As a treat for myself, I made the time to head up the mountain on a strenuous hike. This trail is the one that traverses steeply, gaining more than 1,000 feet just in the last section. My previous time, mid-June, was 45 minutes going up, but after two months away I wasn’t hoping to match … read more The snake and the bear
Tag: hiking
A path to Lullwater
Tom wasn’t done with rehab today until nearly 5 p.m. I wanted to beat the rush hour traffic, so I drove into town early and went to explore the vast park just across the street from the rehab hospital. Lullwater Park is part of the Emory University campus, and technically is only available to students and … read more A path to Lullwater
Tick, tick, tick
No matter how hot it gets, I wear long pants and a hat when I hike through the woods. Along with bug spray, this is my protection from ticks and chiggers. It’s not enough, though. Chiggers are the larvae of mites, and they hang out near the ground where it’s moist. They jump onto your clothes … read more Tick, tick, tick
None can compare
When I see bright, fluorescent pink in the forest, it’s usually leftover trail blaze tape or an empty Energy Gel packet. I was huffing along the trail, trying to finish my eight-plus miles in three and half hours. Looked like I’d make it. I didn’t. Because of the pink. No, it wasn’t FIRE PINK. It was … read more None can compare
Great expectations
The Jake and Bull Mountain Trail System of the Chattahoochee National Forest weaves all around Booger Hollow, so Tom and I know the trails well. When you hike a trail year after year, in all seasons, you know exactly where you’ll see certain plants. On the Lance Creek Trail, I know there will be stonecrop at a certain … read more Great expectations