple of other explorers on my way. At about the half-way point, the incline gets noticeably steeper and with the heat and humidity of August in Georgia bearing down on me, I'm sweating fiercely. I take some water, which I had enough forethought to load with ice cubes before leaving my house. The cool water helps quite a lot and I continuing marching up the hill. 

Near the top, I reach a curve and overlook. Here, some large boulders have been spray-painted with graffiti. The view is really nice though and I can see for many miles to the eastern horizon. Another hiker is resting here and we discuss the view and his desire to hike out west. I tell him that while this view is very nice, it doesn't begin to compare to those available from the Sierra Nevadas. 

After parting ways with the other hiker, I continue a short distance to the top and make my way around the fence surrounding the tall radio towers erected on the top of the mountain. I also find a short path to another overlook, this time looking south. From here, I turn to make my way back down the mountain. When I return to the painted rocks, the two gentlemen I had passed earlier are taking in the view. One of them, it turns out, actually lives in my former home of Reno, NV and is just here visiting. We reminisce about the beauty of Lake Tahoe and the surrounding area before I wish them well and continue back down the mountain. 

It's so hot today. I'm not sure this was the best idea, but I'm glad I got it done. I've been working very hard at the gym the last week or so and it's nice to get some fresh air. I covered about 5.8 miles in total, which is slightly less than the advertised three up and three down, but I'm just glad to have avoided a heat stroke. For now, I'll head on home and relax.

Lake Rutledge Paddle Under the Perseids (Morgan County, Georgia)

The annual arrival of the Perseid Meteor Shower is always a fun time. Around the second week of August, the Earth passes through the remains of an ancient comet tail, which results in a what is generally the most spectacular meteor shower of the year. I've spent many a night camping on the playa of the Black Rock Desert in Northern Nevada admiring the night sky during this annual event. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find such dark skies in Georgia and I haven't really partaken in stargazing since moving here nearly four years ago. However, I recently learned that Hard Labor State Park organizes a night kayak trip out onto Lake Rutledge in the hopes of seeing some falling stars during this event. The park is in a pretty remote area of Georgia and this seemed like one of the better opportunities I might have in this area to see and enjoy the show. I decided to attend.

I arrived at the park around 9:30 pm, in advance of the start of the event. With the moon below the horizon, it's quite dark here and I'm forced to used my headlamp a bit to find my way around. Eventually, I find the rangers, check-in, and begin getting my gear together. It's going to be a short paddle . .  really more of a paddle to the middle of the lake and float, but life-jackets are still required. With everything in order and glow sticks on the front and back of my borrowed kayak, I launch into the dark waters under the night sky. 

There are roughly thirty people here, all with glow-sticks attached to their vessels in order to provide some visual indication of their location. After paddling out to an open section of the lake, we wait for the show to begin. In the meantime, I have some interesting conversations with some of the other attendees and rangers, mostly concerning Burning Man. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch one feint meteor streaking to its demise. A short time later, I hear some cheers as a bright one was spotted by several onlookers, but I missed that one. 

After about an hour of patiently watching the skies, with little return, we head back to the 'take-out'. On my way in, I see one bright meteor streak directly overhead. Only having seen those two meteors was a little disappointing to me. In my trips to the Black Rock, I had seen as many as 200-300 in the course of an hour. However, we're much closer to city lights here in Georgia and so, I'll have to just settle for what I got. It was still an enjoyable way to spend the evening despite the sparse appearance of the stars of the show.