Get lost on Earth Day: Arabia Mountain

Early in the morning on Earth Day, Melissa, Brandy and I decided to head out for an ambitions 5.1 mile hike as described in 60 hikes within 60 miles of Atlanta. However, as you can see by the Georgia Trails description, it was only about two miles and two bottles of wine for the two of us. Those two miles were breathtaking and when we were only about a quarter mile in Melissa proclaimed that it was her favorite hike so far. You know it must be true, because that was well before we even thought about drinking the two bottles of wine we brought. The goal for the day was to get out and appreciate mother nature, and that goal was thoroughly achieved.

We began the excursion with the intent of a long, exhilarating day with the earth. We went to The Mercantile for sandwiches and wine. The Mercantile, at the time, only offered one non-glass option of wine. The Climber is in a pouch, has a spout and tastes pretty good. The only downside was the size of the serving, two bottles. Both Melissa and I thought that we would have some wine to spare which is nothing to be sad about. Little did we know that we would end up finishing the entire pouch, which, again, nothing to be sad about.

Difficulty

The distance we completed was not difficult. As you begin the trail, it is pretty well marked. The beginning, the markings are on the trees but it quickly turns to a large rock face. At that time, the trail begins to be marked on the actual rock. Eventually the rock begins to climb and there is still markers to follow. Once we made it to the top of the rock, we lost the markers.

I have a sneaky suspicion that the length of our hike had to do with our inability to follow directions. We were so amazed by the beauty and allure of this large rock peppered with pools of water and patches of vegetation that we began frolicking instead of following the markers. Eventually, we could not find any remnants of a trail. With no luck we tried to re-trace our steps and folow a different path at the beginning. Towards the end we tried to re-trace our steps to find and follow the trail but to no avail. Instead we found a second resting spot and played a few more games of cards and eventually finished the wine.

Natural Beauty

As mentioned above, this was Melissa's favorite hike so far. I, too, thoroughly enjoyed it. We were 30 minutes from home yet we felt like we had just taken a road trip to somewhere exciting. It was Earth Day, yet there was almost no one on the trail. As you traveled deeper into the park, you could see the mountain peeking through the trees. However, that was only distracting from how interesting landscape around you. Along the way, until you get to the mountain, it is feels like a large flat rock. The trees come and go, and as they recede you feel like you've found a new exciting place to frolic.

It does not take long to reach the mountain and as you ascend, everything you've seen until that moment seems less astonishing as the next thing you will see. As mentioned we are 30 minutes from my in town abode and the trees around the base of the large rock cover any sign of civilization. The only reminder that we had not in fact driven hours down a dirt road to a secluded haven was the occasional plane flying over head and group of fellow hikers we encountered every so often. On top of the rock, the wind seemed to be blowing us forward and it probably further drowned out any noise pollution.

Eventually we gave up on following any sort of trail and we were just meandering around and exploring the rock top. At about 3/4 the way around the top, we came across a lonely kite that appeared to be abandoned. It was earth day, and we felt that we should probably do the right thing and gather up the kite and the string. I picked up the kite and broke the frame to make it easier to hold. Melissa manned following the string, and I picked up the slack. We followed it up the rock for what seemed like forever. As we were nearing what seemed to be the end, we heard a child's cries. We froze and sat down. I all of a sudden became very concerned that I had crushed this poor child's kite in an effort to make it easier to pick up and throw away. What if at the end of this rope was a sweet innocent child attempting to have a lovely kite outing on earth day. Melissa and I began laughing hysterically at the fear of confessing to this stranger that we had ruined his Incredible Hulk kite and were planning to throw away his prized possession. We soon realized this fear was unlikely, irrational and decided to continue with our mission. We never ran into a a crying child at the end of the line, but we did do our part to leave Arabia Mountain better than we found it.

Dog Friendliness

Brandy was off leash the entire hike, however I failed poor Brandy. I did not even consider the fact that running around on a big rock could wear down her poor little paws and give her doggy blisters. In my defense, she did not make us aware of her pain until we say down for the second time in defeat.
Despite the minor paw injuries, Brandy was having a grand 'ol time running around. The rock also offered plenty of water pockets along the way and the sporadic patches of trees offered shade along the way. Having it so wide open made it easy to keep tabs on her explorations. Next time I will bring booties for her paws, and it will be a perfect dog friendly hike.


Picnicability

After hiking for about an hour and a half, we decided it was time for our picnic. It was quite windy on the top of the rock, so we found a patch of trees and set out the blanket, sandwiches, wine and cards.

It was very easy to find a spot since the entire rock is pretty flat, once you are at the top, and there are plenty of patches of trees spread around. Because we were having such a good time and thoroughly enjoying the view, we probably stayed longer than necessary. However, we were not in a rush and at this time we had not yet given up on finding the trail. We played a few rounds of Rummy 500, my favorite card game to play with a good friend, wine and a picnic.

Once we got lost, we came to terms with the fact that we were never going to find the trail. Instead, we enjoyed where we were. The rock was large and interesting enough to explore for hours. We could have had a million different picnics. There was a section of the rock that seemed to have been mined more than the other, which created more of a stepping stone feel. This area would have also been nice for a picnic. Then towards the base we set up a little picnic that was more secluded and we felt separated from the rest of the world.

I'm glad we got lost on Earth Day. It wasn't the hike we had expected, but all well...

Mental Enrichment
Dogs can get blisters too. 

Shorter than expected: East Palisades

Towards the end of the week before Earth Day, I as itching to get away from my hectic life and spend some time in the outdoors. Work has really picked up, and I am often staying until 7PM on the days that I am not in class till 9:15. I'm not complaining, I am really enjoying growing in my role at Coca-Cola. Also, there is a reason I am doing my MBA. Challenging my mind in work and school is very rewarding. That being said, my life is so hectic I feel like I don't have time to clean, do laundry, and forget cooking dinner. That week, I was feeling more of the pressures of my busy life style and I knew that a hike would be just the fix.

Luckily, my roommate was willing and able to attend a hike with me both days of Earth Day weekend. The first hike was expected to be 4.5 miles. We were ambitious and hoping to get a good workout in that Saturday morning, April 21st. We packed a sandwhich, I brought my SLR camera and we headed out to East Palisades. Unfortunately, the directions in my favorite book, 60 hikes within 60 miles of Atlanta, were lacking and it took us about an hour to finally reach the trail head. Then, the hike ended up being only 2.5 miles, and a total of 1:21 hours to complete. So, by the end of the day we were in the car about as long as on the trail. However, we had a great time, and Brandy appreciated the chance to run free.

Difficulty

The hike is rated as moderate by GeorgiaTrails.com and trails.com. There were a few spots that were uphill and got us to sweat a little bit. I think I would have rated it a little higher in difficulty had we infact hike 4.5-6 miles. As on par with most of the Georgia hikes, there was a map at almost every fork in the road. We stuck to the outside loop of the trail system. Perhaps, if we did a little more zig zagging we would have gotten up to the higher mileage.

When we arrived, it was easy to find the trail head. At one point there was a pretty steep section, pictured here. However, it was not too long and it didn't slow Brandy down. Because the maps were prevelant I would say that it was easy to follow. On the contrary, we thought we would be hiking for double the ground we covered. Therefore, perhaps its more difficult to follow the exact route outlined in the hiking book. I was definitely able to go out for a drink that night, and I did. I got all dressed up for Business School Prom and danced the night away.

Natural Beauty

  For being inside the perimeter, it was very quiet and secluded. We didn't pass too many people on the trail, and it overlooked the Chatahoochee River for most of it. Everyone knows the river is not the cleanest most pristine body of water, but it was still lovely to gaze at. 

Throughout the hike, we definitely felt the presence of Spring. We saw baby ducks, baby cows on the drive in, and baby children every once in a while. Melissa, as a kid used to always eat the nectar from the Honey Suckles and they were in full bloom that day. As a kid I would take, what i called purple buttercups, and rub them on my nose. The sweet nectar of honey suckles is much better. As we walked along the trail, Melissa would gather honey suckles for use to enjoy.
Dog Friendliness

 This trail was wonderful for a dog. Other pet owners had their dogs off leash. It was far away from roads most of time. Except for the home stretch before finishing the hike, she was off leash during the hike.

This next anecdote could also fall under Natural Beauty. As we walked along the Chattahoochee, we came across a family of ducks and some geese swimming in the water. Brandy went ape-shit and leapt into the water in an attempt to grab them, I guess. She then started swimming out after them. Even though Brandy is half lab, she is the WORST swimmer. It looks like she is trying to leap around in the water but there is no ground for her to from which to leap. Its quite entertaining for us, but presumably frustrating for her. Alas, she was unable to snatch the baby ducks from their mother, but she did offer great entertainment. 


Picnicability
There was nowhere great to have a picnic. We ended up sitting on a rock next to the road that lead to the parking lot. It was definitely anticlimactic. I think there


Mental Enrichment: 
You can eat the syrup from a honey suckle.

Priorities: McDaniel Farm Park

Due to over scheduling social events and necessary school work, I had resolved to not completing a hike the weekend of March 24th. I had convinced myself that I could make up for the neglect of hikes in March with more hikes in April. As I was driving to a coffee shop to get some work done before my 1PM group meeting, the sun was shining through my car window warming my skin as the Spring air blew through the windows. I wanted to drive on to a hike that instant, but I refrained and prepared for a day of school work. Then, my group meeting ended a tad early, so I picked up Brandy and headed to a close, short hike. I figured I could probably be back in time for the next scheduled social event. I knew that there was a chance of missing one of my previous engagements, but I made enjoying the beautiful weather a higher priority.

I believe that the excuse "I'm too busy" is weak, and not really the truth. The truth is that whenever you're "too busy" to engage in an activity, its usually something that is not very high on your priority list. Sometimes things fall through the cracks unintentionally, but often its because you've made a consience or subconscience decision that its not as important as the other things on your mind.  Therefore, it falls to a lower rung on the priority ladder.

Clearly, since I havne't written in this blog in a while and I only completed one hike in March, so 27 hikes in 2012 has fallen behind in the ranks of my priorities. But, in my defense, I had spring break and two of my weekends were taken with a trip home to Texas. In addition, one weekend a Mardi Gras party and during another BaconFest 2012 took priority over hiking for the blog.

However, the weekend of March 24th, the beautiful weather and the blog prevailed and I made it to  McDaniel Farm Park. I had read in 60 Hikes within 60 Miles in Atlanta that McDaniel Farm Park is a good place to go to see wildflowers. There had been lots of blooming trees around Atlanta, so I thought that there would be a high possibility of wildflowers. There were almost none.

Difficulty: 

Even though I did not do this hike hung over, I very well could have been so hung over I could barely move so I brought greasy food. I'm actually pretty sure I saw a few high schoolers with the munchies on my way out of the park. The elevation of the "trail" rolled the littlest bit, but not enough to make you loose your breath. The park was very well marked with a map at almost every fork in the road. You can make the hike/stroll as long or short as you want depending on which route you take, but its difficult to make it a very long hike. In total, the paved trails equals three miles. There is also one section of unpaved trail that reconnects with the paved trail. I accidentally followed this in the wrong direction and ended up backtracking over a section of the trail. However, my carelessness is not a reflection on the difficulty of the trail. It is very easy to follow and a very easy hike/stroll.

Natural Beauty: 

Well, as you can see from the photo earlier, it was, in fact, a paved road. This hike would be perfect if you had a baby in a stroller, but I don't. The grounds were very lovely around the farm. You could see plots of land they currently use for growing some crops. The trails wove around a creek running on the land and there was a mixture of open meadows and tree filled patches. It was very picturesque, especially if you're looking to do a family photo.


Dog Friendliness: 

The paved roads were great for filing down Brandy's claws, but the plethora of families and people with dogs on a leash decreased the amount of Brandy miles. I kept having to put on and take off Brandy's leash, which was a real bummer for the both of us. When there's children involved, people get uncomfortable with an unleashed dog. I understand why; I 'd be wary of other people's dogs. Especially due to all the stories you hear about dog attacks. I want to be respectful of people's feelings, so I try to put Brandy on her leash around families. We also ran into a really loud and obnixious yappy dog a couple of times. Because the whole park is a series of loops, you run into almost everyone more than once. With all the faimiles and yappy dogs popping up multiple times, Brandy was on her leash for most of the hike/stroll.

 Picnicability: 

 I bet you're thinking, "Finally! A high score for this hike." There really was a ton of places to have a picnic in the park. You could lay out a blanket in a meadow and take a nap. You could also sit at one of the strategically placed benches and/or tables. The actual farm house is also a nice place to sit and relax. Its very quaint and authentic looking. There are bathrooms by the farm house, which are nice for small children with small bladders. This would be the perfect place to go on a family picnic.

It was a family outing wonderland. But, I don't have a family of my own. I just have a crazy hyper dog who wants to run around while I'm looking to get away from civilization. It was pleasant to enjoy the beautiful weather, but it was my least favorite hike this year. Nonetheless, I'm glad I went and had the expereince.

Mental Enrichment: 
Sometimes you have to sacrifice plans to make time for something you feel has a higher priority.  

Hints of Spring: Cochran Mill Trail

Originally, the hike the weekend of February 25th was scheduled for Saturday morning. Because of scheduling conflicts, I had to attend a group meeting Saturday morning, so the hike was moved to Sunday, February 26th. I woke up still wearing the dress and definitely hung over from a wonderful time at a beautiful wedding the night before. When Brandy woke me up at seven AM, I did not think I would make it on a hike. Luckily I knew it was an easy one and was less deterred for that reason. A few hours later, I got dressed in hiking gear and wondered into my roommates room and we headed out around ten AM to Cochran Mill Nature Center.

The nature center is closed on Sundays, but you can still hike in the surrounding areas. We parked outside the closed gate. When we left the house, I, of course, had to run back in for something. On my way in, I hit the panic button instead of the off button for the alarm; a mistake I used to make regularly but have not made in quite a few months. The phone to the house hasn't been working, and the alarm system is the only reason we pay our phone bill. I turned it off with the password and hoped that the cops wouldn't show up. However, as we were driving away, a cop seemed to be heading towards our house.

We all climbed up the far right side of the rock

Once we got to the nature center, I had to spend a few minutes on the phone talking to ADT. Meanwhile, my roommate, Melissa decided to ascend a nearby rock. I like to climb things, so after I was done telling the security sytem people that everything was all good, I too climbed the rock. We sat up there for a while, and Brandy was jealous. She paced back and forth, and then with one big leap, started to climb up the side of the rock. Melissa and I busted out laughing in disbelief at my dog's rock climbing abilities. After that, she went up and down with ease. We eventually decided to begin the 3 mile hike around the nature center. I forgot my pedometer, again, so I do not have the total miles that we did.


Address:
Cochran Mill Nature Center and Arboretum, Inc.
6300 Cochran Mill Road
Palmetto, GA 30265

 Difficulty: 

As you enter the park, there is a lake and a log cabin, which is the nature center. There is a sign where the trail begins. After that, there are not very many signs, but they do have trail markers. Some of the markers are labeled as station numbers. I'm not sure what goes on at the stations, but I have a feeling its learning. I actually did this hike hung over. It wasn't very strenuous. Basically, it was flat, short and easy to follow. This hike is not for a work out, unless you are one of those crazy trail runners.

Natural Beauty: 
This trail is full of beautiful surprises. after a very short stint in the Georgia woods, the trail becomes a large flat rock. It then opens up to water falling over the ruins of, something. A little bit later you come across the leftovers of, what I think is, an old Dam; it's clearly not working anymore. Over three miles, this hike has a lot of interesting changes in the scenery. I liked the mix of past and nature. We didn't see a single person on the hike, so I highly recommend doing this hike on a Sunday when the nature center is closed.

There were hints of spring throughout the hike. Even as we turned onto Cochran Mill Road, we saw a large tree covered in white blooms. It is February, and a little early for full blown spring, but it seems to be approaching. Seeing the little purple flowers popping up along the hike made me want to start learning more about Georgia wild flowers. Maybe I'll put that on my list of things to do.

Dog Friendliness

Brandy was off-leash the entire time, even while I was finishing up my phone call with ADT. However, we were near a major road, so I wouldn't recommend it.

She ran freely across the open rocks, but she was intimidated by the roaring waterfalls. They weren't very tall, nor very intimidating, but Brandy is a little baby. She is scared very easily. Regardless, she darted around easily on this hike. Per usual she would run far ahead, and then come back with a look that says "Come on guys, you'll never guess what's up here!" Melissa and I spent a good portion of the hike speaking for her. She did slip a little on the rocks along the way, luckily making her more careful. There was plenty of water for her to drink, and she even found the muddiest water possible in which to swim.

Picnicablility

The trail was not very long, so its hard to stop halfway through for a picnic, however you could easily spread out a blanket on one of the large rocks near the running water and enjoy a long break. If your goal was mainly to find a nice spot for a picnic, this hike has plenty. We chose to eat cupcakes from Dulce Vegan Bakery in Kirkwood on the rock by the parking lot, especially once we learned that Brandy could join us up there. I had an oreo cupcake, oreos are one of my faorite cookies, and Melissa enjoyed a vanilla cupcake with chocolate icing. We are good sharers, so we both enjoyed a few bites of each. Its hard for me to be friends with someone unless they are willing to share their food with me.

Getting out on a beautiful sunny day, even after I had over indulged in alcohol the night before, was very rewarding. Afterwards I was energized to do even more productive activities. Brandy was not very tired, and wanted to run around in the backyard as soon as we got back, but I think she still had a good time. I recommend Cochran mill as an easy, short place to get out and enjoy the out doors and still have enough of the day left to do other things.




Mental Enrichment
Dogs can rock climb.

Winter Winds: East West Lake Trail

Common picture for Brandy

With a text from some comrades at 8:15am, I rolled out of bed to make almond milk hot chocolate. The weather was thirty-nine degrees Fahrenheit as we were driving, and it was scheduled to be dropping as the day progressed. In addition, the winds were supposed to be ruthless, so I wanted to have something warm for the picnic. We all met up at the Elachee Nature Center. The only time we got any reprieve from the cold weather was when we were in the sunny parking lot of the Chicopee Aquatic Center. The wind picked up when we reached the lake because we had less trees protecting us. If I hadn't over-booked the month of February, I probably would have rescheduled this hike due to the looming cold weather. Unfortunately, I have something else planned every other weekend of this month, and I need to do at least (2) hikes a month for the rest of the year. Perhaps March will be less hectic, but that is doubtful.

The nature center has two parking lots. Its better to park in the overflow parking lot when doing the East West trail. We had a tough time finding the trail head and had to go into the nature center to ask for some direction. One of the hikers had his new Garmin device with him, and he measured our distance on the hike. It says that once we found the trail head, we did 4.9 miles in 2 hours. However, from when we left the car, my Nano says we did about 6.2 miles until we made it back to the car. His device is probably much more accurate than my Nano, so we probably did at least the scheuled 5.4 miles in total. We walked around quite a bit looking for that trail head, and then from the trail head back to the car. Lunch was about 30 minutes, so we were hiking for about 2.5 hours on the trail, and closer to 3 total. 

Difficulty

The trail was supposed to be about 5.4 miles, and that is a lot of hiking to do hung over. I wasn't hung over, and I went out for diner and drinks afterwards. I felt as though I was getting a workout on this hike, but it did not feel too terribly difficult. Another cool feature of the Garmin, was that it tracks total ascent throughout the hike. It measures as you go up and down during the whole hike. The total ascent for this hike was 2500ft, including up and down, which is probably why my thighs were a little sore on Sunday. As I already mentioned, the trail head was not easy to find, mainly because of where we parked. Once on the trail, there were plenty of maps and markers guiding us. The trail itself was pretty wide and easy to follow. Although, it was very rocky and it was important to pay attention to where you were putting your feet.

Not the best timer photo

The park has many other trails that you could follow, and it connects to the Chicopee Aquatic Center, that also has other trails to hike. Here is the East West Lake Trail Map. At one of the forks in the road, we came across a large suspension bridge. Even though it wasn't on the trail we were doing, I thought it was a good spot to take a timer photo. Turns out it was not a very good photo partly because everyone seems to be looking for Brandy to join the frame, but I'm going to display it anyway. Once I was home, I was definitely tired and did a little couch time before mustering up the energy to get dinner. We didn't go very far. A new place recently opened up that is walking distance from home, and was the most appealing option. the food was very good, and the staff is friendly; I highly recommend The Pullman.

Natural Beauty

An example of the information stations around the lake

While it was a beautiful hike, there was a parking lot at the half way point when you arrived at the Chicopee Woods Aquatic Studies Center. So, the building and parking lot definitely remind you of civilization. Throughout the rest of the hike, the natural beauty was superb. The trees acted as a barrier to the strong gusts of wind. The lake was not for swimming, but nice to see, nonetheless. There were plaques around the lake with pictures of different animals you could possible see. They seemed to be sponsored by someone named Rod Smith, and had his picture on it. They were pretty entertaining to us. Most of the hike we were walking near a creek. There were no big expansive views or exceptional water or rock features to make this hike breathtaking. The natural beauty stemmed, mainly, from the creek that you follow along and a typical Georgian forest surrounding you.

Dog Friendliness

Brandy descending to the lake below

Brandy was off leash most of the hike, even when we came across the parking lot at Chicopee Aquatic Center. It didn't seem to be open, so no cars were driving around and there was no reason to put her back on the leash. Also, while we enjoyed our lunch, she was able to run around and explore. At the lake, she went swimming and came home smelling like fish. One great thing was that on the entire hike she had access to water. In the summer, the trees would probably offer a nice canopy of shade to keep her cool from Hotlanta's weather. I think it would be a great place to take a dog year round. One word of wisdom, make sure to bring a towel or something for the dog afterwards; Brandy was pretty dirty when we got back to the parking lot.

Picnicability

The lake at Chicopee Aquatic Center is the halfway point for this hike. As soon as we came across the lake, there were two picnic tables available with a good view of the lake. We stopped and pulled out the best picnic thus far. I brought roast beef and Dijon mustard sandwiches. We had homemade granola, homemade applesauce mini muffins, Oatmeal and cranberry cookies, 3 bean salad, caprese salad, almond milk hot cocoa, and of course, Bandit wine, We had plastic bowls for the salads, cups for hot chocolate, and plastic silverware to share. The picnic table seemed new, and were perfect for our feast. If it hadn't been freezing cold, we probably would have lunched for longer.

Our amazing picnic spread

If you didn't want to eat at the picnic tables by the lake, there were a few other spots to stop along the hike. Also, there were a few picnic tables by the first parking lot that could have been nice at the beginning or end, if that suited your schedule. I wouldn't say that there were too many places were it would have been appropriate to lay out a blanket, but the picnic tables were a perfect substitute.

Despite the cold weather, this hike was very enjoyable. A few of my friends that I hadn't seen in a while attended, and I really enjoyed spending some time with them. It made me realize that my hiking goal is actually offering a vehicle to plan a healthy, fun and different way to make plans with my friends. I am living a one hundred miles per hour life-style right now. However, I am realizing that not only is the hiking helping me appreciate the world around me, it is offering me time to spend with my friends in a way that is different than the typical dinner out, happy-hour or house party. My comrades and I are accomplishing something together by making the picnic delicious and completing the hike.

A view of the creek along the hike

The idea of making myself available in scheduled time slots sounds like it is counter-acting the idea of enjoying the moment, but it is in fact allowing my friends and I to enjoy the moment together. In my life, as most people, I have to prioritize how I spend my time. Often things I feel that I "need to do" take rein. This year, I have made completing this goal a priority and, it turns out, that the hikes are giving me a slot of time to do something that I feel has priority and invite people with whom I want to spend time. I am fitting in an opportunity to see people in a different setting while achieving my priorities. I can imagine people having valid arguments that criticize almost everything I've said in the last two paragraphs because it sounds very type A pretending to be zen. Despite the possible contradictions, I still think it is important for me to create the opportunity to connect with my friends instead of constantly feeling like I don't have the time.

Mental Enrichment
Sometimes you need to be reminded of things that seem obvious, such as trees' superior ability to block the wind. 

Stepping Out: Paper Mill Trail

Pensive Brandy, "Where's the Squirrel?"

Friday night I decided to do a hot yoga class. I thought yoga in conjunction with the detox I've been doing would be a good idea. I hear that hot yoga is a great way to detoxify your system because of the sweat and stretching and all. So,  I show up early enough to get a good spot in the front by the mirror. Usually the lights aren't very bright, but the instructor decided to put the lights on brighter in the front this particular morning, so I can look at and judge myself the whole time. Then begins, one of the most intense yoga experiences of my life, Hot Vinyasa. I did not account for the fact that I have been taking in considerably less calories lately, and about 2/3rds of the way in, I started to feel light headed, nauseated and like an idiot. Going into childs pose was not a sufficient rest and so I began to drink water, and sit cross-legged for most of the rest of the class. Needless to say, I woke up very sore on Saturday morning. However, with the new energy I am getting from my detox diet, I was still ready to step out on a hike.

frolicking in the paper mill

Recently, I got an IPod Nano for its music listening and pedometer capabilities. Since then, I have been counting my steps at work. I had the Nano the weekend of the Blood Mountain hike, but left it in my car as we ascended the mountain. I guess I would have gotten more steps in my day if I had gone back to the car to retrieve it. This time, I was determined to remember it, so I put it on as soon as I got up and dressed. I stepped about 500 times before we left the house Saturday morning (there was a lot of going from the front door back to my room because I kept forgetting things). On Saturday, we did a total of 3.7 miles. The hike was supposed to be 3.5 miles, but the route I was hoping to follow was closed for ecological reasons. This is the second time I've seen a park making conscious efforts to restore the ecosystems. We arrived at the Sope Creek Unit trail head and did the Paper Mill Trail. I am not really sure if we did that exact trail because of the closed sections, but we did see the remnants of what seemed to be a paper mill, so I say we probably did one that was close enough.

Difficulty
 





First of all, there are, what feels like, a thousand million trails at this park. They are all interconnected, and you can reach the Cochran Shoals trail system as well. We wanted to do a loop, so we stayed in the Sope Creek trail system (this link has a map!). I found this hike in the book 60 hikes in 60 miles of Atlanta, so I wanted to follow their recommendation, which was to start to the right and end at the paper mill. So, we started down the main trail, and took the first right.

There was a map at the beginning, and we followed what seemed to be the outer most trail. After that, there were no maps until we re-connected with the main biking trail. We had no idea what we were doing, and felt like we were wandering aimlessly. Once we reconnected with the biking trail, there were many maps strategically placed at each fork in the road, and we tried to take the ones less travelled by, but they are all pretty evenly worn, har har. Ok, there was a lot of down hill, and a little bit of up hill. Overall, it was not too strenuous. I think the steepest part of the hike was blocked for those ecological reasons. There was a section at the very end just before you reached the paper mill that was difficult to follow. It was near the creek and the trail was not very well marked. We Lewis and Clarked our way through the rocks and brush and came across the paper mill. I could do this one hung over if needed, but it did have one steep section where I had to take a break so I was happy I was mainly toxin free.

Natural Beauty

 When we were wandering around aimlessly, we felt pretty secluded. That faded when we arrived on the biking trail and ran into a few hikers and bikers. Eventually we got back onto a hiking trail and came across some houses and an apartment complex. They were nestled in the trees, and not a complete eye sore. However, not the most beautiful part of the hike. After about a mile and a half in, a feeling of seclusion began to set in. We were winding around the side of a hill, and we could finally hear Sope creek flowing below us.

This is not the trail entrance, unless that's where you live.

Eventually we wound ourselves down to the creek where we stopped for lunch and enjoyed the sounds of running water. Nick, my roommate's boyfriend, rates the creek high in rock skipping ability. After lunch we hugged the creek and made our way under tree branches to the paper mill. The mill was really cool to climb around in and we spent some time taking pictures in the windows and doorways. I, of course, climbed to the tallest point I safely could and perched there for a photo. The end of the hike follows a road for a little while, and finishes with a stretch in the trees coming to a parking lot. At one point on the hike I said how happy I was to be outside taking in the sounds and smells of nature, later realizing that I am also only thirty minutes from home. Its nice to be able to get away, and not actually be too far away from your own backyard.

Dog Friendliness

Brandy was able to run free for most of the hike. There was also a lot of water along the way that she was able to lap up. The very beginning of the hike was a biking trail, which was fine, until we saw some bikers. I suddenly became very nervous that Brandy would dart in front of one and cause people and dog to tumble together in a massive collision. My fear may have been a little over exaggerated, but it was still unsettling. My fears left when we found another hiking trail. Some sections had very steep inclines down the side of the mountain, which forced Brandy to exert a lot of energy while climbing them back up to us hikers on the trail. It did not slow her down, but I knew that she was at least getting a lot of exercise. There were only a few instances where I was afraid she might hurt herself. I always think, she's got instincts, and she doesn't want to hurt herself anymore than I do, and she has the higher incentive to stay out of harms way. As mentioned above, the last section of the hike was next to a road, so Brandy had to stay on leash for that portion of the hike. She slept on the way home, so I think she had a good time.

Picnicability

Our view at lunch

Nick and I differ on when is a good spot for a picnic. I prefer a good picnic spot at the halfway point. He, however, prefers a good picnic towards the end. I don't believe Melissa expressed her preference. On this hike, there was not a very good picnic spot at the halfway point, but there was a great picnic spot towards the end. As Melissa pointed out, that is only true if you go right when you get in the park. If you go left, it'll be an early picnic, and no one wants an early picnic.

We plopped down on a rock next to the creek and had a lovely meal. Melissa and I are doing the detox, so we had an avocado salad. It was delicious.  Nick had a sandwich from Kroger, I don't think it was particularly good. No wine down this hike due to the detox, but it was still very relaxing. We sat on a nice big flat rock, and Brandy ran around going in and out of the water. She didn't even do a water shimmy next to us, which we appreciated.

The hike took about 6,000 steps and 2 hours to complete, and after a very hectic week of school, homework and cooking for the detox, it was a welcomed break from my hundred mile per hour life. Watching the pure happiness that pours out of Brandy when she's running around in the woods reminds me to embrace the opportunity to forget about the stresses of my "to do" list and appreciate the place I'm in and the people I'm with.

Mental Enrichment: 
Biking trails are not a good place to take your dog.