Cloudy Lunar Eclipse and Sunrise from Arabia Mountain (DeKalb County, Georgia)

The astronomers say there will be a full lunar eclipse (also known as a blood moon) early this morning. I had gotten an email from the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Center indicating they would be leading a hike to the top of Arabia Mountain (technically Bradley Mountain) for the event. Originally, I had planned to get up and drive to the nearby Little Mulberry Park and walk up to the observation plateau, but when heard of the Arabia Mountain option, it seemed a better choice.

I got up a little after three and after getting ready, I drove the 35ish minutes to Arabia Mountain. Though there was a thick cloud over overhead, I was optimistic that it might clear before the eclipse was over with. When I arrived, there were a few folks already there, but over the next twenty or so minutes it grew to a crowd of rough 125 people. Truly awesome to see this many people, including a number of teenagers, interested in something like this.

At 5:15 am, the rangers gathered everyone up and gave a quick briefing for the hike. From there, we walked through the woods and crossed the street over to a shortcut to the top. It's cold out this morning, but it seems most people, including myself prepared for it. I even brought one of my foam sleeping pads to sit on once we reached the top.

With our headlamps on, we scaled the side of the granite monadnock and quickly reached the top of the short mountain. The clouds remain and my hope of actually seeing something dwindles, but while we wait, I enjoy a number of nice conversations with fellow enthusiasts, as we brace ourselves from the cold winds. 

As 6:33 am, the minute of maximum, comes and goes, we're unable to see any thing resembling the moon. We do have a nice view of the city in the distance though. I pick up my sleeping pad and walk a few yards to get a eastern facing view. Perhaps the pending sunrise will be more accommodating. A few others join me, but once again, the clouds put a damper on our plan. 

With the time of sunrise, 7:03 am, now having come and gone, I pack up and head down the mountain. It's a bit disappointing, but it's still great to be outside and I do love climbing Arabia Mountain any chance I get, especially at night. I didn't do a GPS track for this one, but I suspect my distance was just over a mile. Hardly worth the effort of tracking.

Yellow River (Gwinnett County, Georgia)

I was able to get some good miles in yesterday and knock out an unexplored section of the AT in northern Georgia, but I really need to be pushing myself in preparation for some other upcoming hikes. I decided to join the Meetup group for their standard Sunday hike, which today was happening at Yellow River Park, which is only a short drive from my house. 

Arriving just a couple of minutes before the start time, I was greeted by several friends. We did our quick round of introductions and quickly hit the trail. I've hiked here before, but it has been a while. The park is mostly known for mountain bike trails, but they are shared with hikers. As we meander through the woods, I get into numerous conversations with friends, new and old alike, about a variety of topics. Several of the topics relate to an upcoming trip a few of us are doing together to hike the Camino Portugués de la Costa and our preparations for the trek.

As we hike, we are afforded a nice view of the river here and there. With the recent rains, it lives up to it's name with a muddy yellowish color to the water. It's still a nice view though. In addition, we wander alongside a couple of tributary creeks, one of which has a couple of small waterfalls, which adds some nice scenery to the hike.

Our hike takes us all around the park and finally, we end up back at the parking lot. Having hiked 7.6 miles today on top of the big miles yesterday, I feel I've given my legs a pretty good workout for the weekend. I say my goodbyes and hop in my car to drive home.

Appalachian Trail - Jacks Gap to Low Gap Shelter (Union County, Georgia)

 

For my continuing quest to complete all sections of the Georgia portion of the Appalachian Trail, I decided to knock out a section between Jacks Knob and the Low Gap Shelter today. I had been trying to plan out exactly how to do this without needing to shuttle, as there is a 15ish mile section between parking areas. However, I realized I could park at Jacks Gap, which is the starting point for the shortest hike up to Brasstown Bald, and then walk the Jacks Gap to Jacks Knob Trail, which hits the AT just past the mountain. I planned to then continue south on the AT towards Low Gap.

I arrived at the small parking area a little before 11:00 am. I had posted this as an event for the meetup, but only a couple of days ago. One person, whom I had never met, signed up and so I waited until the scheduled start time. I didn't necessarily think she would show up, but I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. When the clock struck though, I was quick to hit the trail, which started across the highway from the parking area. It quickly starts up hill towards Jacks Knob. We've had a bit of rain the past few days and so, the earth is soft here, but not terrible. 

As I make my way up the hillside, where the trail has been cut alongside it, I can't help but think of watching out for the mythical haggis of the Scottish Highlands. This beast is said to have the legs on one side of its body (both front and back) grow a bit shorter than those on the other side. This adaption allows the animal to feast on the grasses of the hillsides without struggling. It's a great story and having eaten haggis in Scotland, I can tell you that there must be something to the myth to produce such great food.

Reaching the top of the trail and Jacks Knob, I can easily see where this trail meets the AT. The famous trail blaze, a single white vertical stripe adorns a tree here. Just below the trail, is the source of the Chattahoochee River. I consider making my way down to it, but realize that it's not going to be anything more than just a trickle down a wash and decide against it. There are many other drainages coming off the mountain much like what I image that spot must be like.

So, my journey along this section of the AT now begins. I'm amazed at how flat the trail is here. It's actually using what I am fairly certain is an old abandoned logging road. The foot trail uses only a single track of what was once a double track, though the trees and bushes have started to reclaim the other section. I imagine in decades past a great deal of lumber was hauled out of these mountainsides.

In a few sections, the water trickles down from the mountaintops above and makes for some small waterfalls descending the steep hillside. As I pass through this long flat section, I pass a few northbound AT Thru-hikers. When I see their larger packs, I ask if they are bound for Mount Katahdin (the northern terminus of the AT in Maine). Many respond with "that's the plan", to which I wish the best of luck. Someday, I hope to thru-hike the AT myself, but taking four months off of work is challenging right now.

After a few miles, I drop down to the saddle that is Low Gap and then take the spur trail to the shelter constructed there. I'm sure there were hikers camped here last night, but at this time of day, I'm here all by myself. I take a few minutes to rest and eat some walnuts and blueberries. It's peaceful here and after a few minutes a another thru-hiker shows up and pitches his tent just up the hill from the shelter. I wave on my way out and he returns the gesture.

The return trip is pretty similar - easy going along the flat section and then a bit a of a challenge on the way down from Jacks Knob. One interesting thing that I didn't notice on my journey to the shelter that I do now on my journey back is a section of the old logging road supported by flat stones that have collapsed. I imagine the trail itself will completely wash out here in time and need to be rebuilt. It's a problem for another day though, as I need to get back to my car and head for home. As I make my way down the hillside, I can see the observation tower on Brasstown Bald from a distance. It sticks out above the tree tops on the distant ridge marking the highest point in the state.

Shortly before reaching my car, I'm stopped by an older couple who asked about where I had come from. I explain what I'm doing and we get into a longer conversation about nearby hikes and other adventures. They are nice folks, but after ten or fifteen minutes, I excuse myself as I really do need to get going. When I reach my car, I check the GPS track and see that I completed 14.6 miles today. Not bad at all, and with this section knocked out, I only have two more remaining (the two northernmost sections). I get in my car and head for home.

Arabia Mountain (DeKalb County, Georgia)

Having gotten in some pretty good miles yesterday, I was content to do a bit less today. I decided to hike around Arabia Mountain. This unique area has drawn my attention since I first moved to the Atlanta area about six years ago. It's a series of monadnocks southeast of downtown. It's protected as heritage area and has many, many miles of trails in combination of earthen and paved. Today though, I thought I would spend most of my time on the granite.

It's cool outside and the wind is whipping around like crazy, which should make for an interesting time to be atop the near barren granite landscapes of this area. As I'm very familiar with this area and there are few hazards, I decide to continue listening to an audio book that I'm already deep into as I get my miles in. I start out at the visitors center and make my way down the boardwalk to the main entrance to the Bradley and Arabia Mountains and then start the climb to the top of Bradley on the bare, but well-worn granite. 

As I suspected, the wind is making this an adventure. In some the shallow solution pools worn into the granite over the eons, the wind blows ripples onto the settle water. While in others, the tiny red leaves of sedum smallii grow and bring color to the gray land. Once at the top, I locate the USGS cap and stop to take in the view for a moment. 

There are a few people here at the site, but as I wander further north across the granite, it seems I have the entire landscape to myself. I walk and climb over several steps and shelves where quarry workers cut giant slabs of the stone out for a multitude of industrial and domestic uses. The mountain is scarred terribly by the work of these industries of the last century, but it makes for several curiosities for those who seek exploration on the hills and peaks of the area.

After cresting the top of Arabia Mountain itself, I head downhill towards Mountain Lake and walk across the granite at a lower elevation. I take note of the small waterfalls and streams that flow over the smooth stone that makes up the mountain. Most of the water draining into the lake. 

Returning to the area I entered, I head back up the boardwalk, but instead of heading directly back towards my car, I decide to hike a bit more along the Mile Rock Trail, which pass over another granite landscape to the west of the mountains, but that was also quarried heavily. Here, I find the Frog Pond, which is full of tadpoles swimming about. I'll have to check this out later in the year and see the adults.

Continuing north, I find more of the red sedum smallii and more quarried granite slabs, including some that have even been polished to a mirror-like surface. I can't imagine why these were left here. They must be valuable, although no one could move them without heavy equipment if they had the inclination to steal them.

Closer to the edge of the woods, I find the husk of a building atop the granite, which was presumably some structure associated with the quarry operator back in they day. Leaving the granite and re-entering the woods, I find another curious structure. Several parallel granite walls about a foot-and-a-half thick and about the same distance apart. They are laid out in an area large enough to have been a decent sized building, but I can't imagine why they would be laid out in a pattern like this and a quick survey of the area doesn't offer much insight.

Returning to the visitors center and my car, I remove my headphones and check my mileage. I've only hiked about 5.1 miles today, but that's okay, I got in enough yesterday to make up the difference, and it was very nice to hike in such an interesting area with literature being read into my ears. I even stumbled across a new structure that I'm really curious about now - a mystery for another day. For now, I need to get home and get to making dinner for my family.

Coldwater Mountain Loop (Calhoun County, Alabama)

Later in the spring, I will be hiking the Camino Portugues de la Costa and to prepare for some really big mileage days on that trek, I put together a number of training hikes with fairly low elevation change, but with increasing mileage as the trip gets closer and closer. I posted these on the Meetup, as a few friends will be joining me on this upcoming international trip. Originally, today's hike along the Coldwater Mountain Loop was planned for January, but bad weather forced me to reschedule it to today. Only my friend Angie was able to join me for this one, but I suspect more people will be on the ones later in the spring.

I met up with Angie at the Indian Trail Park and Ride just off of I-85 and only a few miles from my house. We planned to carpool the rest of the way, as it is a roughly two-hour drive over the border into Alabama to reach the trailhead. The drive was uneventful, other than the pouring rain that we had to get through on the way over. I had been watching both the forecast and doppler radar very closely. I was pretty certain the rain would stop by the time we reached the trailhead, though a super muddy trail was still a concern. 

As expected, the rain stopped a while before we finished our drive and we pulled into the gravel parking area to find it completely empty. While this is the first time either of us have visited this trail system, my research indicated that it was very popular for mountain bikers. I guess we'll have to see if they know something we didn't.

We quickly got our bearings and started up the Tortoise Trail, which is just one of the large network of interconnecting paths on this series of small ridges. Luckily, the trail doesn't seem to be very muddy at all, with only a couple of small patches of soft soil along the entire trip. Not too long after starting, we start up a steep incline only to hear some hollering coming from the other direction. With just enough time to react a four mountain bikes jump over the hill with no way to stop in time. Thankfully, their yelling gave us enough time to react and get out of the way. These are only the first of many we'll see today. 

Further along the trail, we hit a junction where three of the longer trails converge. Here a large pipe (8-10 ft in diameter) has been fashioned into the ground with cemented stones holding it and the ramp leading up to the top of it in place. This is meant to be an overpass with one trail going through the pipe and another going over the top via the ramp. We decide this is a great place to stop for a quick lunch and find a nearby bench to rest on for a few minutes. I'm dieting pretty heavily right now and so, my lunch consists of a Clif Bar, the peanut butter variety, and a handful of walnuts. It's enough to give me a little energy boost.

We continue on, hopping between different trails and trying our best to follow our planned route as defined by whomever posted this trail on AllTrails.com. After about five hours, we realize we are nearing the end and discuss what a great day it has been. Before we know it, we're at the parking area. The hiking pole that Angie accidentally left beside the "porta-potty" is even still there. Our total distance was about 14.1 miles, which made for a nice training hike. While this trail system is nothing spectacular, it's very doable and well maintained. I don't know that I would drive this far to hike it again, but overall, it was a nice hike. Now, the drive home.

Sutallee Trace White Trail (Cherokee County, Georgia)

It rained most of yesterday and while I was planning to do some hiking at Black Rock Mountain State Park, I thought the trails might be too muddy and started looking for other alternatives. I landed on a new trail that I found while searching the internet. The Sutallee Trace White Trail is part of the Etowah Trail system near Canton, GA. It follows the believed route created by the Cherokee and Creek and later used by European pioneers to travel about these hills above the Etowah River.

The parking area is large finding parking wasn't a problem. The trail system begins with a large sign, with the White Trail being the main trial and then others splitting off of it further into the woods. For the first little bit, the trail runs parallel to a gravel track that I presume is used by the nearby high school for sports training. Soon though, the cleared area of the track ends and the trail enters deeper into the woods.

Almost immediately, I encounter a large aluminum span of bridge laying on the ground just before a side creek. Just a bit further a ramp leads up to wooden bridge mostly comprised of four tree trunks in an A-frame configuration and a floor to walk across beneath them. The wooden bridge appears to be aging and I surmise that the brand new aluminum bridge is intended to replace it in the near future. At least they are taking good care of these trails. 

The trail continues on and offers some nice views of the muddy Etowah River and it's bends and shoals. It seems all rivers in the part of the country are shallow and full of rocky shoals, which must have made water travel challenging in the past.

Eventually, the trail leaves the rivers and follows the ebbs and flows of the nearby hillsides, crossing into an area that was obviously clear cut in the recent past. Few trees grow here and the yellow grasses reign supreme on these hillsides. A church and associated cemetery are visible nearby at a major junction of trails and old dirt roads. The trail re-enters the woods and spends the next couple of miles tracing the hillsides on very narrow foot trails. 

Finally reaching the end at Jug Creek, the trail and white blazes that mark it, just end at an old boyscout-constructed bridge. Having looked over the trail before coming, I expected this. There is an old dirt road here, but technically this is the end of the trail and my turn point.

The trip back is uneventful, though I do encounter a number of other hikers as I get close to the starting point. When I reach my car, I check and find that I've hiked about 8.3 miles. Not great, but certainly not bad. I was also able to check out a totally new trail system. I think I will suggest this to the other organizers of the meetup as a potential destination for one of the Sunday hikes, as I think this would be right up the group's alley. For now, I will head home and enjoy dinner with my family.

Palisades East to the Bamboo Forest (Fulton County, Georgia)

Trying to make the most of my Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area day pass, I also wanted to hike to the bamboo forest of the Palisades East unit. Originally, I had tried to park at the main trailhead, but it was absolutely packed and there was no parking to be found. I guess everyone is trying to get some outdoor time on this beautiful Valentine's Day afternoon. As an alternative, I headed to the Indian Trail parking area of this unit. It was similarly busy with cars lining sides of the gravel road, but fortunately, I was able to locate a spot to park my car.

Walking back up the road just a short ways, I quickly entered the woods and began hiking the trails of this unit. The follow the small gulches cut by the rain waters as it follows the path of least resistance on its way to the river below. Some of the trails are a little precarious and full of roots and rocks. I step carefully, but before long reach the old ruins and then head north right along the Chattahoochee River and all of it's shoals.

After only about a quarter-mile, the tall straight stalks of bamboo come into view and soon, I'm surrounded by them. This always seems a magical place to me. While there is a lot of the invasive bamboo scattered around the southeast, this area is home to some of the oldest and largest I know of. Also, sitting right alongside the river gives it a certain charm. It's actually difficult for me to believe now, but when I first moved her several years ago, I searched and searched for this place with little luck. Now, getting there is like second nature to me.

I spend a few minutes taking in my beautiful surroundings. The tall, green stalks surrounding me, the wide river full of brown, rocky shoals sticking up out of the water pass before me, and the distant hills on the other side of the river, all add to the character of this place. What a great day to be alive. And now, I have to get back home to get ready for dinner and my other reason for being alive - my amazing wife. I put in another 2.2 miles at this unit, which still isn't a lot of mileage on this holiday weekend, but hopefully, it will be dry enough on Monday, that I can get a few more.

Sope Creek (Cobb County, Georgia)

For the first time in many years, I'm not planning to by the National Park Service's America the Beautiful pass this year. However, I still want to hit a few sites. With dinner plans tonight, I don't have a lot of time and so, I'm going to try to make the best of limited time and the NPS day pass I bought for the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area today. The first stop will be a short hike at the Sope Creek unit..

I guess a lot of other people had similar ideas. Whether they are trying to get a hike in before tonight's rains come or just out for some fresh air with that special someone on this Valentine's Day, I can't say. Regardless though, there are quite a few people here. I take the only remaining parking spot available and quickly start making my way down towards the old paper mill ruins along the creek itself.

While close to home, I do love this little park. The walls of the mill add a distinctive character to it. I spend a couple of minutes finding a good angle to take a shot and then head up to the road and across the creek to the other side, which has a few more ruined structures. I follow this side trail parallel to the shoal-heavy creek all the way to the gulch where Cross Creek joins Sope Creek. There is the ruin of a large multi-room structure here and it makes find point to turn back, as crossing the gulch would not be an easy task.

Heading back the way I came, I pass the main ruins and head into the hills and hollows of the park. The trails here are always well maintained and I make quick work of them. Eventually, I reach Sibley Pond, where a young couple is spending their valentines day on the wooden dock, complete with rose petals spread all over. I nod at the young gentleman and he returns the gesture.

After walking around the pond, I return to the parking area. I only put in 2.2 miles here today, but I'm going to hit another unit of the park before heading home. It's always nice to return to this area. The ruins give it a historic feel, which I appreciate.

Brownstone Canyon Pictographs (Clark County, Nevada)

Anyone that follows my adventures knows that I really enjoy searching for and finding ancient Native American rock art. Many of my posts on this blog are dedicated to specific sites that I have visited over the years. Near Las Vegas, there is a pictograph panel that has eluded me for a few years now and today, I'm going to have another go at reaching it. The panel is in a canyon known as Brownstone Canyon, which is north and running parallels to the famous Red Rocks Canyon National Conservation Area. 

My first attempt about four years ago was quickly put to an end by a new subdivision, which had been built near the trailhead I was planning to start from. In addition to homes, they also built tall concrete walls at the back of the project, effectively blocking access to this particular trailhead. About a year-and-a-half ago, I made a second attempt from with in Red Rocks Canyon. I thought this would be about a 12-15 mile hike from the Turtlehead Peak Trailhead. Unfortunately, the early October weather of that trip still saw temperatures breaking the 100° barrier and I decided it was not the best time to be hiking in the remote open desert. 

All of that brings me to today. I have my entry pass to the park and I intend to hike the route, I had planned out for my last attempt. Luckily, the temperatures are only suppose to reach a high of around 70° today, which means it should be perfect weather for hiking. 

After parking my rental, I quickly hit the trail for Turtlehead Peak. My route follows this path for the first mile or so, before breaking northeast and heading on around the backside of the mountain. The first part of the trail is well marked and then enters a wide wash that looks more like the parking lot at a quarry than anything else. Huge amounts of small pebbles, a mix of limestone and sandstone, cover the ground in this wide wash, which has to be more than 150' feet wide. I can only imagine what this must look like during a heavy rain.

Eventually, I reach a point where I realize I didn't leave the Turtlehead Peak Trail quite soon enough and I'm forced to climb over a couple of sagebrush covered hills until I rejoin the large wash. The hiking is all uphill, though at a very slight ascent and so, I'm making decent time. The gravel is hard to walk in though, but as there is very little flora in it, I'm comforted somewhat by not having to be quite as watchful for rattlesnakes in this section. This is a rough time of year for hikers with regard to these critters. I'm familiar enough with snakes to know their behavior at different temperatures. In the hot summer sun, snakes will hide under rocks or in the shade of a small bush, while in the colder months, they will often be out in the open on top of a rock sunning themselves to help regulate their body temperature. The difficulty comes in when the temperatures are between 60° and 70°ish degrees, as they could be in either location. When I am forced to walk by small bushes or rock overhangs, my senses are on hyper alert looking for the venomous creatures.

As I continue to climb towards the top of the canyon, the wash begins to narrow. With the tall La Madre filling the horizon directly in front of me, I know I'm on the correct path. Soon though and after the wash narrows even further, I begin to turn due north as expected. At one point, I find a dry waterfall that requires a modest amount of scrambling to climb up.

From there, the trail continues to follow the wash, but I'm now on the back (northwest) side of the series of peaks that are part of the Turtlehead Peak complex. The trail (wash) is extremely narrow in places and I think to myself what a good ambush spot some of these passages would be for a mountain lion. I'm careful to watch out for tracks and other signs, but as of yet, I haven't seen any. I'm still on guard though.

Finally, I get to the top of the canyon, which is nothing more than a small saddle between two hills. Coming down the other side, I find a feint foot trail with an occasional rock cairn to mark the way. The footholds are a little precarious and on this sandy gravel, slipping is a real concern. Luckily, the fall or slide would only a few feet into the tiny wash between the hillsides. The view of Brownstone Canyon from up here is magnificent though and in the distance, I can see the Las Vegas Strip, which is about thirty miles away. It still stands out though against the desolate desert landscape.

Now making my way down the new wash that forms this parallel canyon, I find the hiking much easier. It's headed slightly downhill and looking down the canyon from above, I have a pretty good idea of where I'm going, which is unlike the first half, where I couldn't see around the next bend sometimes and simply had to trust my sense of direction to ensure I was on track.

On my left, the red rocks for which the area is so famous jut out of the ground to form a small mountain and to my right, similar formations, but in white do the same. They almost look like giant wasp nests. I should note that after leaving the Turtlehead Peak Trail several miles ago, I haven't seen another soul. I suspect the trails up here are not trafficked much, which suits me just fine. I'd prefer to keep people away and keep the priceless rock art safe.

Eventually, I reach an area that I think is near the pictographs. I begin scanning the rock walls to my right in search of any indication. Very quickly, I spot some red figures painted on the sandstone and head over for a closer examination. I'm forced to climb up a small rock outcropping, but once over the edge and in between it and the larger rock wall in front of me, I know I have arrived. 

No less than three panels containing many dozens of figures have been painted here in four or possibly five different colors. There are images of human-shaped images, along with snakes, and numerous other repeating figures. The main panel is actually one of the most colorful I have encountered - truly breathtaking. Experts believe these rock art images are at least 800 years old, but could be much older than that. Either way, I'm honored to be among these amazing art works. 

A small plaque has been cemented on the rocks in front of the wall, warning visitors of the criminal penalties of defacing these treasures. As this area is so remote, hopefully, the will remain safe until the wind and rain naturally and finally wash all trace of them away in the eons to come. 

As I make my way out of the crag between the rocks, I hear foot steps and see another hiker coming from the opposite direction of my route. We chat briefly and I ask where he started. Apparently, he came from a trailhead called Greg's Trailhead and hiked northwest up Brownstone Canyon from behind the subdivision to reach this point. He says it was a little over five miles to this point. I wish him well and start heading back the way I came. 

My return trip is uneventful, but I am afforded more great views of Red Rock Canyon once I get around to the southside of Turtlehead Peak. These views were behind me on my trip in and so, I didn't really take the time to notice them. I'm taking the time now though. When I finally get back to my rental car, I check my track and discover that the entire hike was only about 8.9 miles, which significantly less than I had estimated. Ah well, finding these panels was well worth the effort and I'm really glad I was able to finally accomplish my goal.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

South Rockdale Park (Rockdale County, Georgia)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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