The High Tech Hiker

2009-11-30T07:47:00.001-08:00

Hikefest 2009

2009-11-27T18:26:00.000-08:00

With the family in Nashville, I decided to take full advantage of the day off. I knew I was heading North to the mountains, but I did not decide until I got to Dahlonega/Helen fork where I was headed. I picked the Helen route, and ended up first at the Smithgall Woods Conservation Area. This is one of the largest state parks in Georgia, centered around the remnants of a major mining operation from the 1800's (the first US gold rush). I hiked 2 miles on the main road to reach the trailhead for the Martin's Mine trail, which features the remnants of an actual gold mine.

I started back on the main road, and turned off for the Ash Creek trail, which climbs a couple of ridges, leading to a wet ankle crossing of Ash Creek, not terribly pleasant given the cold temperature.

As I neared the end, I was really getting hungry, having had nothing but a snack bar since 6 AM. I soon discovered that the trail dead ended into Dukes Creek, a wide and rapid creek approximately 3 feet deep. On the other side, the short end of the trail and the main road beckoned. Had it been warmer, I would have taken my shoes off and crossed it, but today, I had no option but to backtrack the entire 1.5 miles, and another wet ankle (or wet sock in this case)crossing.

After a quick lunch at Unicoi State Park, I decided to take the 9 mile drive to Unicoi Gap, and do a section of the AT. I arrived at the parking lot, and after a moment of indecision about which direction to go, I headed North. This may not have been the best choice, as it turned out to be one of the most difficult AT sections I have done. It climbs 1,100 feet in 1.2 miles with no mercifully flat sections, all while enduring 25 MPH sustained winds.

All the climbing was worthwhile however, because at the top, I was rewarded with a breathtaking view of the mountains to the South. And, the good news continued - the return trip was all downhill!

I was also rewarded with some enlightening thoughts about how God uses seemingly small events to do great things. For example, the dental hygienist I knew in passing from Miami, who moved to Atlanta and has been taking care of my teeth for 27 years. Last year, she asked if she could give my contact info to a young patent she just started treating that was just diagnosed with Crohn's Disease. We exchanged a few emails, which ultimately led to me serving with her at Act Together Ministries.

I wonder what God will start tomorrow?

The Blind Leading the Blind?

2009-06-21T17:08:00.000-07:00

I usually ride my bike instead of hiking on very hot days, but thanks to an accident involving my car carrier coming off, and a family medical crisis, my bike was not in working order. As such, I braved the heat and revisited Pine Mountain in Cartersville. it is a relatively short trail with a great view. Unfortunately, I forgot that it has more ups and downs in a short distance that most sections of the AT. Not my first choice on a 97 degree day.

I started with the ascent to the crest of Pine Mountain, which involves a 600+ foot climb in half a mile. The view of Lake Allatoona (which happily is full) is worth the trip however, and thinks to the Boy Scouts there is now a bench on top when you can sit and take in the view.

The trail system consists of two loops with another trail connecting them. This makes it exceedingly difficult to get lost. That being said, and despite this being only my second visit, I would end up helping an individual and a family find their way down. I had encountered a family with small kids a few times, and when I got to the high portion of the east loop, they were stopped. They flagged me down, and asked for help. Not long after I got them on their way, a running stopped me and wanted to know how to get back to the main parking lot. I never saw either again, but I assume they made it down.

I guess the only thing you need to be a guide is more knowledge than the person you are guiding. Not a bad way to look at my Christian witness as well.

Harbins Park

2009-05-16T17:33:00.000-07:00

I managed to beat the weather today and get in a hike. Today's destination was Harbins Park, a new, and now the largest, park in the Gwinnett County system at over 1,700 acres. Even though they have only developed the initial phases, the trails and facilities are extensive. The price you pay is that it is truely in the boonies of the county - in Dacula.

I initially turned into the wrong entrance, and found myself in a partking lot dedicated to the equestrian trails. After a quick look at the map, I go to the right place.

This park has over 4 miles of general purpose paved trails, 7 miles of equestrian, 7 miles of mountain bike, and a 4.35 mile hiking trail (we hikers always get the short end). I started out on the 1 mile paved loop, which took me quickly to the start of the hiking trail.

The trail is well laid out, but traction can be difficult on the compacted clay/sand surface when wet (and it rained overnight). I slid down more than one water diversion hill. Before long, I came to the first bridge, crossing a small screen. I have come to expect the bridges in Gwinnett parks to be overkill, and I was not disappointed. I hadn's seen anything yet.

The trail continued winding up, down, and around for some time, on occasion crossing the equestrian or mountain bike trails. Aound 3.5 miles in, I turned the corner to find the granddaddy of all bridges. There was a large outcropping (which I suspect is part of Stone Mountain). Rather than just letting hikers just walk across the rock (which I did anyway), they built an elaborate, winding bridge over it. While I admired the construction of the bridge, I wished that my tax dollers were spent more wisely.

I finally came to the end of the hiking trail. Since I was not yet fully engulfed in sweat from the high humidity, I hiked a portion of one of the equistrian trails. This trail had a bravel base, and was much easier to navigate.

Since I have just scratched the surface on this park, I look forward to returning and visiting my tax money!

The Blue Herons, They Do Taunt Me!

2009-04-28T17:45:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have followed this blog, you know that I have been on a quest to get a good photo of a blue heron, if for no other reason that the personal satisfaction (I guess some of my Father's drive as a professional photographer rubbed off on me after all).

At the last minute, I decided to play hookie from the gym, and hike the trails along the Chattahoochee near my house. Since it was an impromptu hike, I was without gadgets. Not long after I left the park and headed into the woods, I happened upon a fisherman climbing back to the trail from the river, and behind him, a blue heron perched on a branch in a wonderfully picturesque pose. He seemed completely oblivious to the fisherman (who was just a few feet from him), and me (not much further away). Naturally, no camera. If I had one, he would have been long gone before I got that close, just for sport. In desperation, I grabbed my aging cell phone and attempted a picture, only to have it die on me. Of well, Heron 3, Robert 0.

As I was walking through Jones Bridge Park, I came across a sign about the history of the park and the bridge which I had not paid attention to before. It discussed the fact that prior to the bridge being built in 1904, a ferry was operated in that location by the property owner. I imagined the operator living in a house near the river, with a bell on the outside. Given the nature of the business, I imagined him having to respond to the bell, night or day.

As my brother will confirm, starting BIZTech in our day is somewhat similar. We need every customer we can get, which means we are often on a short leash to the ones we have.

One of the nice things about hiking is that you see new things, even on trails you have done before. My normal route takes me behind fiserv (aka Checkfree, aka SSI, aka Stockholder Systems). I discovered that I could get across a stream on the far side of the property, where the trail continued along the river. I ran out of daylight before I ran out of trail.

Looking forward to next time, WITH camera.

A Walk Along the Shore

2009-03-07T16:52:00.000-08:00

Well, a bit of an exaggeration, but read on.

It has been some time since my last post. With a new business starting (shameless plug - see www.biztechstore.com), bad weather, and repeat hikes, I have not really taken the time. Today, with good weather forecast (which sadly did not materialize until I was just about done), and a new trail to try, I was off.

The trail I selected was the Vineyard Mountain Trail, and Eagle Scout-maintained trail on the South side of the Etowah river outside of Cartersville. The trail began with a moderate climb. Although I was alone in the middle of the woods, I was close enough to I-75 to hear significant traffic noise. Civilization would continue to encroach for the balance of the hike.

Not long after I started, I detoured to the red-blazed trail. I discovered in the process that scouts have a strange sense of humor. On this trail, they did not bother with switchbacks or other conveniences. It just went straight up the mountain. I had finally gotten away from the traffic noise, but when I hit the top, I discovered a large cell phone tower instead of a view.

I resumed the yellow trail, but went off the trail as I approached the river to discover a great view of the Allatoona Dam. I had been driving over Lake Allatoona for years, but never even had an idea where the dam was. The trail eventually led to a disused road which I followed toward the dam. It seems that this dam was open to the public years ago, because the road ended at a very old concrete parking lot. I was able to hike around it to get a better view of the dam. As I approached the dam, I caught a glimpse of the Blue Heron that has alluded me during many a hike. I was able to get a shot of him using the maximum zoom on my camera, but as I moved quietly closer, he heard me and flew off. He would continue to haunt me for the balance of the hike.

I backtracked, and followed the road the opposite direction. I short detour took my to a rocky beach along the lake. It was not much different than being at the beach. The water was lapping the short, and there were numerous shells among the rocks (I assume from fresh water muscles).

The trail continued to parallel the shoreline of the lake, going up and down numerous ridges until my legs felt like they were going to fall off. I passed through one area with million dollar houses being built up on the ridge.

The trail ended at an alternate parking lot at the entrance to Red Top Mountain State Park. I took a break and walked out onto a point in the middle of the lake, and then began the long trip back.

Thanksgiving Hike Redux

2008-11-27T17:09:00.001-08:00

After an unavoidable change in plans, I found myself with a free day for Hiking. I decided to check another trail off my list by hiking the Keown Falls and John's Mountain Loop trails between LaFayette and Dalton. Both trails are in the Pocket Recreation Area in the John's Mountain wilderness area. The parking area are completely deserted when I arrived, although I had seen a pickup truck (presumably hunters) every quarter mile on the drive through the park.

This hike is done as a double look. You climb to Keown Falls on the west side, pickup the John's Mountain loop, and come back on the east side of the falls. The initial hike to the falls (more like a strong drip this time of year) is reasonably easy until you get near the top. At this point, I encountered a long set of irregular stone steps which required caution. I stayed on the observation desk briefly viewing the drip, and proceeded with John's Mountain Loop.

I started the loop counterclockwise, and encountered a steep climb early in the hike. It was difficult because of the heavy leaf cover over large rocks, but I managed without too much trouble. Near the top, I encountered a family on their way down.

There is an observation platform at the top of John's Mountain affording a beautiful view to the west. I encountered the only other family I would see the whole day at the top. The loop was fairly easy to follow from this point, although footing was treacherous at times.

I finally got back to the falls loop, and proceeded back to the parking lot on via the east trail. This trail is poorly defined, and very difficuly to hike because of footing/traction issues. Definitely not a trail for the kids.

After a lunch break (and a challange finding anything open on Thanksgiving), I still has time available, so I did a 2.5 mile section of the Pinhoti Trail, which connects the AT in Georgia to Northern Alabama. I hiked west from the trailhead along Highway 136. The first part of the hike involves climbing to the ridge, after which the hike gets easier since the trail follows the ridge for some time. This is a nice section, but not as nice as the east section from the same trailhead. This is a multi-use trail allowing horses and mountain bikes, although I cannot imagine the latter using this trail. Horses are a different story however, as I dodged their calling cards all through the hike.

Other than a brief and ticketless (thank God and Officer Bennett) encounter with one of Marietta's finest, I returned home safely, but quite tired.

Sweetwater Creek State Park

2008-11-08T13:51:00.000-08:00

Subtitle: How Noah's Flood related to the election of Senator Obama

I made a return visit today to Sweetwater Creek State Park today. My first visit was Thanksgiving Day last year, but I have made a couple of visits since. I began with the yellow trail, which crosses the creek, climbs the ridge, and then comes back down – quickly. The short but steep climb to the ridge is a real thigh burner! The creek crossing over the military surplus portable bridge is interesting and unique.

Sweetwater Creek is probably mis-named, as it is far from my image of a creek. It is as wide as the Chattahoochee at this point, and loaded with large rocks, similar to the Chattahoochee at Palisades.

I finished the yellow trail, returned to the visitor center, and started the white trail. This one makes an easy climb to a grassy area, and then descents steeply along an old road bed to Jack’s Lake, a man-made recreational lake that pre-dates the park. After passing the lake, this trial gets very technical, crossing over some steep and narrow cliffs that I would not expect to find sanctioned in a state part. I took a detour across a bridge to a non-park trail which follows an old road to the historic New Manchester Colony. It now interconnects with a trail system built by a housing development. I took the opportunity to do some rock climbing out over the water.

The white trail dead-ends into the red trail, the main “consumer” trail in the park. It runs along the old mill ruins and is well interpreted. Half of this trail involves climbing over rocks. The kids and dogs particularly seem to love it.

Unlike my past visits, I took the time to pick-up the interpretive guides, and to read the appropriate parts as I passed each numbered marker. I occasionally had to chuckle in a somewhat frustrated fashion over their references to millions of years of the earth’s existence. This got me to thinking about Noah’s flood, and how it has served as a great mis-direction to the “wise” of this world. Imagine a scientist finding a sea fossil in the middle of the desert. God clearly does have a sense of humor.

In considering Noah’s flood, I began to think about why God did it the way he did. After all, he could have saved much trouble by having everyone but Noah’s family suddenly disappear and the blink of his eye without the need to have an ark or send a flood. Noah’s family and the animals could have gone about their business undisturbed. So then, why did God do it? I don’t pretend to know God’s mind, but these are my thoughts:

1) To build Noah’s faith. Many biblical historians believe that rain did not exist prior to the flood. Imagine what some people must have said to Noah when he explained that the ark would save people and animals from the flood. I am sure they thought he was out of his mind, and he might have thought the same about himself at some point. This serves as a lasting lesion to us that when God points us in a direction, we should move forward with all of our energy, not withstanding what the world might think.
2) As a witness to later generations. Early world history, and particularly the stories of God’s works, were passed via oral tradition. It is easier to preserve oral tradition when you have vivid stories such as Noah’s Ark. This remains true to this day, even with our printed versions. I remember from teaching 3rd grade Sunday School years ago how fascinated they were with this particular story. Our culture remains fascinated with it. After all, look at the documentaries and feature films that have been based on it. Many researchers still search for the ark.
3) As a lasting reminder that God continues to engineer the world (and I use that word deliberately). Many who otherwise believe in God seem to think that after the fall of man, God turned the world over to man, and said in effect “I will check on you later.” The flood serves as a lasting reminder that God is still in charge of every aspect and detail.

I like many, was very disappointed by the outcome of the Presidential election. I did not realize how much the process impacted me until I woke up Wednesday morning feeling like a new man. Just as it seemed odd to me that God would engineer a flood rather than taking care of business the “logical” way, it seems odd that his plan would involve Senator Obama. Noah’s flood however, at least in my mind, stands as a vivid and lasting reminder that God continues to engineer this world as he sees fit, and with a view to his eternal purpose, and not just a random four year period in life of a relatively new nation in North America. It sort of gives me a feeling of excitement as to what God will do with this!

Fort Mountain

2008-10-28T11:57:00.000-07:00

I was blessed this week to be able to knock out another hike from my top 5 list - Fort Mountain State Park, between Chatsworth and Elijay. This park is literally at the top of a mountain, and incorporates a mysterious 855 foot stone wall, which was thought to have been built by Indians as a fortification.

My goal was to hike the Gahuti trail, an 8.8 mile loop which skirts the edge of the park. Depending on which guide book you reference, it is rated from moderate to strenuous, the latter being the appropriate rating based on my experience.

The hike begins near the aforementioned rock wall. I started in a counter-clockwise direction. It began innocently enough, with a gentle descent, following by a few moderate climbs. It was not long before I came to the first great view, overlooking the mountains to the West.

The trail then descents into a valley with a few streams, and a beautiful waterfall which I heard some time before I could actually see it. The footing in this area was quite difficult, because of yesterday's rain, and the fallen leaves covering small rocks.

The trail comes close to the campground, and I took advantage of the short detour to have a brief rest stop. I returned to the trail, which joined an old roadbed for a a steep climb. This was the first occassion on which I got a bit lost. This trail is blazed in orange, and when I hit the roadbed, the only blaze I could see was to the left. As I got close to the first blaze, it appeared to be red rather than orange (using red and orange for interesting trails is not a good idea). I followed it a short distance, and it dead-ended into the cabin road. I retraced my steps, and found the first orange blaze some distance beyond. This unplanned detour paid off, because I ran into a family looking for that very road, and I was able to give them accurate directions.

For the balance of the hike, the trail was a continuous series of steep climbs, followed by steep descents. Footing became even more difficult, causing me to have a non-serious fall at one point. No damage done.

I was planning to join my sister-in-law and the kids for a trip to the pumpkin patch, so I was hurring at this point to make it in time. Getting in a hurry when hiking however is never a good idea! Toward the end of the trail, it intersects with numerous other short trails in the area of the rock wall. I missed a turn, and found myself on the yellow trail, which follows the stone wall around the summit. I then mis-read the map, and ended taking the long way around the yellow trail. While this unplanned hike was very tiring, it was one of the most beautiful sections. The unplanned but enjoyed detour added 1.5 miles to the hike, which I finished in just under 5 hours.

I highly recommend this hike, but eat your Wheaties first!

Smith Creek Trail

2008-10-19T17:40:00.000-07:00

Smith Creek trail in Helen has been on my short list for some time. With the beautiful fall weather, and a bunch if business decisions weighing heavily on my mind, this seemed like a good day to check it off.

The Smith Creek trail connects Anna Ruby Falls, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Georgia, to Unicoi State Park. Since it is a pretty tough round trip hike, I decided to park at the Unicoi end, hike on the road to the falls, and take the trail back, a round trip of just under 9 miles.

To reach the trail from the falls, you must hike up to the falls on the paved walkway, and the start the trail from one of the viewing platforms. This is probably the most technically-demanding hike I have taken. The trail runs along the side of Smith Mountain somewhat down from the ridge. It is only two feet wide in most places, so there is only a few inches between you and the bottom. There are also some sections where the trail has washed out, making it a challenge to get from one side to the other. Finally, there are a number of trees down whose canopies cover the trail. In one instance I had to maneuver myself over and under various tight branches with my pack on., quite a challenge given that my body does not move around quite as easily as it did 10 years ago!

There are quite a variety of different micro-climates on this trail, including a dry ridge, wetlands, and an area with a canopy of rhododendrons so think that you think it is night time.

I began the hike with the prayer that God would guide me on some specific business issues, and not long into the hike, a great idea popped into my head. While I hesitate to read too much spiritual significance into that, the timing was certainly more than coincidental.

Overall this was a great hike, and one I look forward to repeating.

Fort Yargo State Park

2008-10-12T16:46:00.000-07:00

Now that the weather is cooling down, I am back to focusing more on hiking and less on biking. My leg muscles are still making the adjustment however.

This week took me to Fort Yargo State Park in Winder. It is build around a reservoir lake on the site of a fort constructed in 1792 to provide protection against Indians.

This particular park has trails for use by both mountain bikers and hikers. There are two trail loops circling the lake; an inner loop and an outer loop. I began counter clockwise on the inner loop, which keeps the lake in site most of the time.

The trail is fairly flat, but still makes for an interesting hike, except when one has to dodge the mountain bikes. I made it around the a portion of the lake, passed through the wilderness camping area, and crossed over a fishing bridge to the other side of the lake. This is where the map provided by the park failed me. A portion of the lake is omitted from their map, so I found myself in a different spot that I thought. When I came to a sign announcing "thrill hill", I figured out I was on a section used mostly by bikers. I retraced my steps, and got back on track.

A mile after getting my bearings again, I crossed the long earthen dam that forms the lake out of a small creek. The lake itself did not appear to be low on water (I wish we could borrow some for Lanier). Following the dam, I came to a portion of the RV campground, where the map once again became nebulous. I managed to find my way through, and continued on the inner trail picking up from the edge of the campground.

Shortly after rejoining the trail, I came to a fork, and was not sure which way to go. One direction followed the lake closely, and had a foot bridge, leading me to believe it must the the proper way. I crossed the bridge, and hiked along looking well ahead for clues about whether I was on the right path. I suddenly stopped short, having come close to stepping on a 6 foot snake. I backed off, and threw a couple of items in his direction to encourage him to move. He seemed to think he had more right to the trail than I did, and I was not in the mood to argue the point, so I turned around and took the other path, which turned out to the the right one after all. Remind me to thank the snake!

The trail eventually intersected with a paved nature walk, which took me back the to trail head. Not my favorite hike to be sure, but a good way to spend a beautiful day.

Hike Inn Revisited

2008-08-30T17:24:00.001-07:00

For the first time in awhile, I work up early on Saturday and felt energetic. As such, I decided an aggressive activity was in order. Although I did not know for sure what I would do until just before I left, I opted for a hike at Amicolola Falls State Park. I had done the Hike Inn loop some time back, and while it is quite strenuous, I liked it the first time around. This loop takes the 5 mile trail to the Hike Inn, and catches the AT approach trail back for a total of close to 11 miles.

This look has two things in particular going for it:

1) The Hike Inn provides a good rest, restrooms, and free food at the half way point.
2) The lodge is close to the end, and has a good buffet and a great view.

I made good time to the Inn, quickly found the restroom, and then the kitchen. The day hiker snack de jour was leftover chocolate pound cake. I assume the Inn was fairly busy, as I ran into a number of people on their way back. After a visit to an unusual granite sculpture, I headed toward the AT approach trail. The last mile from the Inn to the AT is the worst of the entire hike, climbing more than 600 feet in a short distance.

Once I hit the AT, there was still a good bit of climbing to do, after which it was mostly downhill. I actually stopped at the junction, and considered making the 3.4 mile trip to Springer Mountain. At a total of 17 miles however, I was not quite prepared for this.

I have often wondered how food and supplies make their way to the Inn. Not far after reaching the AT, I passed the foundation of an old fire tower, followed by two gravel roads, one of which had fresh tracks. My GPS shows these as active roads, so I guess they have a 4WD that makes the run.

I arrived back at the trail junction after 4.5 hours, and took the short trail to the Inn. I was seated next to the picture window with a panoramic view of the mountains, where I enjoyed my soup and salad.

If I only had a place to plug my fan in, I would do an overnight at the Inn in a heartbeat!

Arabia Mountain Trail

2008-08-09T17:54:00.000-07:00

I was looking for a different place to ride my bike today. I had previously hiked at Arabia Mountain, known as the older and smaller sibling of Stone Mountain. I had noticed the greenway trail, and even hiked a bit of it, but did not know much about it otherwise. I did some additional research, and found that it ran from Stone Crest Mall on one end to Panola Mountain State Park on the other end, running around 11 miles one way. The web sites I read about it inidcated that he had much more significant elevation changes than Big Creek or Silver Comet, but I decided to give it a shot anyway.

I started the trip at the relatively new Polebridge trail head, which is close to the South end. I rode South 2 miles, at which point the trail connects to the Rockdale River Trail, which runs just over a mile to a fishing area in Panola Mountain State park. On the way back from Panola, I was beginning to really appreciate what my niece M. (age 9) goes through in the lasgt week before her monthly transfusion. I had been off my iron supplement for a bit, and with significant hills on this trail, I was really winded. I managed to do a round trip through this section, and make the ascent to Arabia Mountain. As I pressed on, I kept thinking of Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us..." While it is a bit out of context for a bike ride, it kept me going none the less. I did spend some time thinking about why I manage to push myself through a difficult ride, but have trouble pushing myself through the real race that Hebrews speaks of.

The descent from the mountain was easier, as was the next section, which was built in the right of way of the old quarry trail from the mountain. I reached the mall, and decided to get some lunch. Unfortunately, the trail end at one side of the mall, and all of the restrauants were on the other side. I had to navigate through traffic to get to the other end, but the thought of food kept me going.

After lunch, I reversed course, stopping for a brief hike to the peak of one of the secondary mountains at Arabia. The balance of the trip seemed much easier than the trip out. I has glad to chose this trail, but I am not likely to do it every week.

Exploring Fungus

2008-08-03T17:38:00.000-07:00

I had to be in Cumming to deal with an issue at work. I have been missing the AT, and since I so close, I decided to go for it, despite the 95 degree temperature.

I went to Woody Gap along GA 60, and hiked North for an hour and a half. This is one of my favorite secitions because of the outstanding view at a few spots. When I arrived, the temperature had dropped almost 10 degrees.

During the hike, I was struck my the wide variety of wild mushrooms. It was almost like visiting an exhibit at Rock City, except that all of these were real.

Frankie's Italian Restrauant

2008-07-31T17:20:00.000-07:00

I know you are expecting a hiking/biking blog entry, not a restaurant review. Bear with me however.

This morning, I decided to revisit the Silver Comet Trail (maybe not the best choice for my legs after a two hour hike the night before, and weight training). I drove to Hiram, and started from the parking lot referred to as "Rambo". It is named after the plant nursery in an adjacent parking lot. I planned to ride as far as Rockmart, and come back.

This is a particularly nice section of the trail. Most of it is quite secluded, passing through a nature preserve. It also includes the highest trestle on the trail, and a long, lighted tunnel.

I rode bast Rockmart to a sports complex, and took a rest stop. I was quickly running out of gas, having not eaten much. I went back east on the trail to the Main Street exit, and looped around, but found nothing. The trail goes right through a park further west, so I went back and got off again there.

Just off the trail, I happened across a storefront Italian restaurant named "Frankie's". Not being very adventurous in terms of restaurants, I started to pass it up. I did not see any alternatives however, and there were a couple of bikes in the rack, so I decided to go for it.

When I entered, I was greeted by two other friendly cyclists, who confessed to being weekly diners. They told me that once I had tried bread sticks, I would be hooked. Almost immediately, a basked of them appeared at my table. While I was admittedly very hungry, they were none the less outstanding. I could have stopped without eating the whole basket, until the creamy garlic dipping sauce appeared. It was over.

I ordered soup and half a sandwich. The sign at the entrance talked about the potato soup, so I decided to try it. Good call. It was without question the best I have ever had - irregular chunks of well cooked potatoes, in a cheesy brown soup. Wow.

While I was eating, Frankie herself stopped by and introduced herself. She invited me to write on the wall, a privilege reserved for Silver Comet riders. It was difficult to find a spot however, as the wall was almost full. Not surprising with the great food and southern hospitality.

The good lunch fueled me up enough to make the return trip.

I would drive to Rockmart just for more break sticks, so it you have occasion to ride this section of the trail, make sure you hit Rockmart at lunch or dinner!

Back to the Beginning

2008-07-25T18:02:00.000-07:00

With an extra hour and comparatively cool Summer weather this afternoon, I decided a short hike was in order. With no time to drive anywhere, I decided to revisit Jones Bridge Park. This was the first hike in my official hiking career. It is only 20 minutes from my house by car, or 5 minutes by boat. Since I don't have boat, I had to stick with the car.

This park is more like a jungle along the Amazon River than a typlical North Georgia forest. The hike runs along the river for quite some time, and then turns inland to climb a ridge. It rejoins the river at one point, but at a higher elevation.

Because of the good trail signage in the Chattahoochee parks, I have always said that one must be pretty dumb to get lost in one of them. I guess it takes one to know one! I managed to miss a turn along the way, and ended up hiking 30 minutes longer than planned.

With the amount of wildlife I saw, it is hard to believe this part is so close to my house. Today, I saw a Blue Heron (missed the picture again), a beaver swimming in the river, a deer, and the usual geese and deer.

Overall, a great way to end a difficult week!

And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street

2008-07-12T18:22:00.000-07:00

I was riding on the Big Creek Greenway today, dodging the many other people on various conveyances also using it. I started thinking about the variety of ways people use that trail. I have seen bikes, bicycles built for 2, bikes with kiddy cars, skaters, dog walkers, regular walkers, joggers, kids on bikes with training wheels, kids on big wheels, and joggers with strollers containing either babies or dogs. As I thought about it, I realized that there was one thing I had not seen - unicycles.

I completed the bulk of my ride, and had lunch as usual. I got back on the trail, and within 5 minutes, I had encountered a father with his son and daughter, all riding.....you guessed it! Unicycles, and riding them quite proficently I should say.

I can die happy since I have now seen everything!

Conquering Sawnee Mountain

2008-07-04T17:53:00.000-07:00

I closed the office early today in preparation for July 4th, and decided to take advantage of being so far North and having extra time. A friend has recommended the hiking trails at Sawnee Mountain in Cumming, so I decided to give it a try.

Since I had a good bit of time, I decided to start the day with a visit to the Amicalola River Trail, just outside of Dawsonville. The trail runs along the river for some time, and then climbs a high ridge. This section of the river is known for its rapids, popular with kayakers. In fact, as I arrived, a group with a guide just finishing their visit. As a result of the distraction, I went the wrong way along the river, resulting in a short, pleasant walk along a rocky section of the river.

The actual trail runs on a boardwalk for close to half a mile, bringing back some unpleasant memories or last week’s bike crash. Fortunately, the boardwalk was dry this time, and I was on foot. The guide says to expect the first half mile to be crowded with swimmers, boaters, and people fishing, and I found this to be the case. Once the trail turned away from the river, I did not see a soul.

After finishing this trail, I drove back toward Cumming and Sawnee Mountain. Sawnee is an unusually large mountain in a city that is otherwise flat, causing it to stand out like a sore thumb, visible all over the city. The various communication towers on top make it more so. I began on the Indian Seat trail, which took me right to the top, which has a wonderful view from the edge of the large rocks lining the area.

I descended the trail to the intersection of the Laurel Ridge trail, which runs to a very attractive visitor center. Along the way, I came across a structure referred to as the tree house. It is actually at grade level, but extends out over a ravine.

The visitor center has a second tree house, this one with a suspension bridge high up in the trees. It was not clear how one would get up there. I suspect that is only possible when the visitor center is staffed.

After a brief pause for some trail mix to fix my blood sugar, I headed back along the Laurel Ridge trail to the South parking lot.
As the weather has gotten warmer, I have done more biking and less hiking, often biking in the same area week after week. I discovered today that I do miss doing more hiking, which I look forward to resuming when the weather cools. I also miss the adventure of going to a new place, which I was able to more than satisfy today.

Adventures in Road Biking

2008-06-21T18:19:00.000-07:00

It has been a week! Each day, I got home from work, did a bit in the yard to restore my sanity, ate a snack (nothing you could really call dinner this week) with my laptop in my lap, went to the gym, home to more work, and bed. By the time Friday night arrived, I was running on fumes. I got a late start Saturday morning. I could not decide exactly what I wanted to do, especially with the rain threat. I started to go to the Suwanee Greenway, but at the last minute I decided that it was unnecessary to drive 30 minutes one way in the car just to ride my bike. I have been doing a good number of shorter road bike rides during the week, and have been feeling more comfortable riding next to cars going at 55 MPH. As such, I decided to ride from home to Alpharetta, do one trip down the Big Creek Greenway, have lunch at my favorite high-carb place, and come home.

While I would probably make the same decision again, I began to doubt my decision early on as I was reminded that Atlanta is almost as hilly as San Francisco. I took me just over an hour to get to Alpharetta, at which point I took a brief but well deserved rest. After dealing with a leaky hydration pack, I rode the full length of the Greenway. Fortunately, the rain moved out before I left, so I was dry – for a while.

I checked the radar just before lunch, and everything looked clear. As I ate lunch however, I could see serious clouds to the west. As I left the restaurant, I heard a bit of thunder, and I was getting wet before I left the parking lot. It was very light until the last 3 miles, but I was pretty wet when I got home. I was also reminded of basic physics – wet streets have more friction, reducing MPG (miles per galloon) for cars and MPM (miles per muffin) for bikers.

During my ride, God re-enforced the clear message he had given me through an event Friday – Psalms 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God…” (slightly out of context).

I have been working very hard to get the eNable business going, but it has been a frustrating process, because there just has not been enough of me to go around. Were it not for my partner and brother Phil, I would not have made it at all. We have been seeing some very good results, for which I am greatful.

Tuesday, we got a call about a phone system from someone who had received a brochure on a phone system we mailed starting Saturday. I made an appointment for Friday, the first opening I had. The caller was Indian from his accent, so I really did not pay much attention when he closed the call with “God Bless” (I confess my prejudice here).

I arrived for the appointment, and was greeted warmly. He proceeded to show me where he wanted the system and the extensions, as if the purchase was a foregone conclusion. While I have not done much sales, I knew it could not be that easy. When we sat down to work out the arrangements, he identified himself as a believer, and a part-time bible teacher. He said he had prayed about our company and the system purchase, as he does with all major decisions and felt God’s leading to use us. We prayed together before I left. It is hard to go wrong with sales in God is your principal salesman! It also served as a poignant reminder that it is God’s job to deliver, and mine just to be obedient.

Nearly Wordless Friday

2008-06-13T18:15:00.000-07:00

It has been said that on the way to Heaven, one will have a two hour delay due to construction in Atlanta. It is interesting to note that even the Silver Comet is not immune!

I Went to Alabama with a Sweat Towel on my Knee

2008-06-07T18:49:00.000-07:00

Today’s plan was to complete the final section of the Silver Comet Trail via bicycle. In preparation for a hot day, I put extra water in my hydration pack the night before, and refrigerated it (good plan). I also began an hour earlier than usual to beat as much of the heat as possible.

I began at the depot at Cedartown, just past the 5 mile trail detour due to construction, and rode west toward the Alabama line. This is by far the most desolate section of the trail. Once the trail leaves Cedartown, it crosses only an occasional country road and passes an occasional house. I did see my fill of wildlife, including a Wild Turkey who crossed the trial right in front of me, more rabbits than I could count, and birds including Goldfinches and Eastern Bluebirds.

Not long after I started, I had a funny and somewhat convicting experience. As I approached a road crossing west of Cedartown, I could see an older cyclist stopped on the other side, headed east. When I crossed, he stopped me and told me about an encounter with a mean bulldog that almost bit him. Apparently, other cyclists had warned him about it before he got to the area. He gave me a rough idea of where he had encountered the dog, and we both went on our way.

I am a dog lover, but one of my fears is mean dogs, going back to when I was a kid. I gave serious thought to turning around, but after a quick prayer, I proceeded. The other biker had told me that the dog was in the vicinity of the second road crossing ahead of me. When I got to the crossing, I stopped to look at my map. I realized that the road paralleled the trail for a mile, so rather than trusting that God would answer my prayer, I decided to solve the problem myself (the story of my life). I left the trail and headed down the short cross street to the main road. There was a house on the diagonal corner, and I was headed right at it. Before I got too far, I could see a black dog tear out of the yard headed straight for me. He did not look particularly happy. I immediately turned around, and set the 30 second world speed record for cycling. Fortunately, I was fast enough that the dog quickly lost interest, and returned to his watch for other victims (in the spirit of one of my favorite movies – Secondhand Lions). How often I ask God for help, and then try to fix the problem myself! In this case, the dog never would have seen me had I stayed with the trail.

I was looking forward to arriving at Gateway Park, marking the border between Georgia and Alabama, as I was already pretty hot and tired. The guide book indicated that it had a lightning shelter, picnic area, and restrooms. Based on that, I had formed a mental image of a significant park. Not! The lightning shelter was the size of an outdoor umbrella, picnic area was a single table, and no restroom was to be found. I rested anyway.

I proceeded into Alabama, covering six miles of the Chief Ladiga trail. I only thought the Georgia section was the most desolate I had seen. There was absolutely nothing along this section of the trail. I hit mile marker 6, and turned around.

After returning to the Georgia side, the heat and my hunger were getting to me, and I needed a restroom stop. My guide book indicated that a convenience store existed two blocks from the trail. I turned off to check it out. I found a general store, but it was not operating. Across the street was the local post office, in the form of a trailer. I went in to ask if they had a restroom, but they did not. The kind postal worker told me to turn left, go to the first driveway, and look for the convenience store - behind a house! It was not much, but it met my needs. I headed back for the trail, covering the balance of the 33 miles in 3:13. I was pleased to have been able to handle the heat, especially given that this section of the trail is almost entirely in full sun.

Pine Mountain Trail

2008-05-24T18:33:00.000-07:00

With the holiday weekend and a late call at church tomorrow, I decided I could handle a longer trip today, so I headed back down to Pine Mountain to do another section of the Pine Mountain Trail. Since I have already done all of the loops, this would be an in and out hike. Because of the popularity of this area, I almost changed my mind at the last minute over concerns that it would be too busy.

I decided to start at a parking lot at mile marker 18, and head South to the Boot Top Trail at mile marker 14, and take that trail back to the intersection with the PMT. On my way through the park, I noticed that none of the parking lots had any cars. So much for being too busy! When I got to my lot, there was one car. As it turns out, in 4 ½ hours of hiking, I would encounter only one family. That was surprising to me given that when I visited for my snow hike, it was quite busy.

I soon found out why business was so light. It was a warm day, and with rain yesterday afternoon, it was very muggy and unpleasant. Hiking in warmer weather is quite a paradigm shift. Gone are the days of half-full water containers, jeans to protect me from the poison ivy, and long hikes with no breaks. These will have to be replaced by shorts, full water containers, and shorter hikes. I am already looking forward to Fall!

I got to mile 14 and had a bit more energy, so I elected to continue for a bit. I would later regret this decision. I got as far as mile 12, and after standing briefly on Sunset Rock, I headed back. My water would run out before the trip was complete, as my energy almost did on a few occasions.

I finally hit the parking lot again some 11 miles and 4.5 hours later, having dropped at least 5 lbs in water weight. I headed straight for the Purple Cow, where I got a light lunch, a less light cup of ice cream (Moo Tracks and Chocolate-covered Cherry), and all the tea I could drink (which was a around a gallon). It was a nice if exhausting day.

Tallulah Gorge

2008-05-17T18:06:00.000-07:00

Finally!! The first Saturday in 7 weeks without a chance of rain (not that I am complaining about the rain, Lord). I decided to take full advantage, although with everything going on Friday (one of the worst in recent memory), I did not know where I was going until 20 minutes before departure. I selected Tullulah Gorge. I remember driving by it when I was younger, and I have passed it a few times on business in that area, but this was my first chance to visit as a hiker.

I had intended to do the Rim Loop, which starts along the North rim, goes down 300 steps to the gorge, crosses a neat suspension bridge, and climbs 200 more steps. I was then planning to do section of the Bartram Trail (one of the many long trails in Georgia). At the last minute, I changed the agenda. After riding my bike for 20 miles last night, I did not think my knees could handle the stairs. As such, I switched to the Stoneplace Trail, a 10 mile round trip down to Lake Tugalo, the other shore of which is in South Carolina.

I did not realize on the trip in that I was going downhill the entire way, which led me to a surprise coming back – much climbing. That being said, it seems that my biking is good conditioning for hiking, as I had no trouble with it, doing the entire hike without a rest break.

The trail is wide because it supports hiking and biking. I did not encounter a single hiker (they all headed toward the gorge), but I did see a few bikers. There was a small wilderness camping area at the lake which was in use by a scout troop. I could only see a portion of the lake, but it was quite beautiful. On the return trip, I took the High Bluff Loop off of the main trial, which as you can guess runs along a high bluff. This trail is loaded with mountain laurel, much of which was in bloom.

I apparently made a wrong turn onto an unmarked trail at the end, as I serendipitously found myself at the best overlook along the North rim. Since they were doing a water release for kayakers, it was quite a show.

I really needed my combined 32 miles this weekend because of a bad week particularly Friday. For the first time in my life, I had someone accuse me of being a crook. By God’s grace, I have always been considered above reproach as to legal and ethical matters, so this was quite a trauma. Even through the person apologized quickly, the damage was done.

As I arrived at the lake, I was badly in need of a restroom break, and not looking forward to the shovel and hole method, if you know what I mean. I glanced off to the side, and discovered an “inviting” privy which was not on the map (I recognize the difficulty finding spiritual significance in finding a privy, but stay with me).

I got to thinking about what a good God we have to do something so simple for me as to place a privy in the right place. This caused me to recall a movie I had seen the night before – Facing the Giants (Covington and Covington rate it one thumb up, one thumb down). Actually the other Covington is more correct than me, as the acting is amateurish, and the plot a bit weak. The message is unmistakable and unambiguous however – when facing life’s giants, remember that we serve a big God. A God that puts a privy in the right place can certainly take care of the big stuff!

Silver Comet - Coot's Lake

2008-05-10T17:52:00.000-07:00

I am a bit behind on my blogging, but not due to lack of adventures. I am finding that with the warmer weather and the uncooperative nature of my digestive system of late (I will leave you to fill in the blanks here), that longer bike rides and shorter hikes are working well. Today was my second long ride on the Silver Comet Trail. I began the ride at Coot’s Lake, a private lake and beach just East of Rockmart.

I began the ride eastbound back to mile marker 30, which is where I ended last time. There is no trailhead nearby, so the only way to cover that section was to backtrack. This was a pleasant section where large hills had been cut away to make room for the train tracks. This exposed a number of interesting rock formations. Just under a mile from Coot’s Lake is the Bushy Mountain tunnel, a 700 ft lighted tunnel under – you guessed it – Bushy Mountain. I made it to mile marker 30, and turned around.

The section between Coot’s Lake and Rockmart is similar in terrain to the East section The part of Rockmart that I could see from the trail was not very interesting, but the trail passes through a floodplain area, along an old cemetery, and through a sports park, making it an entertaining ride.

The nice thing about riding Silver Comet is the fact that it is built on an old rail bed. Since trains do not handle steep hills well, the resulting path has only gradual ascents and descents. The section after the sports part leaves the rail bed, and switches to trail specifically built for the Silver Comet. It was designed for the average cyclist, assuming you consider Lance Armstrong average! This is by far the hardest section of the trail. My knees hurt so bad at one point that I had to get off and walk. The first part of this section runs along US 278, and is loud and polluted. The trail suddenly makes an abrupt turn away from the highway, and runs through the prettiest section of the trail. It passes through some great ranches and pastures, and then through a nature preserve with a camping area. I got as far as an old church at mile marker 45, and turned around.

The return trip was uphill most of the way, so my knees were about to fall off by the time I got back to my car. That being said, I managed 32 miles without much trouble. I have now completed 45 miles of the 60 mile trail. One more ride to go.

Big Canoe Hikefest

2008-04-26T18:18:00.000-07:00

I have a friend with a “spare” house in Big Canoe, a wonderful mountain development near Jasper, GA. I have a standing invitation to use it, but it is really hard to break away and do so. This past weekend, the opportunity presented itself for myself and my brother’s family. My sister-in-law Jennifer was anticipating the hiking opportunity as much as I was. With one minor blip on Saturday morning, the weather was ideal.

Big Canoe has extensive hiking trails, and although we introduced ourselves to a number of them, we did not scratch the surface (can you say return visit?). There are a number of streams, waterfalls, and lakes along the trails, making for very attractive hiking.

We began the hike-fest on Friday after our arrival with the relatively short Waterford Lakes Trail. This hike took us in a figure 8 pattern around two small lakes. The kids had a blast throwing rocks into the lakes, and looking at the various insects and birds in the area.

The next morning, my hiking buddy C. (age 11) and I set off on a more challenging hike. We intended to finish the Lower Falls trail, which we started on a prior Thanksgiving trip. I credit this hike with getting me interested in hiking. The hike began by a swimming area that included a rock slide. The kids want to go back in warm weather and try this. We retraced our steps from the last hike, and continued on to the lower falls. The waterfall was quite nice, but not nearly as nice as the time with my nephew, who is an excellent conversationalist. The Lower Falls trail is 1.7 miles one way, so when we arrived, I asked C. if he wanted to continue to the Upper Falls, which he did.

We headed on, beginning the hike with a fairly steep climb, but completed the .7 miles fairly quickly. The Upper Fall is less impressive than the Lower Fall, but the water flows through a narrow crevasse that is part of a large rock outcropping, so it is quite interesting.

There is a Jeep Trail that crosses and parallels the Falls trail. Since C. was getting tired at this point, I decided it would be quicker and easier to take that back. We hit the parking lot just over 2.5 hours after we began.

That evening, we decided to do the Covered Bridge trail as a family, despite the fact that darkness was setting in. This trail runs under a reproduction covered bridge that is part of the main road into the development. It was surprisingly difficult in places, especially for Jennifer who had K. (almost 2) in a back carrier (I took a turn at this Saturday and believe me, it ain’t for cowards). We managed to finish right before dark.

On Sunday morning, I left early to do the Nancy Womac Falls trail, which is beyond the Upper Falls. I did this alone because it was suppose to be fairly difficult, which it was. The entire .8 miles there is quite steep, and involves numerous stream crossings, most without the means to cross without getting wet. This was the most beautiful of the three falls, but because of the slope, there was no way to get close to it.

Upon my return, we decided to do a family hike/picnic, and having seen picnic tables near the Upper Falls, I suggested that we hike a short distance to there down the Jeep trail. I made the mistake of taking my GPS to get us there, so it took close to 25 minutes. We could have done it in 10 without the technology (or perhaps it is ESO – Equipment Smarter than Operator). We finally arrived and did the short hike, followed by a very good lunch assembled by Jennifer. We then hiked a short distance to the Upper Falls. Not withstanding some consternation with the kids getting wet and being less than careful, we had a good time.

We could not resist leaving to return to Atlanta without one more outdoor adventure, so we decided to do the Lake Petit trail. This trail runs besides a number of rock heaps, thought to have been built by Indians for an unknown purpose, and dead-ends into the large Lake Petit. Jennifer, ever the teacher, had arranged a scavenger hunt for the kids, asking them to pickup a number of items (leaves, rocks, etc), and had given them paper bags for that purpose. They had a blast.

After cleaning up and packing up, we headed back to the mundanity of the city, tired but exhilarated by our experience.

The Other Side of the Mountain

2008-04-12T17:27:00.000-07:00

The rain necessitated a late start this morning. Having done 14 miles on my bike yesterday, I intended to do a shorter hike than usual (which did not work out as expected). I decided to do the section of Kennesaw National Battlefield that I missed on the last visit. It is a long and narrow park, the entire trail loop being 16.7 miles.

I drove through considerable rain getting there, but I had timed the trip just right based on the radar, because the rain stopped just a bit before my arrival. I started at Burnt Hickory Road, just south of the mountain. The first section was a repeat from last time.

One of the reasons for the popularity of this battlefield is the fact at 11 miles of the original Confederate earthworks still exist today. They were the trenches dug by the Confederate soldiers to allow them to defend the mountain against Federal troops.

The trail took me past various sites of historical significance, including the Illinois Memorial, and the grave of the Unknown Soldier.

I completed the west loop in just under two hours. Having skipped dinner last night, I was getting really hungry. As I was getting ready to break out the trail mix, I came to Powder Springs Road. I walked up to the street and looked both directions, and found a shopping center a short distance away. I decided to hike there for lunch, and Subway got my business.

After lunch, I headed back to the park to catch the east loop. I had some trouble at this point. I followed the trail for a short distance, but the path became very confusing, and lacked any signage. I followed what I thought was the correct trail, but quickly came to a sign indicating that the trail was closed. As such, I turned around and backtracked along the west trail.

Having done over 26 miles during the weekend, I began thinking about how unlike the younger me that is. It is interesting that once we conclude who we are, we stick by that image almost dogmatically, even if the original conclusion was wrong. I guess it was in my case, as I seem to have all of the drive and determination of an athlete, with a body that manages to keep up despite 52 years of wear. As few as three years ago, I told people I did not have an athletic bone in my body. I feel blessed that I discovered this aspect of myself before I got any older. I wonder what I will discover next year.

I made good time on the return trip, making it in just over 2 hours, despite the dead end. I had to be careful where I stepped, as I was not too far behind a pair of horses. Kennesaw is a great and diverse park, which I look forward to visiting again in the future.

The High-Tech Biker???

2008-04-11T15:15:00.000-07:00

I have a nice bike which I have not ridden significantly in 2 years, but is has been calling to me lately, especially with all of the multi-use trails that now exist. I slaved over a hot PC playing marketing manager all morning, and decided I needed a break. I came home early, dusted, pumped and lubericated the bile, loaded it in the car, and headed to the Big Creek Greenway. With an ice cream stop, I completed the round trip in just over two hours, and had a good time doing it.

I had one embarassing moment. I had grabbed a chain lock while I was in Lowe's, in case I wanted to park. When I decided to walk for ice cream, I discovered that the keys were cable-tied to the chain. I saw a grandmother who had just loaded up her granddaughter, so I went to ask her if she had anything sharp. She whipped out her car key, and broke the tie with brute force. Boy, did I feel stupid and unmasculine!

Lessons learned today:

I need a pocket knife.
Hiking and biking may both involve the legs, but they obviously use different muscles.
I have a bit less padding in certain strategic areas than I used to.
Fourteen miles is a bit much when you haven't ridden for 2 years.

It was a great way to spend the afternoon, none the less.

Chickamauga Creek Loop

2008-04-06T19:00:00.000-07:00

I went into the weekend with the prospect of rain for the third Saturday in a row. As such, and with the cooperation of my family, I decided to switch this week to Sunday. I left right after church, and headed north. Since I am a good 30 minutes closer to the northwest part of the state when I leave from church, I decided to visit a trail in the Chickamauga National Forest, southwest of Dalton. This is a lightly-used trail I found in the book 50 Hikes in the North Georgia Mountains, kindly given as a Christmas gift by my family.

The start of this trail is approximately 2 miles beyond the boonies. I exited I-75 at Highway 136, a winding road that heads toward Alabama and Cloudland Canyon. After 18 miles, I turned off onto a single-lane paved road, which turned into a kidney-killer of a dirt road. I arrived at a very rustic gravel parking lot. There was one other car in the parking lot, but I never saw anyone during the entire 6.3 mile hike.

The distinguishing feature of this trail is that it has no distinguishing feature. It is a trail for people who like to hike, not those who demand scenery. Perfect for me.

The loop began with a good climb up to a ridge, affording some views to the East, if a bit blocked by trees. The trail continued along the ridge, switching back and forth from a single trail to an old roadbed. I was surprised by how dry the trail was given the 2 inches of rain in the past two days. Little did I realize that I was on the dry side of the ridge.

After following the ridge for some time, I came across the one remotely interesting feature of this trail – Preaching Rock. It is a natural rock formation that sticks up in the air, like a platform for preaching. The trail continued along the ridge for a bit longer, and then began a descent. The terrain suddenly changed from dry forest to lush vegetation, and I knew I had arrived at the wet side of the ridge. The trail crossed one of a few streams and tributaries more than 10 times in this area. There were also numerous puddles and wet areas, leaving my shoes as wet as they have ever been on a hike.

I got back to the car after approximately 2.5 hours, and headed to a nearby country convenience store to refuel my car and myself. Since I had a bit more time, I decided to get a taste of the Pinhoti Trail. This trail, running over 100 miles in Georgia, connects the Pinhoti trail in Alabama to the Benton MacKaye Trail in Northeast Georgia. I started at the Snake Creek Gap on Highway 136, and went north for approximately 2 miles before turning around. This is a multi-use trail for hikers, bikers, and horses. Within the first few minutes, I came across two riders on horses coming south. It has been a long time since I have ridden a horse, but I look forward to doing some trail riding in the future when (if ever) I have more time to spare.

The Pinhoti trail is distinguished by its metal blazes with the imprint of a wild turkey footprint. I understood this, having encountered two wild turkies on the earlier part of the hike.

After doing just enough of the Pinhoti trail to wet my appetite, I headed for the car, and the trip back to Atlanta a bit wiser, having added two items to my list of hiking rules:

5) No hair, no hat, sunny day – sunburned head!
6) If there is a stepping stone in the middle of the creek, assume it is loose!

The One That Got Away

2008-03-29T18:47:00.000-07:00

Another Saturday with unsettled weather. I wish God would schedule rainy days for Mondays, since they are usually a washout anyway. I had been planning to go to Rabun County, but with the threat of rain, I did not want to waste a lot of driving. As such, I decided to revisit one of my favorite Chattahoochee parks – East Palisades. There are four things in particular I like about this park:

1) The best distant view of the Chattahoochee that one can find.
2) The giant bamboo forest.
3) The chance to walk out into the middle of the Chattahoochee on rocks.
4) The excellent rock climbing opportunity at the North end.

On my first visit, I startled one of the Great Blue Herons that frequent this area as I approached the observation deck. I was hoping on this occasion to get a picture of one. Not long into the hike, as I was walking along a stream the feeds the Chattahoochee, I looked toward the stream, and discovered I was standing not 15 feet from a Heron. Sadly, before I could get my camera out and focused, the bird flew off. Maybe next time. I hope I never get a picture of one in my backyard eating my Koi.

When I got to the North end and started to climb the rocks, I worked up the courage to pass the point that stopped me before, a very narrow ledge right before a cave (drawing inspiration from my nephews C, age 11, and A, age 3, who would have run across without even a thought). I went quite a distance beyond that point, climbed to the top of the hill, and worked my way back along the ridge.

Just to be different, I finished by taking a steep connector trail up to Riverview Road, and followed and Northside Drive back to the parking lot via the main entrance. This was a very surreal experience, given all of the amazing houses, each one larger and a quarter of a Million dollars more than the last.

As I looked at each house, I did not find myself at all envious of the people who live in them. That sort of wealth has too many strings attached. As Luke 12:34 says:

34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

I can honestly say that my heart is in serving my Savior, and loving my family. How could I possibly be wealthier?

Cloudland Canyon

2008-03-25T06:49:00.000-07:00

I had to be in Dalton for a sales presentation, so this not only presented the opportunity for a rare mid-week hike, but also to a location that would otherwise be a long drive. After finishing the presentation and having a quick lunch, I set out for Chickamauga Creek Trail, west of Dalton. As is not unusual for me however, I never got there. As I passed the turn-off, I changed my mind, and drove on to Cloudland Canyon, near the AL state line.

If there is a more beautiful spot in all of Georgia, I would sure like to see it. The park is developed around an 1,800 foot deep canyon carved out over the years by a stream. The result is beautiful views and multiple waterfalls.

I began the hike with a trip to into the canyon to visit both waterfalls, which are not visible from the top. There are well constructed stairs leading to each one, but they are hard on the legs. When I got back to the top, I sat on a bench under a huge rock to catch my breath, feeling a bit old about how much the steps took out of me. Shortly thereafter, a teenager walked up and sat down, more tired than I was. That made me feel better.

After a very brief rest, I started off on the West Rim trail, a 4.8 mile trail that winds back down to the canyon floor, across the stream, and back up to the west rim. Much of the trail is routed right along the rim, affording numerous beautiful views. The trail itself is interesting and challenging, with multiple opportunities for rock climbing. At other points, the trail has been eroded, leaving exposed roots which must be navigated. There are also multiple “wet foot crossings, one of which was a “wet ankle” crossing on this particular day.

As on prior hikes my thoughts turned to the difficult time I am having at work, and how much fear I have experienced over the past few weeks. At the same time, I was again struck by the irony that I could walk to the edge of the canyon, where a slight stumble would take me over to my death, with no fear whatsoever. It became clear that my fear is limited to what can happen to me in this life, and not what is beyond that. The generalities of a scripture verse came to mind which I looked up upon my return:

10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

I finished up mi hike after 3 hours, and was afforded one final view of the canyon when returning to my car. It was a truly wonderful afternoon, and a great place to visit.

PS A shout out to my syster-in-law for telling me about Photobucket!

Nearly Wordless Saturday

2008-03-22T17:48:00.000-07:00

My time was very abbreviated today after pre-Easter rehearsal at church, but I could not resist squeezing in a short hike. I stopped by Vickery Creek in Roswell to hike a couple of sections I had not done. I search for a short cut back to my car serendipitously led me to a covered bridge, an old cotton mill, and a walk through restored historic Roswell. Enjoy.

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield

2008-03-15T17:14:00.000-07:00

Well, yet another day of unsettled weather. I figured that if I was to get in a hike at all, I would need to stay in town. As such, I picked the next trail on my Atlanta list – Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield. I had never been excited about doing this park, because I saw it as more history and less hike. I was wrong.

After a false start due to forgetting all of my high tech gear, I arrived at the visitor center and began at 9:40. I had noticed before I left home that there was another line of storms in Alabama, and given last night’s tornado, I knew I needed to keep a close eye on it. I pulled the hi res radar image up on my phone, and kept refreshing it (I am not called the high tech hiker for nothing).

The book “60 Hikes in 60 Miles” lists the hike up Kennesaw Mountain as the most strenuous in the book. While I think that is a bit of an exaggeration, the climb of 600 ft in 1 mile will get your attention.

The hike started out on packed gravel, and I was afraid that was what I would have to hike on the whole day. Early on, another hiker, clearly experienced from his gear, asked if this was my first time here. When I said yes, he told me it was one of the nicest and most rugged hikes in the area. Soon after the conversation, it switched from gravel to rugged rock climbing. My kind of trail!

I made it to the top of the mountain, back down a bit, and the up Little Kennesaw Mountain. It was some of the rockiest terrain I have hiked. All around the trail were remnants of the civil war, including mounds and trenches used by the troops for protection. There were also reproduction cannons (I assume) placed on the ridge, in the spot real ones would have been used during the war.

The trail descended to Pigeon Hill and the crossed a road to a large grassy clearing. I continued on the main trail, keeping a wary eye on the weather. When I got to the bridge over Noses Creek, I decided to circle back on the West Trail, and to pickup the East Trail (which does not climb back over the mountain) just to make sure I beat the weather. The section of the West Trail proved to take longer than expected. As soon as I got on the East Trail, I heard the first sign of thunder, even as my phone showed the front a good distance away.

Having lost my map some time back I had no idea what the return trip would take, so I hastened my pace. As I did so, the thunder continued to increase, as did my speed. It was quite some time before the rain actually started, at which point I pulled out my umbrella. I found it somewhat pleasurable to hike in the rain, except for the threat of sever weather.

When the East Trail crossed the access road used by the shuttle to get to the top of the mountain, I took it rather than the trail, just to make sure I made it back in time. Even as the thunder increased, I saw numerous new hikers and joggers just starting out. As I hit the parking lot for the visitor center, the weather sirens began to sound. Just in time! I would later hear of a tornado in the vicinity of where I was, just 30 minutes behind me.

As I put my gear in the car, I began to think about how insignificant my worries about work, the economy, etc were given the fact that I had just toured an area where men fought for a cause larger than themselves under terrible conditions, with many giving their lives. It sort of puts things in perspective…..

Silver Comet Trail – Mavell Road

2008-03-08T17:19:00.000-08:00

I hurt! It all started with last night’s weather report. I had planned a trip to the area near Cloudland Canyon, but with the uncertainty in the weather report, especially in that area, I decided not to risk it. I have always been curious about the Silver Comet trail, a paved multi-use trail that runs from Eastern Cobb County to the Alabama line. While I dislike paved trails and usually pay the price in leg soreness, I decided to go for it.

The Silver Comet trail runs along an abandoned railroad track bed. It gets its name from the Silver Comet luxury passenger train which ran from Birmingham to New York, with a spur to the Atlanta airport. Its first run was in 1947, and it succumbed to the increased use of air transportation in 1969. The Georgia DOT bought the right of way for a possible commuter rail system, but permitted the construction of the trail in the interim. It runs for a total of 60 miles, except for a 2 mile segment which is pending completion of a major road widening.

I began at Mavell Road, which is official mile 0 (a connector runs back to Cobb Parkway). While this kind of trail can be a bit monotonous, sometimes beauty is where you find it. There were a number of good views from old trestles, a close-up view of a hawk of some variety, restored ruins of some structure, and a visit to the old depot, which is now occupied by a bike shop.

Despite the weather, I had plenty of company, although not as many folks as would normally be on this section (in good weather, this section can be packed). There was actually some race just finishing as I arrived. The wind chill was a bit uncomfortable to start, but I warmed up quickly.

I prayed at the beginning for God’s guidance, as I always try to do on a long hike. I was not however expecting the in-your face answer I got. My mind quickly turned to work, and I once again examined my role there in light of the many problems we fact. In the early part of CMI’s chapter 11, my company is seems has become a controversy in itself (long story). I began thinking about whether God really wanted me there, and to be honest, was kind of hoping for a message that I should leave. Instead, almost the minute I began to think about it, a song popped into my head. It was not a song on a CD I own, a favorite, or even one I have heard many times. The words resonated in my brain however (Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns):

Oh, what I would do
to have the kind of strength it takes
To stand before a giant
with just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound
of a thousand warriors
shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand

But the giant's calling out
my name and he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
time and time again
"Boy you'll never win,
you'll never win."

But the voice of truth tells me a different story
the voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
and the voice of truth says "this is for my glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

Wow, that seemed like a pretty clear answer. I am definitely facing the largest giants ever at work these days. The words "this is for my glory" kept repeating over and over. I hesitate to draw too much significance from a song popping in my head, but it would be uncannily reinforced at lunch.

I went approximately 8.3 miles in, and then turned around. The return was very difficult. Because of the repetitive nature of walking on a hard surface, the back of my knees and my shins became extremely sore. I am now walking like an 80 year old. Someone remind me to never do long hikes on a paved trail again!

I sought out Sweet Tomato for lunch, needing a serious carb fix. I opened my current book Waking the Dead by John Eldridge, and found that the bookmark had come out. I flipped through trying to find the place I left off a week ago. I finally found a spot that looked familiar, and began reading. The second page had a quote from a literary work (whose name escapes me for the moment) which was a story similar to David and Goliath (note the song excerpt), and then launched into a serious section about spiritual warfare. I had never considered our problems at work from this perspective, but nobody would dispute the fact that CMI has furthered God’s kingdom (as one caller in particular reminded us this week). There would be over 300 churches not where they are today without CMI. It became pretty clear that Satan would be pleased by its failure. This casts my work issues in a whole new light, and will seriously redirect my prayer efforts and leadership.

Two morals today:

1) Don’t hike more than 10 miles on a hard surface.
2) When you sincerely ask God to speak, don’t be surprised when you get an answer!

Cochran Shoals and Sope Creek

2008-03-01T11:38:00.000-08:00

With my sinus infection still raging, I did not want to subject my ears to the pressure of a drive to the mountains. As such, I opted for a couple of national parks along with Chattahoochee. I started the day at Sope Creek, in the Sandy Springs area. The park is on Paper Mill road, which should give you an idea of what this area was used for.

The first trail I took runs along Paper Mill road to Sope Creek, which is more of a small river. There are substantial ruins of the old paper mill along the creek. The creek is in a ravine, and you can look up to the top of the hills to the homes that are worth more than everybody I know combined. Quite a surreal experience.

I left the creek, and started on the convoluted network of trails that runs through the Chattahoochee parks. If you look at them on the map, they look more like a random spider web. I suspect the reason for this is that the Chattahoochee parks are very narrow (we would not want to encroach on anyone’s $1 MM home, would we). As such, the trail network maximizes the space. This also leads to a certain element of boredom, given the lack of features on the interior trails. After all however, it is about the hike.

I got a bit off course at one point and took a long walk across the creek, until I hit a private gold course. It required a good bit of backtracking, but the creek was particularly interesting on this area.

As I continued walking, I hit a much wider hike/bike trail, which interconnects this part with Cochran Shoals, which runs all the way to I-285. This was not my favorite type of trail, but it is the best way to hit the next park.

The hike/bike trail dead-ends into the extremely popular fitness trail at Cochran Shoals. This trail is wide and flat with a gravel base, and has various fitness stations periodically along one side. It runs for a total of three miles, and was packed on this particular Saturday. For years, I have passed this part on I-285 and seen oceans of cars, I just never knew why until today.

I got to the southern end of the park at Powers Ferry, and crossed the Powers Ferry bridge to get to the small Powers Island park. I used their facilities, and had a brief snack on the small island in the Chattahoochee, and then started back.

Going back, I turned off quickly onto the wildlife viewing loop, which loops for about 1 mile from the fitness trail. This trail is lightly used and poorly maintained. At one point, I thought I would have to turn around because of a fallen tree, but I managed to get over it.

For the balance of the trip back to Sope Creek, I took a variety of interior trails. One near the northern portion of Cochran Shoals has one of the steepest sections I had ever hiked. It went straight up the hill.

Recall what I said at the beginning about the interior trails having a lack of features, because I was about to happen on a major exception. I noticed a reference on the map to Sibley Pond. Since it was on one route back to the parking lot anyway, I decided to route myself that way. I was glad I did, as I came upon a beautiful, glassy, large lake. I took the trail around it to get the full view (no water shortage here). It seemed an unusual place for a pond, so I suspect it related to the old paper mill, but it was none the less quite beautiful.

I reached the parking lot shortly thereafter, having managed to turn two small parks into 11 mile hike.

Little Mulberry with the Nephews

2008-02-28T18:40:00.000-08:00

I had been promising my nephew C. (11) to take him on hike after our plans last Saturday got cancelled. I had what was shaping up to be a relatively quiet Thursday, so I asked his dad to bring him to work, so we could leave from there early in the afternoon. I invited his older brother S. (13), and he agreed to go as well.

We left the office at 2, headed for Little Mulberry County Park. I had really enjoyed it a few weeks ago, and thought it would be a good place for them to get more hiking experience. C. wanted something more challenging, but I wanted to get a better feel for their abilities before we did something more aggressive.

After reviewing the map, I decided to start with the Ravine Overlook trail, and then cross over and do a portion of the wilderness trail, to give them a taste of a more rustic hike. We made fairly good time on the Ravine trail, but paused for quite some time when the trail reached the stream at the bottom of the ravine, as I knew the boys would enjoy walking out on the rocks. I was not disappointed.

It was a bit slow going back up, as the boys were not used to climbing steep hills. When we got to the top and crossed to the main trail, we paused at a nearby picnic table for a snack.

After eating, we took various connectors over to the wilderness trail, and took it clockwise. The boys were getting a bit looser at this point, as was I. I began seeing orange spray pain on an occasional tree, which I had the boys convinced was the sign of a prior bear sighting.

It had been some time since I had spent time with just the older boys together. It was interesting to observe how their relationship had changed over the years. They have always been very close, with a minimal number of disagreements. This was still in evidence, but they now tease each other much more, and in more adolescent ways. This fortunately never exceeded the bounds of appropriate behavior. The only real disagreement was over who would get stuck with the backpack at various points.

I got a little carried away, and ended up taking a longer route than I had planned. Toward the end, the boys, particularly S., were getting quite tired, and I had to keep pushing them on.

We finished after 2 hours 45 minutes, and did around 5 miles (except for C., who did 6, because he kept running ahead and then back to S. and I). It was a wonderful opportunity for me to spend time with them, and to help ensure that our relationship remains close even as they grow up. I am so blessed to have them living in Atlanta!

Long Leaf Loop at Pine Mountain

2008-02-23T17:21:00.000-08:00

I confess to not being very ambitious when I woke up this morning. I had planned to go on a hike with my brother’s father-in-law M. (does that make him my cousin-in law or something?) and my nephew C. (11). We had to postpone that plan until March because M., who is clearly more dedicated than me, headed back to Nashville earlier than planned to get some work done. As such, I had no definite plan going into the morning. To further complicate matters, I had been fighting a cold all week (I won, it lost, thank the Lord), and I was out late last night watching my nephew S’s (age 13) virtuoso performance in the Pirates of Penzance. It was a blast, but my energy reserves were low. Little did I know at the time that this would be one of my longer hikes at 13.2 miles.

Since my sinuses are not fully recovered, I did not want to fight ear pain and go to the mountains, so I went South, and made a return visit to Pine Mountain. I was planning to do the one defined loop I had never done before – the Long Leaf Loop.

After a late start, I arrived and was ready to hike at 10:45. I have never gotten lost during a hike, but at times I have been know to have trouble finding the trailhead, and today was such a day. I even asked directions when I paid the parking fee, and still had trouble. I finally found a sign I had ignored before, and found that the trail was below the visitor center, and had to be accessed via a connector trail. I began the loop headed north.

Hikers are a strange lot. The last time I was here, the ground was covered with 4 inches of snow, and the wind chill was quite frigid. On that visit, I ran into an abundance of other hikers. Today was beautiful, spring-like, sunny, and warm, and I nearly had the place to myself. Go figure.

The trail description for this loop recommends the use of a map, given that there are more than 7 road/trail crossings during the 6.9 mile loop. I guess the writer of that description is directionally challenged, as this loop (along with all trails in the park) was marked with surprisingly descriptive signage. I had my map, but never needed it.

The first couple of miles were relatively uneventful, other than two crossings of Highway 354, which connects the park to downtown Pine Mountain (don’t blink when you drive through). The first major landmark was the historic Liberty Bell Pool. This pool was built by the Civilian Conservation Corp in 1940. It is the largest rock, spring-fed pool in existence, holding more than 550,000 gallons. The pool is still in operation today.

Following that, the loop took me down to what is referred to as the nature trail area, a wetland near the campground. This section includes numerous stream crossings, and walks through some very tight woods. After this area, the trail climbs back up to the ridge, and connects back to the Pine Mountain Trail (PMT), for the return trip to the visitor center. This is where my plans changed. The hike had not been quite as long as I wanted at this point, so I decided to go south for a short distance, to see the fish hatchery pond area. This is a series of ponds built by the CCC, but abandoned during WW II.

I was getting really hungry at this point, given that it was pushing 2 PM. There are not many eating options in the area, outside of the Country Store at the extreme Southern end of the park. According to my map, I was less than 2.5 miles from there via the PMT. My stomach overruled my feet, and I went south. Due in part to hunger, along with the fact that this is one of the flattest sections of the PMT, I made really good time, and was seated for lunch by 3 PM.

The Country Store, run by Callaway Gardens, is not known (at least by me) for its cuisine, but the view is incomparable. The store sits on the edge of the ridge, with the picture windows in the dining room overlooking the valley, with a view for miles. I finished my veggie plate, a gallon of tea (I was a bit dehydrated due to my runny nose), and headed back for the car.

I have done a bit of this section of the PMT before. While it is relatively flat, it is the rockiest section in the park, with numerous boulders, often sitting right on the edge of the cliff. It is a really beautiful section.

I found my thoughts turning once again to my marketing plan. I am happy to say I have already implemented all of the ideas from the last hike. That being said, I began to be concerned given the situation at work that we would be gone before they had a chance to pay off. I soon heard a little voice in my head saying “that is my problem, so just keep at it.” Enough said.

The trip back to the car went by fast, with a total elapsed time of 4 hours 57 minutes. While I had no intention of going that long, I am happy I did. I have now segment-hiked all of the PMT from the visitor center to the Southern end, and a number of other sections.

AT: Gooch Gap to Cooper Gap

2008-02-17T15:53:00.000-08:00

I am continuing my quest to day hike as much of the AT in Georgia as I can, and todays hike finished most of the section between Woody and Hightower Gap. Two weeks ago when I did the prior section, I discovered that FS 42 crossed the AT just where I stopped. After reviewing the map, I figured out how to get there fairly easily (highway 60 to Cooper Gap road, just past the AT crossing at 60). As such, that is where I began this hike.

This section of the AT is fairly unremarkable. There are relatively few vistas, but after all it’s about the hike, stupid. Within the first mile, I came to the Gooch Gap shelter. Since I have seen relatively few of the AT shelters, I am always curious enough to walk up and take a look. This one was a small wooden building with an open front and a loft area, not very inviting by my standards. It also has an open air privy, which was at best functional, but welcome at that point none the less.

I am getting familiar enough with the AT in Georgia that I am finding myself giving rather than asking for directions. I encountered a lone hiker early on, and he stopped me and asked where there was a water source (which I was able to accurately direct him to). About 45 minutes, a encountered another lone hiker who was looking for someone, After getting the description, I realized that he was looking for the guy who asked about the water, so I sent him off in the right direction.

Having now finished “A Walk in the Woods”, I am more aware of the fact that hikers often get separated. This fact was underscored by fresh writing (an initial and an arrow) in the dirt. Even as it seems there is nobody for miles, you often encounter signs like this that show just how much the trail is used.

After a moderate climb, I came to an unusual area of dense small Poplar trees. It seemed really unusual to see them so close together. I suspect it has something to do with the fact the Hurricane Opal heavily damaged this area some years back. Perhaps the Poplars sprang up to fill the gap after all the hardwood trees were knocked down (recalling succession from high school Biology).

Following the trees and a fairly steep descent, I came to Justice Creek, which marks the low point of this section. It is a large and fast moving creek, with numerous small waterfalls.

Next, I managed the steepest climb in this section, to the top of Ball Mountain. I could see FS 42 snaking around in the distance. I knew that if I made the descent to the road, I would just have to repeat the difficult climb. That being said, it seemed like the hike was incomplete without it, so I bit the bullet and went all the way to FS 42. I ended up being glad I did, because this was one of the more scenic areas, including a cave formed by the overhang of a giant rock.

After getting through the return climb, I was feeling pretty smug about the prospect of completing a 10 mile hike on my 52th birthday. That was at least until I encountered a woman at least 10 years my senior. She was hiking with her husband, but was well ahead of him. We had a good chat, and she gave me much information about the topology of the area, and the numerous trail reroutings that had occurred over the years.

As usual, I prayed at the beginning of the hike that the Lord would use the solitude to speak to me, and I spent a good bit of the time in thought, expecting some great spiritual insight. Instead, my mind kept turning back to work, and how I am trying to figure out how to market the retooled company in order to save jobs. Since I am a techie by nature, marketing is an area of great insecurity for me (I told a friend this week I knew less about marketing than about cooking, about which I know nothing). Half way through the hike, I suddenly came up with two very good marketing ideas. I then recognized that God was in fact answering my prayer asking for insight, but in a more practical way than I expected. It seems at times he has to hit me over the head to get my attention.

While I had encountered few people on the trip up, it was crowded by comparison on the way back. I ran into multiple scout troops, a family who had decided to make camp three feet from the trail, and a group of about 20 people, apparently on a trip, assembled at the picnic area at Gooch Gap.

I arrived back at my car after 4 hours and 15 minutes, a bit tired, but in remarkably good shape for a 52 year old.

Frosty Mountain Loop at Amicalola Falls

2008-02-09T17:25:00.000-08:00

I left the house this morning not knowing for sure where I would end up. I thought about going back to the AT, and picking up from the spot I stopped at last week. At the last minute however, I decided to go to Amicalola Falls State Park, and do the Frosty Mountain Loop. The loop begins on the AT approach trail, which connects the effective beginning of the AT with the traditional start at Springer Mountain. One can begin that trail at the visitor center, or at the top of the falls. After signing in at the visitor center (a permit is required for this trail), I drove to the top of the falls to begin, as I did not think my knees could handle 468 steps in addition to a 4 hour hike.

I picked up the approach trail on the road near the lodge, and followed it briefly until the Hike Inn trail split off. This trail runs 5 miles at a steady climb, and is wide, and well groomed and blazed. With all of the remote trails I have hiked, no mater the weather, I have never failed to encounter at least one other hiker. This trail was the exception. I saw nobody (man nor beast) during this leg of the trip. All of a sudden, I went around a bend in the trail and found myself in civilization again – well, sort of.

The purpose of the Hike Inn trail is to allow hikers to reach its namesake, the Len Foote Hike Inn. This Inn is quite unique in that it caters strictly to hikers. It is open year round and only accessible by foot. It appeals to those beginning or ending a thru hike on the AT, as well as those who want to get away from it all. This is surely the Gilligan’s Island of the Georgia Mountains (no phone, no light, no motorcar, not a single luxury). That is a bit overstated – it does have electric lights and heat (but no electrical outlets), bathrooms, and showers. The rooms, each with a set of bunk beds, are about the size of my bathroom.

I went into the lobby and asked the manager to direct me to the restroom, and he kindly led me there. He also told me there were biscuits, honey, and drinks in the dining room (they only serve breakfast and dinner). I stopped in there and helped myself to a biscuit (I was half starved at this point), while I reviewed the balance of the trip.

The Hike Inn trail continues for 1 more mile past the Inn, where is connects to the AT approach trail. This was the hardest part of the hike – almost straight up the whole way. I hit the AT approach, and started back down toward the park. This trail, unlike the Hike Inn trail, is narrow, not well maintained, and poorly blazed.

The approach trail climbs briefly before reaching Frosty Mountain. This is the former home of a fire tower, but all that remains of it is the four concrete supports. From this point, the trail is mostly downhill, with a few good climbs.

The guide book I was using for this hike (Best Hikes with Dogs: Georgia & South Carolina) suggests taking the access road at Frosty Mountain back to the Hike Inn trail, but I hate to backtrack, so I continued on the approach trail. I finally reached the park road again right at 4 hours,

When I got back to the parking lot, I could not resist the brief walk to the top of the waterfall, after which I ate soup and salad at the Amicalola Lodge dining room. This is surely the dining room with the best view in the entire Southeast. On my way back out, I finally got to see the bears I had missed last week :-)

Woody Gap and the AT, Part II

2008-02-02T17:49:00.000-08:00

There is something about the AT that draws me back frequently. I always get a feeling of continuity when hiking it, given that it runs continuously for 2,200 miles. With the prediction of good and warm weather for the day, I decided to return to Woody Gap, and hike South at least to Gooch Gap.

During my normal obsessive pre-hike research, I had found a blog with a recent bear sighting on this very section of the AT. Now, the only thing a really fear about hiking is running into a bear. That being said, I pressed on with my plans. When I included the bear sighting in my pre-hike message to my family about where I was going, my sister-in-law quite appropriately recommended that I skip the bacon-scented cologne.

Some people would consider this section somewhat mundane, but after all, it is about the hike. There were good views to the South, including an interesting house in a large clearing, which I suspect was in the R Ranch development. I also had to cross a waterfall, with the water running along a large curved rock outcrop.

I had one minor unexpected adventure during the hike. I was about half way to Gooch Gap, with the trail approaching a house (there are a few close to the trail in this area), when it suddenly took a 90 degree turn. I continued to follow it without giving it much thought, but soon realized that it seemed really different. The AT normally runs along or close to the ridge, but this section was well off the ridge. I also realized that I had not seen a blaze in some time. Finally, I pulled out my GPS to take a look. I have the area topo maps loaded, which include the AT. According to the GPS, I was fairly close to, but off of the AT. I zoomed out and looked back, and could see where my path had diverged from the AT. I decided to backtrack to that point, a distance of around a quarter of a mile.

When I got back to the point I appeared to get off the trail, I could not find an alternative route, and the only blaze in the area indicated that I had gone the right way. I decided that a trail was a trail, even if it was not the right one, so I turned around and covered the distance again. Finally, I came to the blaze as the AT crossed a small stream. I suppose the confusion was the result of one of the many AT reroutings.

I had only run into three other hikers at this point, but business began to pick up as it got later in the day. A small dirt road crosses the AT at Gooch Gap, and a family had parked there and was just beginning their hike. Shortly thereafter, I ran into two backpackers who had decided to cook their lunch right in the middle of the trail.

I had hoped to reach the Gooch Gap shelter, but ran out of time and turned around about 1 mile South of Gooch Gap.

Now that I have discovered the small road crossing the AT, I plan to drive back to that point in the near future and continue South from there.

Cartersville, and the Other Pine Mountain

2008-01-26T17:43:00.000-08:00

My knee has been bothering me since mid-week, so I wanted to do my Saturday hike in parts, in case I had to bail in the middle (as it turns out, the knee was better after the hike than before). I had run across a web site some time back talking about a new county trail just North of Cartersville, so I decided to go for that one, and another one just South of it. Since neither is in any guidebooks, I figured they would both be well-kept secrets. I would soon learn otherwise.

The first, the Pine Log Creek trail, was opened in November, 2007. It is on a small state route well away from I-75. The parking lot is easy to miss, but I managed to get there. I found that one car was already in the lot, belonging to a couple of boy scouts who had already completed the trail while waiting for the troop. One of them borrowed my phone to check on the group, which he found out was not coming.

The trail (4.6 mi, Climb: ****, Terrain: **, Interest: ***) has two loops. The west loop begins with a very strenuous climb to Ken Cannon overlook at 1,312 feet.

The second loop descends to an old quarry which is now a picturesque lake. This trail was build by a professional trail company, and is well laid out. I ran into two other people during the hike, but otherwise had complete solitude.

After lunch involving food I should not have been eating, and on my way back the Interstate, I spotted a directional sign for a hiking trail. The sign pointed to the other side of the Interstate, which dead-ends into a hill. Not being able to stand an unknown trail, I followed the signs. I discovered the Pine Mountain trail, built very recently by the City of Cartersville.

This trail (4.9 mi, Climb: *****, Terrain: ***, Interest: ****) also exists in two loops. The West loop is for hikers only, and the East is shared with mountain bikes on Wednesdays and Saturdays (wish I had known this in advance). I started up the West loop, and was presented with another strenuous climb. I quickly started running into small groups of 20-something hikers, all dressed like mountain bikers who had just rode out of REI. The first group asked me if I had seen a large orange flag. Curious. As I got further up, I came across a clearing with more than 20 unattended mountain bikes. Half of the mystery was solved at this point.

I continued on a side trial, the sign indicating that it led to a summit. For my strenuous climb, I was treated to one of the best vistas I have encountered, this one atop Pine Mountain at 1,562 feet. This vantage point overlooks Cartersville, including a large lake. I lingered unusually long taking in the view.

I then proceeded back down the summit trail, where I picked up the east loop. Most of the bikes were now gone from the clearing, and I would soon learn why. I began meeting mountain bikers, always traveling in groups of 3. They all had laminated maps and compasses, and would frequently leave their bikes and go off into the woods.

In finally asked one group what they were up to. They indicated that they were part of an adventure race (I would learn later the Sandmann Adventure Race), which consists of biking, hiking, and canoeing. I would spend the balance of the day dodging bikes. They were all polite, frequently referring to me as “sir” (which really makes one feel old). The trail was wet, and with all of the bike traffic, it had turned to mud. I was having trouble keeping my footing in some sections. I was very close to sliding downhill on more than one occasion.

I began to get familiar with some of the biker groups, as I seemed to run into some of the same ones over and over. They seemed somewhat amazed that I was doing on foot what they were complaining about doing on bikes, and one even commented that I must be in good shape (quite an ego boost for a 50-something!!!).

I finished the East loop, and managed to get back to the bike-free West loop, and eventually to the parking lot.

Both of these trails were a great find in an area one would not expect to find them. They are both rated as strenuous, and while those who do these ratings are usually conservative, in this case, the rating was deserved.

Big Poplar Loop

2008-01-20T18:13:00.000-08:00

Church was cancelled today due to anticipated poor street conditions. In addition, my family has been in Nashville, so I had no commitments for the entire day. Despite the really cold weather and remaining snow, I could not resist taking advantage.

I decided to go south, where at least it would be a few degrees warmer. I headed back to F D Roosevelt State Park, intending to do the Big Poplar Loop (7.8 mi, Climb: ***, Terrain: ***, Interest: ***). While I have done loops involving the Pine Mountain Trail, they never included much of it. This loop was of interest in that over 5 miles of it is on the PMT.

For those unfamiliar with the PMT, it is a 23 mile trail following the Pine Mountain ridge, a surprisingly high elevation for this far South. Its design and layout are very reminiscent of the AT, other than the lack of huge elevation changes.

While driving through the park on my way to the trailhead, I quickly discovered that Pine Mountain received significantly more snow that we did in Atlanta, and most of it was still there. All of the snow was helping to keep the temperature down, but it had managed to climb to a balmy 24 degrees at that point. After I parked, loaded up with my gear, I quickly discovered a problem – I could not find the trail for the snow! After wandering around briefly, I discovered one feature of snow that would benefit me for the entire hike – it leaves lingering footprints. Thankfully, some fellow diehards had preceded me. I realized that given conditions, we could all be wrong, but I discarded that notion when I ran into a group of Scouts within the first half mile.

I discovered before too long into the trip that hiking in snow requires significantly more energy than hiking in normal conditions. I was working pretty hard to keep traction, and had to lift my feet more to slog through it. While I don’t normally use a walking stick, I picked up one pretty quickly just to help with traction. It was of course harder to follow the trail, but I was blessed to have footprints to follow the entire way. The only time a got disoriented was when I took a brief detour across a stream to a camp site for a bathroom break (not a fun experience at 24 degrees).

With nothing but snow for mile after mile, it is harder to keep track of your progress. Fortunately, the PMT has a marker and stack of rocks every mile. Further, all trail junctions are well marked, and have mileage listed.

Given my somewhat legalistic background, I had an occasional twinge of guilt about not finding some church to attend, even as it seems that more than half of the ones in Atlanta had cancelled. I began to recall some recent reading in Paul Gardner’s commentary on Ephesians, and thinking about how our culture equates church with a building and formal service. Don’t get me wrong – I do believe assembling every week corporately as believers is important. Ephesians however makes it clear that the church is the uniting of God’s people through the world in his service. Paul Gardner feels it is very important to see the church in this context, and it makes sense to me.

I finished in 3:38, much longer than it would normally take me to cover 8 miles, but given conditions, I was pleased with my effort. I would not want to hike in snow every week, but it is definitely an exhilarating and worthwhile experience.

Snow Day

2008-01-19T15:16:00.000-08:00

With a rare snow day in Atlanta, and a new camera, I could not resist a walk through the snow and some practice with the camera.

Little Mulberry County Park

2008-01-18T18:52:00.000-08:00

Given the prediction of rain and snow for Saturday, I decided to get my hike in a day early this week. I left work early in the afternoon (as usual, not nearly as early as I thought), and went to Little Mulberry, a Gwinnett county park. It is one of the newer parks in the county, and certainly the largest at 890 acres. I had read mixed reviews of it, so I decided to check it out in person.

The good news about this park is how well developed it is. The trails are well marked, properly laid out, and cover diverse and interesting terrain.

The bad news is how well developed it is. My knees do not particularly like hiking on packed gravel or concrete/asphalt, and many of my tax dollars were spent on such improvements, along with considerable non-essential stone work.

I started on the West Meadow Trail (1.0 mi, Climb: **, Terrain: **, Interest: **), a wide asphalt trail that circles a large meadow. After a short distance, I turned onto the Ravine Loop Trail (2.2 mi, Climb: ***, Terrain: ***, Interest: ***), a packed gravel trail that runs along a surprisingly high ridge, and then climbs down to a small stream. This trail features a number of stacked rock mounds that are thought to have been put there by native Americans.

After not finding the Beech Tree connector trail, which is obviously a figment of a map maker’s imagination, I found my way back to the West Meadow Trail, which I followed to the East Mulberry Trail (4.75 mi, Climb: ****, Terrain: ***, Interest: ****).

Unlike the other trails in the park, this one is dirt, leaves and rocks. I immediately felt right at home, grateful to be free of asphalt and packed gravel! While this trail included some difficult climbs, it had rewarding views of the surrounding area, and Miller Lake, some distance away.

It occurred to me that it was odd that I had such a strong preference for rocky, challenging trails (Alert – spiritual insight coming), while in life, I always seek the easy, wide, level path. This is particularly poignant with my problems at work. I am experiencing the most difficult time in my 35+ year career (I have never had to lay off three people in the same day before), and yet I am convinced that God wants me where I am. I need to learn to embrace the challenges the same way that I look forward to the challenges of a steep, rocky trail. I can only do this by trusting his plan for my life.

I intersected the East Meadow Trail (1.0 mi, Climb: **, Terrain: **, Interest: ***), yet another asphalt trail circling yet another meadow, and did the Pond Trail (.7 mi, Climb: **, Terrain: **, Interest: **) for good measure.

Overall, this park is a great facility, which I am blessed to have in my backyard. The day was made all the better by dinner with my brother at Five Guys Burgers!

New Gear Addition

2008-01-14T17:55:00.000-08:00

There is a new addition to my high tech gear – a Canon PowerShot SD950 camera. I am NOT a photographer, but I kept finding sights I wanted to remember, and with the camera on my phone having a resolution of 2 micro pixels, I needed something better.

Through the courtesy of a credit card company who shall remain nameless, and who has been charging me annual fees for years, I was able to obtain the camera using points long accumulated.

I had four primary selection criteria:

1) Easy to use (as stated above, I am NOT a photographer).
2) Small (I did not want to lug a big camera up mountains).
3) A real viewfinder (the LCD can be hard to use in bright light).
4) Did I say easy to use?

The SD950 had the above features and many more. The lens retracts back into the camera and is covered automatically when turned off, making the carrying size quite small. The LCD screen is large and works surprisingly well in bright light.

I give the SD950 high marks, so far. Stay tuned for pictures.

Blood Mountain

2008-01-12T17:22:00.000-08:00

I have really wanted to do a hike that truly challenged me, and if you hike seriously in Georgia, that usually involves Blood Mountain, which at 4,461 feet is the highest point on the AT in the state. I had spread my guide books and maps out a few weeks ago, and mapped out a route that would take me over Blood Mountain via Lake Winfield Scott. I was not going to be satisfied like most to hike to the top and back however. I wanted to go down the other side, and catch an alternate trail back.

True to my usual nature, I decided to do it mid-week, and then thought of various reasons why I should “chicken out” the rest of the week. I was not 100% certain what I would do until I got near Suches, but I decided to go for it.

With the recent murder in the area, I confess to being a bit apprehensive. I took some comfort in the fact that when I drove by Woody Gap, the parking lot was already half full. I arrived at Lake Winfield Scott at 10 AM, pulling into the parking lot next to a group of Scouts on their first backpacking trip. It seemed as if I would have plenty of company.

I hiked up to the AT via the Jarrad Gap Trail (1.2 mi, Climb: ***, Terrain: ***, Interest: ****). I then went North on the AT toward Blood Mountain. The AT is fairly steep in this area, and Blood Mountain periodically comes into view, making me constantly rethink my agenda. It is roughly 2.3 miles from Jarrad Gap to Slaughter Gap, where the ascent of Blood Mountain really begins. By the time I got to Slaughter Gap, I was already pretty winded.

I pressed ahead, and began the climb. I was close to a small group of Asian tourists with a professional guide a good bit of the way up, passing them at points, and having them pass me. I guess this distracted me from the climb, which seemed anti-climactic at that point. Before I realized it, I was on the summit, with my Asian friends, and yet another group of Scouts.

I am not sure my vocabulary includes sufficient words for the view from Blood Mountain. It is both breathtaking and incredible, causing me to suspend Rule #1. There are numerous large rocks at the top from which you can take in various vistas. I was also able to take a quick look inside the historic Blood Mountain Shelter (nice place to visit, but I would not want to stay there), which is literally right at the top.

I found myself on top of one of the rocks with the Asian group and guide, so I took the liberty of asking him some important questions, such as how far it was to down to the side trail, and more importantly, the location of the privy, of which I was in desperate need by this time.

After a suitable visit, I began the descent on the North side. It was slow going, because there were numerous vista opportunities, all of which I wanted to take in. I found the Freeman Trail (1.8 mi, Climb: **, Terrain: *****, Interest: ****) after 1.3 miles, as the guide promised. It was build as a bypass for the AT over Blood Mountain in the event of inclement weather. One of the reasons I decided to use this trail on the return trip was the fact that it had little elevation change. As I would soon learn, there is more to a trail that elevation change! The guide had warned me to be careful because of the number of rocks and boulders on this trail. He did not exaggerate! I can generally keep a steady 3 MPH pace, even in the mountains. It took be an hour just to do this trail however. To do this trail, one must be part hiker and part mountain goat, with numerous rock climbs required at vaious places.

That being said, if you take the time to look around, Freeman is a very scenic trail. The path crosses over no less that 4 descent waterfalls. I feared I would be alone the whole time on this trail, but was surprised at the number of other hikers I met.

During my stretch on Freeman, I was thinking on and off about work, primarily the decisions I have to make next week that will have a dramatic impact on people’s lives. I was experiencing surprising peace about the situation however.

Freeman is very poorly blazed, and with the number of rocks that must be climbed, it can be hard to follow. I would find myself walking on a section of clearly defined trail, but fretting about what would happen 100 yards ahead when I could not see where the trail was headed. I would invariably get to that point, and then be able to see where the trail went. It occurred to me that this was a metaphor for my life. Even when my footing is secure, I am always looking 100 yards ahead, and trying to figure out where life will take me. God would clearly have me concern myself with the section of trail I am on at any given moment, and not worry about where it goes well ahead of me.

I finally got back to the AT at Bird Gap, and started South back toward Jarrad Gap. It seemed much longer on the trip back that it did on the way up, even though the return was mostly downhill. I did derive a certain satisfaction when I passed the Asian group. In the time it took them to eat lunch at the top, and make the trip back down, I went all the way down the other side, all the way around on Freeman, and caught them about a mile South on the AT.

I set out to do a hike that truly challenged me, and at a total time of 4.5 hours (with less than 15 minutes of that stopped), I achieved my goal. I am pleased with myself today, but I may decide I am too old for this tomorrow when my sore muscles make themselves known.

Unicoi State Park

2008-01-06T18:28:00.000-08:00

My original plan for the day was to finally scale Blood Mountain, approaching via the Slaughter Creek Trail. With the missing hiker and the “person of interest” in that area however, I thought it best to alter my plan. I elected to hike in Unicoi State Park outside of Helen as an alternative. I started the day a bit on the grumpy side however at having to alter my original plans.

I began with the Unicoi to Helen Trail (3.0 mi one way, Climb: **, Terrain: **, Interest: ***). The Bottoms Loop trail detours off of the main trail, and I took that detour on the way down. The first part of the trail was very nondescript, with a good bit of deforestation due to pine beetles (I had to remind myself of rule #1: “It’s about the hike, stupid”), but when the trail joined Smith Creek, it quickly became more interesting.

I had timed my trip so I hit the town of Helen about lunch time. The schedule did not work quite as well as intended however, making me a bit grumpier. The trail comes into a nice park right behind the main business district, making it very convenient. I did accomplish lunch, and began back immediately thereafter, retracing my steps. I detoured around the short nature trail on the way back, which unfortunately was not very interesting this time of year.

During the reverse trip, I was thinking about having been grumpy as a result of the world not conforming to my plans or schedules, and I could not help but wonder if God finds my insistence that he conform to my plans a bit amusing, in the way a parent is somewhat amused by the antics of a misbehaving child. I finished the day with some conviction about being more flexible and sensitive to God’s leading. (As I write this, I now know that the missing hiker was most likely murdered, and in an area I was very close to on the same day. I am thankful for God’s protection, but my thoughts constantly turned to the missing hiker and her family the entire weekend).

After a brief stop at the Lodge for a restroom break, I decided to head the short distance to Anna Ruby Falls. I have visited Anna Ruby Falls previously. While it is a beautiful waterfall, I would not have made the trip for that alone. I was more interested in the Smith Creek Trail (4.8 mi one way, Climb: ****, Terrain: *****, Interest: ****). I did not have time for a round trip, nor did I have transportation to get from the end back to my car. As such, I decided to hike in as far as I had time for, to get a feel for it in preparation for a later visit.

Surprisingly, I found the hike up the paved road to the falls (0.8 mi, Climb: ****, Terrain: **, Interest: ****) to be the most difficult. I do not walk well on steep pavement, and the asphalt path is very steep at a few points.

While the Smith Creek Trail is considered very challenging, I felt far more at home there. It is very narrow, and runs along a steep ridge. At one point, I literally had to hug a tree to let a group of hikers going the opposite direction pass me. The section I did really wet my appetite to hike the entire trail.

The hike down from the falls on the pavement was quite a bit easier going down. I found my car and headed back to Norcross, quite tired, and hopefully a bit wiser and more flexible.

Woody Gap and the AT

2008-01-01T17:56:00.000-08:00

I decided to wait until after I had been up for awhile this morning to see if my legs were too sore from the 12 miles yesterday to do any hiking (and they have to be really sore for me to pass). I was a bit surprised to find that other than some initial stiffness getting out of bed (which at 51 is a fact of life), I was actually not sore at all, unlike yesterday before the hike (attributable to a long hike on concrete in bad shoes). I got out 50 Hikes in the North Georgia Mountains by Johnny Molloy, a Chirstmas present from my family. I decided to drive to Woody Gap, a fairly easy trip from Atlanta, and to hike as far as felt like North on the AT toward Blood Mountain (6.0 mi, Climb: ****, Terrain: ***, Interest: ****).

This is a breathtaking section of the AT (because of the view, and the wind chill today which was in the teens), with a total climb both ways of just over 1,300 feet. There is one particular vista where the trail comes out on a huge rock outcropping (GPS N34 41.230 W83 59.645) , which affords a 200 degree unobstructed view to the East, made all the better by a crystal clear day.

The trail was heavily covered in fallen leaves in certain sections, obscuring the rocks and roots below, thus making walking upright a challenging. My mind wondered off to the fact that God knows the number of those leaves, which in turn recalled a minor incident from Saturday.

I had my oldest nephews and niece over to spend the night and have a wii fest (S. age 13, C. age 11, and M. age 8). On Saturday afternoon, I took them to the Jones Bridge Park to show them one of the “secret trails” in the woods near my house. On the way back, we walked by a stream with a bank about 5 feet high, and we all marveled at the interesting pattern the recent rains had made in the soft sand in the streambed. S., a bit of a science nerd like his Uncle, studied the sand pattern, while at the same time, C., suddenly jumped off the bank, imbedding his shoes and feet in the soft sand. This prompted me to speak somewhat sharply to C. about such an impulsive act.

It seems that C. needs to experience God’s great creation by actually experiencing it, in contrast to my having spent most of my life just studying it. I guess this partially explains my sudden interest in hiking, because I am now experiencing first hand what I have heretofore only studied from a safe distance. I now regret speaking sharply to C., as it seems he is years ahead of me!

A Day with FDR

2007-12-31T23:49:00.000-08:00

I planned to spend New Year’s Eve hiking at F D Roosevelt State Park. I had made one prior trip there, and found it to be one of the best hiking spots in Georgia. I was concerned when I awoke to a forecast of heavy fog. Initially, worried about whether the long trip was worthwhile in such fog, but then I remembered my hiking rule #1:

It’s about the hike, stupid!

For me, hiking is about pushing my body physically, and the time I spend in quiet reflection. Any scenery is just a bonus, and in this case, it proved to be a big bonus!

I said a quick prayer about the weather, and set out. The fog was pea soup all the way there, about as bad as I have ever seen it. When I hit the entrance to the park, amazingly, the fog suddenly lifted, and God presented me with a beautiful and surprisingly warm day.

I had decided in advance to do three individual loops, all connected to the Pine Mountain Trail, a 23 mile trail running along the ridge of Pine Mountain. I began with the Overlook Loop (3.4 mi, Climb: ***, Terrain: ***, Interest: ***), which ended at the Callaway Gardens Country Store. Since breakfast was at 5:30, I decided to eat at the store after the loop (food fair, service not quite as fair).

During lunch, I was reading from Waking the Dead by John Eldredge. The chapter I read was discussing the eyes of the heart, about recognizing the unseen. In this chapter, the author mentions three eternal truths:

1) Things are not what they seem
2) A battle us under way
3) We have a crucial role to play

Something to ponder for the balance of my hike.

After lunch, I hiked the Mountain Creek Nature (3.2 mi, Climb: **, Terrain: **, Interest: **). I finished the day with the Dowdell Knob Loop (4.3 mi, Climb: ***, Terrain: ***, Interest: ****). This hike had some amazing views, and was historically one of FDR’s favorite spots. I did a total of 11 miles and 4 hours.

During the last part of the hike (done at a quickened pace to make sure I got out before the gate was locked at 5 PM), I was thinking about the 3rd eternal truth from the book in the context of the problems my company is currently experiencing due to the real estate upheaval. God took me from a stressful 30+ year career in Information Technology to the financial world, which I had hoped would reduce my stress level, but was proving otherwise. I began thinking about why God put me there, and came to realize that the staff was looking in part to me for strength during the time of uncertainty. This is a heavy responsibility.

Dowdell’s Knob Loop was well blazed with fresh paint, and the blazes could often be seen from ¼ mile away or more, in contrast to knowing God’s will in this life, where it is hard to see beyond today, which is fuzzy enough itself. I am not sure what God has in store at work beyond today, but I know he wants me to trust him for tomorrow, and to model that for the staff. I guess this is part of my “crucial role”.

Introduction

2007-12-31T20:24:00.000-08:00

My love for hiking is actually just over a year old, but is has become a serious pastime (and maybe a passion) in that short time. The impetus for it however is a bit older.

I have been a non-athlete all of my life. I have never been sedentary in any sense, but have never engaged in sports or formal exercise of any sort. Two years ago, for a number of reasons, I began an aggressive workout program, and got myself in pretty good shape. At the same time, I had just read Wild at Heart by John Eldredge, which really puts an emphasis on spending time in the woods away from all distraction, and the importance of challenging one’s self physically. The author makes the case that this is not only important for ones masculine development, but is a great way to hear God speaking to you. I loved the book, but rejected the idea of getting out in the woods completely.

Flash forward to Thanksgiving 2006. I spent the weekend with my bother and family in the North Georgia Mountains. Since I did not have access to a gym to keep up with my exercise program, I decided to try one of the nearby nature trails, accompanied by my 10 year old nephew. I surprised myself at how much endurance I had, and more importantly, I began to discover a sense of adventure I never realized I had.

The idea of hiking was put on the shelf until the following September, which I was on vacation in Sarasota, FL. My family likes the beach, which I hate. I decided to try hiking one day while they went to the beach. I picked a 6 mile trail at a state park well outside of Sarasota. Although I ran into one obstacle after another, I stuck with it, and arrived at the trailhead. I was as far out in the woods as I had been in my life, and did not encounter a single soul the entire time. It was scary in many ways, and at the same time one of the most satisfying things I had ever done in my life. I discovered that day that the sense of adventure I never knew I had was very strong. I also found a unique way to related to God – just he and I with no other distractions. At that point, I was hooked.

Having a 30 plus year career in technology, I found I could not separate one from the other. As such, I spent considerable time on the Internet researching trails in my area, and the necessary (and nice but not essential) gear. I discovered REI, and equipped myself as follows:

REI Hydration pack
Inexpensive hiking boots (which I would later regret)
Garmin etrex Vista HCX GPS
US Topo Map CD
SPOT Satellite Messenger (not recommended due to unreliability)

The latter was a concession to my boss, who was uncomfortable with me being alone in the woods. With the above, I was off, and have rarely missed a Saturday since.

The purpose of this blog is twofold: to document my experiences with different trails in the hope that the information may help other hikers; and to relay any insights that God chooses to provide to me in the process.