Fort Yargo - Dusk Hike (Barrow County, Georgia)

In an attempt to get a few more miles in this week, I signed up for a ranger-led "full moon night hike" at the nearby Fort Yargo State Park. The hike was scheduled to start at 8:00 pm, but before leaving my house, I checked and noticed that moon rise wasn't going to be until 9:39 pm, meaning we wouldn't really get to see much of the moon. To further complicate things, spotted rain showers powered down on me the entire drive to the park. 

When I arrived, I found a couple of ranges and a couple of other participants standing around the visitors center and taking shelter from the rain, which had been reduced to a very light sprinkle by now. After chatting a few minutes, the ranger made the decision to cancel the hike due to muddy conditions on the trails. I wish he would have said something sooner, but he did say that the park and trails were open until 10:00 pm if we wanted to explore on our own. I came to get miles in and that's exactly what I intend to do.

Leaving the visitors center, I headed south over the long bridge/boardwalk to the other side of the lake. There was still plenty of light at this point, but I had my headlamp ready to go just in case. I was keeping a pretty good pace, but he humidity after the rain was brutal. Following the trail system, I arrived at the newly opened beach area and decided to turn back. Lightning bugs were beginning to come out, which made for a magical return trip. 

Nearing the long bridge again, I spotted a large heron standing on the shoreline of the lake. I gently moved to get a picture and was able to capture his silhouette with the lake in the background. I thought it was a nice picture. With darkness setting in, I decided to call it a night and finished the hike back at my car with about 2.4 miles completed. Not much, but better than nothing. 

CRNRA Bowmans Island (Forsyth County, Georgia)

 Once again, the area I live is dodging storms, but it seems they are moving south of me today. I'll take advantage and get some trail miles with the Meetup Group. After arriving at the Bowmans Island parking area, I was greeted by several friends before we did our customary round of introductions and hit the trail. Our plan was to hike across the dam, up the stairs and explore several of the peninsulas jutting out into Lake Lanier, but for whatever reason, the park service has the gate to cross over the dam closed and locked. 

We quickly shifted our plans and began heading south into the Bowmans Island Unit of the CRNRA (Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area). I've hiked all of this before and for my purposes today, one trail is as good as the other. The trail follows the river for a bit before ducking inland just a bit and then returning to the river and continuing south. Eventually, we reached the Buford Trout Hatchery. This facility is open to the public, but since my last visit they have constructed roofs over the hatchery tanks and applied a chicken-wire fence around them. It still allows folks to see the trout of various ages swimming in the tanks, but presumably protects them from predators (and perhaps degenerate visitors). 

Returning to the trail, we began making our way back towards the calls. As always, we enjoyed some great conversations along the way. It was a great way to distract from the overbearing humidity. It's hot today and I'm sweating like a pig. Getting back to the parking area, I see we got in about 7.1 miles. It was great to see friends, but now I need to get my stinky, sweaty butt to my shower.

Roswell Riverwalk (Fulton County, Georgia)

With more storms coming in this afternoon, I didn't want to venture too far from home, but I still wanted to get some exercise and trail miles in today. I decided to re-visit the Roswell Riverwalk, which is only about a thirty minute drive from my house. It's going to be a hot day, but this paved trail along the Chattahoochee River will offer some shade and it will give me a chance to continue listening to an audio book series I've been on. I wouldn't normally hike with headphones, but this is a paved urban trail with a few sections of boardwalk. So, I'm not really concerned with wildlife elements.

Parking my car at Don White Memorial Park, I used the nearby restroom, started my audio book, and headed west along the paved trail. I guess a lot of other people had similar ideas today as the parking lots are filling up and many walkers, runners, and bikers are using these urban trails today. It's still early and I turned my ball cap around to allow the bill to protect the back of my neck a bit as I start my walk. 

Reaching Riverside Park just a half-mile or so down the path, I stop to read a number of placards describing some of the atrocities visited upon the Cherokee when they were forcibly removed from their land and sent along the Trail of Tears to the Oklahoma territory. Further, I read another sign that describes the lynching of a black man in the 1930's for the offense of kissing a white woman's hand. Sadly, no one was ever charged with his murder. I know I'm not responsible for the acts of my ancestors and I can only try to ensure that I spread a different message of hope and equality. I try my best.

The trail continues onto a couple of sections of boardwalk through some swampy areas and I take some time to admire some wildlife, including a banded water snake swimming along at the Confluence of Vickery Creek and the river. Further along, I also see what I believe are catfish flopping about in the shallow muddy waters. It's great to see these creatures.

Finally reaching the very long boardwalk section that ends at Willeo Park, I turn around and head back. As I pass back through the muddy backwaters area where I had seen the catfish before, I spot a snapping turtle about he size of a hubcap raise his head from the mud for a breath of air before returning to his camouflaged resting place. 

The final couple of miles on the way back to the car were uneventful, but as the clouds start rolling in, I realize that it is time to head for home. When I finally get back to my car, I notice that my GPS tracker was showing over 9.5 miles on this trek, which I know is off. When I review the path, it seems something weird happened around mile 6 on my way back and it had me bouncing all over the place. I know from past experience that his walkway is about 7.6 miles and so, I'm going with that and using a track from a previous visit. While there is nothing special about this little riverwalk, it is a pleasant way to get some fresh air and exercise. I'm glad I was able to enjoy it today before the coming rains.

Dinosaur Caves Park (Santa Barbara County, California)

Driving back to the Santa Barbara Airport after attending a craft beer festival with some friends in Paso Robles, I decided to stop at the Dinosaur Caves Park just a few miles from my destination and stretch my legs a bit. The name is a bit misleading, but still an interesting landscape to explore. Apparently, local businessman had a large metal-framed dinosaur built here in the 1940's as an attraction. A staircase inside lead down into one of the large sea caves along this section of coast. The community never really liked the site of the dinosaur and the largest of the sea caves eventually collapsed, leaving the site in some distress. In early '90's, the city purchased the land and eventually turned it into a small park adopting the current name based on the history.

The park is small, but offers some amazing ocean views. After parking my rental car, I start walking around the paved and gravel trails taking it all in. It's a bit brisk this morning, but the interesting vantage points keep me warm enough. The park is built atop sea bluffs, into which the battering waves have created a number of caves and in addition, left tall jutting islands out just past the shoreline. The number of sea birds here is impressive. Pelicans, gulls, and many others seem to like to perch in mass atop the various rock formations. In addition, I see a number of small chipmunk like creatures in and around the flora atop the bluffs as I leisurely stroll along the path. There is just so much life here. It's truly amazing. 

Finally, I decide that it's time to move on and return to my car. I need to get some food and return the rental car before my flight takes off a couple of hours from now. This was a worthwhile stop though. Nothing spectacular, but certainly enough to make someone take a slight detour to see.

Nojoqui Falls (Santa Barbara County, California)

I'm driving up California's Highway 101 on my way to Paso Robles to meet some friends for a craft beer festival, but that doesn't mean I can't stop and enjoy some sites along the way. Nojoqui Falls is an 80-foot waterfall just north of Santa Barbara and only a short detour off of the highway. A small county park protects the waterfall and a well-worn gravel trail leads from the parking area to the falls.

After parking my rental car, I headed up the path noting the swarms of yellow jacket-like insects swarming and the massive amounts of poison oak on either side of the trail. Luckily, neither posed a threat as long as one watches where they are going. The trail follows a small creek all the way to the base of the waterfall. Nojoqui Falls itself is only a trickle at the moment, as it is dependent on rain water. Unlike most waterfalls that erode the cliff at the top, this one actually deposits minerals and sediment to build out from the cliff. This is similar to the way stalactites form in caves. It's pretty interesting. The walk back to my car is less than a half-a-mile and with another hour of driving to go, I should probably get moving. It was nice to stretch my legs a bit though.

Hamilton Indian Mounds (Marion County, Alabama)

After seeing the Dismalites last night and then getting a solid night's sleep, I'm headed home from a weekend in northwestern Alabama. Along the way though, I have one more stop and this is to see another Native American Site near Hamilton, AL. This is actually a series of three mounds along the Buttahatchee River, which are thought to have been built between 1250 and 1500 CE. 

Parking the car at the empty lot, I have to walk roughly a half-mile on a paved path towards the river. Eventually, I reach the first of the mounds, which is heavily overgrown. This largest of the three appears to be a terraced mound with a lower and upper section. It's difficult to tell though as there is a lot of trees and foliage taking it over. A short distance away, a second and then a third mound rise out of the ground just alongside the muddy river. These are smaller, but also heavily overgrown. After exploring the perimeter of the three mounds I return to my car and head for home.

Dismalites (Franklin County, Alabama)

*Note - Photo courtesy of Google

Returning for the evening guided tour, I'm back at Dismal Canyon after checking into my nearby hotel and getting some dinner. This should be the highlight of the weekend and is the reason I drove all this way. Much like the area around Anna Ruby Falls, close to my home, this area is home to a bioluminescent fly larvae that emits a faint bluish light to attract prey.

Once again checking in, our tour guide takes a count and gives us a short introduction as we wait for the daylight to fade away and the darkness to take hold of the canyon. This is when the small creatures will begin to put on their show. We carefully make our way along the dark path and as we reach the first of the rock passages, we begin to see dozens of bluish-white lights all over the surface of the rocks. I wish my camera was capable of capturing these brilliant creatures, but I'll have to settle for pictures taken by others.

We make our way across the bridge and back into the Witches Cavern as I suspected. Here, we shut off our lights, as the tour guide suggests we hold the hands of the person in front of and behind us as we carefully make our way through the tight passage in near total darkness. The only light is that provided by our tiny friends on on the moss rock face. This is one of just a couple of areas where this particular species thrives. It's quite a privilege to be able to take this all in. There are even more of them here than the area we started at, and far more than I've seen at Anna Ruby Falls in the past. I would estimate that there are twenty to thirty larva per square ten feet of rock surface. Truly amazing.

After having toured the planned area, we return the way we came with lights on this time to make it a little safer. The guide offers to answer any questions that remain and wishes us well on our journeys as he see us off and prepares for the next group. What a great experience.

Dismals Canyon Day Hike (Franklin County, Alabama)

 

Though I've stopped at a number of points of interest on my way, I've finally arrived at my primary destination for the weekend. Dismals Canyon is a National Natural Landmark that is privately owned and operated as a tourist destination. This sandstone gorge offers a hike through a very interesting landscape and is home to bioluminescent creatures known as Dismalites, which I will be returning tonight to see.

After paying the steep entry fee, I'm directed to the start of the self-guided tour and begin my walk along the fashioned path. It starts above Rainbow Falls and lead down crude steps to the canyon floor and along Dismals Creek. This entire canyon seems to be a collision of gigantic sandstone boulders tumbling from the walls and the creek pass through and shaping them over the eons.

It's been raining today and with the lush green foliage, the dark shadows and passages created by the boulders, and just the overall atmosphere, it's a little creepy walking through this area, but also incredibly interesting. My path continues through some areas named by the ownership to make them more interesting. Hand rails have been fashioned in some areas from fallen timber. Some areas require a little bit of rock scrambling to maneuver about and all the while the eerie grayish brown waters of the creek run right on by.

The trail map suggests a couple of creek crossings, but recent storms have washed away the stepping stones and as I'm not willing to submerge my feet in mud today, I cut my tour a little short and return part of the way I came. Just past another waterfall from a feeder creek, I walk across a wooden bridge to the far side and enter the Witches Cavern, which is a maze of the giant boulders I mentioned earlier. As I understand it, this area is home to the largest colony of Dismalites and I suspect I will be returning here later this evening.

The final stretch sees me walking across a small suspension bridge to return to where I started. This area is really interesting, though I'm a little disappointed in the upkeep of the trails given the entry fee. Ah well, I'm still grateful to have gotten a chance to visit.

Rosenbaum House (Lauderdale County, Alabama)

 Only a couple of miles from my last stop, sits the Rosenbaum House. An example of Frank Lloyd Wright's Usonian house concept, it was built as a single family home in 1940 at a cost of $14,000 (twice the original budget). It is one of the only examples of Wright later designing an addition to the home, which the growing family requested and completed in 1948. 

I've always been a student of Wright's architecture and when I learned that this work was in such close proximity to my planned route for the weekend, I had to stop for the tour. After checking in, several of us were lead across the street and into the home. As we are informed the home was occupied by the family until 1999 when the last surviving member was relocated to a nursing home. By that time, the home was in very poor repair, suffering from water and termite damage. The city purchased and restored the home to its current state.

The tour takes us through the living room, study, original kitchen (which wasn't much larger than a modern shower), and bedrooms. As our guide informs, the addition added a much larger kitchen and an additional sleeping area for the family's sons. All throughout the home, Lloyd's trademarks can be seen. From the custom-designed furniture to the extensive use of natural lighting to the hidden storage areas, this work showcases his genius and I'm really glad to have had a chance to visit.

Florence Indian Mound (Lauderdale County, Alabama)

 

My next stop in northwestern Alabama takes me to see the Florence Indian Mound. This is a tall solitary mound build near the Tennessee River. This one rises about 42 feet above the surrounding area and covers and area of about an acre and a half at its base. It is believed to have been built around 500 CE in the Woodland period. There is a nice museum built alongside the Native American site, but as my time is limited and with the rain starting again, I limit myself to just taking a few photos of this ancient site. 

Oakville Indian Mounds (Lawrence County, Alabama)

 

I'm headed to northwestern Alabama to check out a few sites this weekend. A series of storms have and continue to pass through, but I think I will have just the right windows to see the places I'm planning to stop at. The first is the Oakville Indian Mound Complex. An 83-acre park surrounds what remains of the Native American site, and includes a museum. Of the original five mounds that were found here by settlers, only two remain. They are believed to have been constructed by people of the Copena culture between 1,500 and 2,000 years ago.

A gravel and dirt road leads into the park and a small pull-off by the largest of the two mounds offers me a chance to get out into the wet grass and explore a little bit. This mound is 27 feet high and at the base covers an area of 1.8 acres. This is the largest surviving ceremonial mound in Alabama. A set of stairs leads to the top, where a few stone have been arranged in the ground. This mound and the surrounding area are well maintained and it's nice to see a relic such as this cared for so well.

Further down the road, a second mound is enclosed by a fence. This is a burial mound and is significantly smaller. It has not been maintained as well and trees and ferns have grown up all around it. I take a few pictures and then decide to head on towards my next stop.

Zahnd Half-Loop (Walker County, Georgia)

Just a few miles south of Lula Lake Land Trust is the Zahnd Wilderness Management Area. I've seen great things about the trails here and have wanted to visit for some time. The distance from my house combined with the various hunting seasons that are popular here have deterred me in the past, but with my Lands Pass paid for and on my phone, I decided today would be a great day to check it out. 

There are only two other cars in the parking lot when I arrive. After getting my bearings, I head into the lush forest along the obvious trail. There are a few side trails though and it would be easy to become disoriented in here. This trail system meanders about a large group of gigantic house-sized boulders that are common near Lookout Mountain. Many of the boulder piles have been partially covered with earth over the eons, but others sit prominently on the ground. I take particular note of one such boulder that moderately sized tree has found a spot to grow through. It's almost as if the rock is giving the tree a hug. It will be interesting to see what this looks like in years to come as the tree outgrows the small nook it has grown through. 

Continuing on, I reach an area atop a large pile of boulders. Many of the cavities between rocks have been filled in with earth, but some allow a view into the abyss. The surface itself, where other free-standing boulders aren't blocking the way, has been covered with a mint green, cushy moss making for a surreal image. The trail through this area is a little challenging to find, but eventually, I do make way onward.

The next section takes me to a small waterfall, probably twenty or so feet tall. Unfortunately, the view is heavily obscured by the rich foliage. I'm also forced to make a small water crossing here just above the waterfall. The other side offers no better view of the waterfall thought and I continue along the trail.

After another quarter-mile or so, I reach a muddy area where the creek has spread out to form something of a bog with no clear path for the water or the trail. I spend a few minutes scanning the area to figure out where the trail continues, but I'm at something of a loss. I'm sure I could find it, but doing so would require me to wade through knee deep water and muck. I decide against this. Even though I would like to complete the loop, I'm really not looking to go swamping today. And so, I return the way I came settling for a half-loop.

Route-finding my way back to my car is a bit easier, since I know what I'm looking for this time and I eventually get back to the parking area. It's hot and I'm sweating, but I'm glad I made the stop to check this area out. It really is a great hike. The odd terrain created by the boulders makes it very interesting and appealing to explorers. I wish I could have completed the full loop hike, but I settle for the 1.8 miles I was able to get.

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

Every once in a while there are events that act as a confluence of my interests. Lula Lake Land Trust's annual Hike Bike Brew is one such event. I've attended a couple of times in past years, but it's normally a good time. The event acts as one of the bigger fund raisers for the land trust and is responsible for helping protect the lands around Lula Lake and its waterfalls. 

I arrived a few minutes before the event officially started and was able to get a perfect parking spot. After checking in and getting my silicon cup, I started the short hike, which includes several beer stops along the way. The trail itself is mostly a gravel road, especially this lower part and is well-shaded. 

In addition to the gorgeous scenery this hike offers, I'm also able to sample several beer Chattanooga-area breweries, which donate to the event. The first stop offers a dunkelweizen, which is pretty good. The second, which is on the other side of the trail is featuring a "mystery melon sour". It turns out the brewery didn't provide any label on their keg and so the volunteer pouring it had to guess. She's right though, it does taste of cantaloupe with a very mild sour note 

This hike brings out a lot of folks and it's interesting to see how they prepare. Many have hydration packs and hiking poles, which seems a bit unnecessary to me for this short hike, but to each their own. After crossing the bridge over Rock Creek, I stop at the second beer tent and also drop down the fashioned stone stairs to enjoy a view of Lula Lake itself, which is formed by the smaller of the two waterfalls along the way. Normally, I would have headed up to the bluff from here, but we've had a lot of rain in the past few days and the organizers are cautioning folks not to go this way due to slippery rocks. I heed their advise. 

Continuing on the lower path, I finally get a view of the larger of the two waterfalls, while drinking my next beer, a decent blonde ale. The tent serving this one blocks the path and so, I assume they don't want us hiking down to the base of the falls today. I've done so before and it can be a little treacherous. They probably don't want a bunch of drunks tumbling down the hill during this event. I can't say I blame them.

From here, I head up the bluff trail, which is a single track through the woods and leads to a long ridge overlook atop the southern section of Lookout Mountain. I enjoy another beer and a cooling breeze while I take in the view. The vast plain stretches out to the east before me, rich with farmland. This being the last stop, I'm return the way I came and make my way meadow where I parked. The food is ready now and I enjoy a chicken salad sandwich while sitting in the shade at a picnic table. The event will continue for another couple of hours, but with 3.3 miles hiked and all of the beer sampled, I'm going to take my leave and get in another nearby hike.

Chetoogeta Mountain Tunnel (Whitfield County, Georgia)

 

I'm on my way to Lula Lake Land Trust this morning, but I'm going to make a stop to explore something I've tried a couple of times in the past. Unfortunately, the Chetoogeta Mountain Tunnel and it's museum have been closed every other time I've come this way. This railroad tunnel was completed in 1850 as part of the Western & Atlantic Railroad. It was necessary to bore through Chetoogeta Mountain to keep the grade of the rail appropriate. 

After being greeted by one of the museum's caretakers, I wandered through the small facility looking over numerous Civil War artifacts related to the tunnel and the nearby events of that era. It's interesting to see such artifacts, but the real reason I'm hear is to walk through the tunnel. A short quarter-mile drive sees me to the parking area and a paved walkway leads me the rest of the way into the side of the mountain. A large iron gate with the letters W & A has been unlocked to allow visitors to enter. Amazingly straight and level, the rails have been replaced by a paved path that leads to the bright light at the other end of the tunnel, some 1,447 feet away. As I pass motion sensitive lights, my path is illuminated (at least most of them are working). It's truly amazing to see these marvels of human ingenuity. The work that went into the creation of the tunnel must have been tremendous. 

Completing the walk to the other end and seeing daylight once again, I return the way I came and encounter some large multi-seat golf carts carrying a group through the tunnel. I wave and one gentleman makes a joke about how life-like the animatronics are. It was a great little stop, but for now, I must be on my way.

Harbins Park Bushwhack (Gwinnett County, Georgia)

It's been a rainy weekend and I haven't gotten outside at all. After taking my mother to breakfast, and with a short break in the expected forecast, I decided to join the Meetup group for a hike at nearby Harbins Park. While I've been to this park a few times in the past, the description of today's hike indicated that we would be exploring a different part of it starting at the Baseball Complex. I was intrigued and it gave a chance to stretch my legs a bit.

With today being Mother's Day and with all of the weather, we had a group of only seven hikers today, including myself. We met at the far end of the parking area and walked a short distance on the paved trail before taking a left into the woods. At first, we were following what appeared to be old dirt roads (wagon roads perhaps), but soon they disappeared into the forest and we were bushwhacking. 

It's actually very pretty out here, but a little eerie too, as we didn't see a single squirrel, hear a single bird, or any other sign of animal life for the vast majority of the hike. Considering we were a lush, green forest with Cedar Creek passing through it, this was quite surprising. As we progressed, we had to cross the creek a couple of times, which led to wet shoes, but as our shoes were already wet on the outside from all of the moisture on the foliage, this wasn't really a problem. 

We did find a few oddities as we made our way through the woods. This included a small, cleaned carnivore skull (probably a fox) with a small bullet hole in it, a large hollowed out tree trunk still standing (my fellow hikers had pictures taken of themselves standing in it), and a couple of well shacks. I approached the door of the first well shack we found and opened the door to look in. I startled some kind of brownish-grey animal that was using it as a home. Upon opening the door it hid next to or inside a old 5-gallon bucket and I never got a good look. Based on the animals size, I think it was either a racoon or a fox.

After another creek crossing, we made our way back to the parking area and decided to call it a day. It was a bit different than our normal Sunday hikes as there was very little trail and a lot more bushwhacking than normal, but we still managed to get in right at 5.0 miles and with more rain coming, I'll have to settle for that.

Appalachian Trail - Unicoi Gap to Chattahoochee Gap/Jacks Knob (Towns County, Georgia)

 This morning I'm back at it, working on my quest to complete the Georgia sections of the Appalachian Trail. I didn't post this one as a Meetup event, but a friend did ask to join me and met me at the Unicoi Gap Trailhead. Today, we'll be hiking from this trailhead to Chattahoochee Gap and the junction with the Jacks Knob Trail. Originally, this was going to be part of a roughly 18-mile section, but I found that I could hike the section we're doing today, and then at a later point hike from the Jacks Gap trailhead (which is not part of the AT) to the Low Gap Shelter (which is on the AT). This adds about 2.6 miles overall, but allows me to break the 18-mile section into a two more reasonable out-and-backs of (9 and 14 miles respectively).

After tossing on our packs, we hit the trail, which starts across the highway from where we parked our cars. The first mile or so is pretty steep, but we made good progress as we discussed a variety of things. It rained quite a bit yesterday and overnight, which has left the foliage a bright green this morning. So lush with life. Finally reaching the ridge above, the trail leveled out from here and should just include some soft undulating hills until we return to this part on our way back.

At the approximate halfway point between Unicoi and Chattahoochee Gaps, we encounter the sturdy Blue Mountain Shelter. This structure is one of many built along the AT to provide hikers some basic shelter from storms. Briefly speaking with a hiker we passed going the opposite direction, it sounds like the shelter was pretty packed with people last night. We take a minute to explore the shelter before getting back to the trail.

The next mile or so is extremely rock and it slows our progress significantly, as we want to be careful not to slip or roll ankle. Approaching our planned turn around, we hike above the mountain springs that from the headwaters of the Chattahoochee River as they head south out of the mountains. It's not really much to see here, but it's interesting to know that this is where it all begins.

Reaching a sign that indicates Chattahoochee Gap, we recognize our turnaround point and stop for a quick water break. To the north, the climb up Jacks Knob lays before us. When I return to knock out the next section south, I'll climb over this peak to reach this point and then continue south towards the Low Gap Shelter.

The return trip is no different than our way in, other than encountering a few millipedes on the trail. The lingering puddles of rainwater in combination with the rising temperatures have probably drawn them out. We make pretty good time and eventually get back to our cars at the parking lot.

As we drop our packs and poles into our respective transports, a gentleman walks over to us from a circle of folding chairs near the edge of the parking lot and offers us some refreshment. He's performing what AT Thru-hikers call 'trail magic', which is to say that he has brought food and drink to an area is handing it out at no cost to those walking the trail. I truly appreciate what folks that offer this service do for the people on the trail, which I tell him as I decline. We tell him that we're headed to nearby Helen, GA for a German-style beer, but thank him nonetheless. Total distance for today was around 8.9 miles, and compared to other sections I've hiked recently this one was pretty easy. 

Sprayberry Rock (Cobb County, Georgia)

On my way home from Chatsworth, GA, I decided to stop and visit what I had originally thought was a rock adorned with a petroglyph panel. The Sprayberry Rock now resides just outside an Optometrist's Office, apparently moved that location from it's original resting place about one hundred feet away. 

Instead of petroglyphs, what I found was perhaps more interesting. The rock itself is a type of soapstone and ancient peoples chiseled away at the soft-ish stone to carve out bowls and other utensils. A couple of works-in-progress can easily be identified on this example. A information plaque near the stone suggests that the work is approximately 4,000 years old. I don't know much about this type of earthen works, but it's definitely worth a visit if you're ever in the area.

Tear Drop Half-Marathon (Murray County, Georgia)

 After spending the morning and early afternoon in Helen, GA yesterday, I drove over to Chatsworth and then to Dalton, GA in preparation for running my first half-marathon in about six-months. This morning, I'll be running the Tear Drop Half-Marathon, which starts at the summit of Fort Mountain and heads down into Chatsworth proper. I'm a little nervous as my knees really caused me some problems on my last distance run, but they were okay hiking down to Havasu Falls last week and so, I felt it was worth testing them

Waking up at 4:30 am in my hotel room in Dalton, I dressed and packed my gear. It's about a thirty minute drive back to Chatsworth, but this was a better option than trying to drive there from home, which would have been over two-hours and would have required me to get up even earlier. The drive is uneventful and I quickly find a place to park, before loading up onto one of the provided buses. We'll be transported to the starting line and then run back to our cars. Unfortunately, they organized the bus load order alphabetically by last name, which meant I was on the 6:00 am bus. 

I chat a bit with the other runners on the drive up and once at the top, we unload and then await the start of the race. It's pretty cold up here and we'll be standing around for nearly an hour. We are reward with a beautiful sunrise though and just the general comradery makes it worthwhile.

As 7:30 am approaches, we get in position and with a countdown from ten, we're off. This odd course will require us to run about 2-miles, turn-around, run back to the start, and then repeat that section again before hitting the 5-mile mark and starting the steep downhill. It's fairly easy though and I'm feeling pretty good. The first section does have some slight uphills and I try to conserve some energy as I traverse these sections. Returning to the start line, I pop into one of the port-o-pottys, and then start the first section again. 

I'm towards the back of the pack, but I'm feeling good and my knees seem to be holding, even when the downhill starts. Between mile 6 and mile 12, we loose around 2,000 feet of elevation and by the end my knees are starting to feel it a little bit, but nothing too terrible. The final mile takes us into town and eventually, we get back to the finish line. A cold beer and some barbequed pork over mac 'n' cheese greets us, along with our finisher's medal.

Though the race was mostly downhill, I'm still pretty happy with my performance. I finished in 2:40:47, which is over forty minutes faster than my last half-marathon. My knees were really giving me fits on that one though and even with all the downhill, they are not in too bad of shape after this run. Now the long drive home.

Volkswanderung - Helen to Unicoi (White County, Georgia)

This morning, I'm heading up to the little Bavarian-themed town of Helen, GA to participate in their annual Volkswanderung, or organized walk. This even will include options for a 1k, 5k, or 10k hike in and around town and upon the participant's return to the starting point at Bodensee Restaurant a Bavarian festival complete with music, food, and beer. Including the hike itself, that covers four of my favorite food groups. How could I not engage in this.

After finding a parking spot on the public lots in Helen, I checked in at Bodensee only to find out that the event was cash only. Luckily, there is a bank just a short distance away and I was able to get cash from their ATM. The gentleman checking me asked, which distance I was planning to do and of course, I replied with the 10k. Since I was checking in only a few minutes before registration closed, he expressed some concern that I might not be able to finish in time, but I was able to put his mind at ease. After all, I hiked 10-miles and 3,000 feet of elevation gain in only 4-hours as I climbed out of the western end of the Grand Canyon coming from Havasu Falls. I really don't think it's going to take me much more than 2-hours to hike 6.2 miles over mostly flat ground. 

With that, I was off. The first section traverses town and allowed me to take a slight detour to drop a bag off at my car before continuing into the woods on the Helen to Unicoi trail, which connects town to the Unicoi Lodge. I passed a number of other participants as I made my way through the woods. I've hiked this trail a few times in the past and while nothing spectacular, it is a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the tourist town that Helen has become. 

Along the way, I stopped a couple of times to take a picture of Lower Smith Creek, which pours into the Chattahoochee River that flows through town, though it isn't much of a river until it gets further south. There are some nice views though. As I make my way along the well-traveled trail, I'm felling really strong and I continue to push a very fast pace. 

After about 3.1 miles, I reached Unicoi Lodge and got my stamp. The gentleman manning the check-point offered me water, but I still had plenty left. I made a quick turn and started heading back down towards Helen still at a blazing pace. At his point food and beer are on my mind and the sooner I get back to the restaurant, the sooner, I can enjoy both. 

The trip back is uneventful, though I do stop to chat with a few other hikers along the way. Some are struggling on the uphills and ask me what my secret is. I simply reply with 'persistence'. They laugh and we continue our march back to Helen. I remind them that cold beer is waiting for us, which gets another chuckle.

Getting back to Bodensee, I do my final check-in and I'm pointed towards the food. I grab a cold Paulaner Munich Lager, hot-off-the-grill garlic wurst (which the woman serving it refers to by a different name that I can't remember), and a seat. With the hike complete, I enjoy my well-deserved refreshment and meal. Damn! This thing really has some garlic. It's quite delicious and I finish it pretty quickly, along with my beer. My hike was right about 6.9 miles including the detour to my car and I completed in just about two-hours. This is a cool little event and if we're still living in the area, I'll probably try to do this again next year.