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Our Grandparents Guide Helps You Enjoy Six Flags, Even in the Hottest Summer Season

Georgia Small Plates

DeanLand

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June 14, 2021

Our Grandparents Guide Helps You Enjoy Six Flags, Even in the Hottest Summer Season

We enjoy theme parks but not marathon tests of endurance attempting to extract every penny of value out of high admission prices.

In our family, summertime always meant a visit to theme parks. And way back in the days when we only had three television networks, the family would travel to a nearby park where we tween-agers and teenagers were allowed to roam freely, binge ride roller coasters and consume mass quantities of park foods as long as we turned up at the assigned meeting points every few hours.

Many summers, adulthood, recurring vertigo and near-senior status have turned those simpler times to distant memories. Still, we enjoy occasional trips to theme parks as long as they don’t turn into marathon tests of endurance in a determined effort to extract every penny of attraction value out of high admission prices.

Historical Riverview Carousel relocated from Chicago to Six Flags over Georgia — **Riverview Carousel was rescued from a closed Chicago theme park, restored and relocated to Six Flags. A plaque near the entrance provides historical details.**

These days, our park of choice is Six Flags Over Georgia, a 30-minute drive from our home and convenient when we need a sure-fire fun day for our 13-year old and his friends of choice. We’re also regular visitors at the Christmas holidays, enjoying the seasonal lights, Santa visits, and smaller crowds with our two local grandsons.

If you’re a grandparent visiting Six Flags during the Georgia summer, we’re assuming it’s because you have younger grandchildren along. Teenagers are too cool and hyped-up to be slowed by us old folks, and by that, I mean anyone over 25! Plus, parents of teenagers should know better than asking grandparents to chaperone the raging-hormone crowd.

Regardless of why you’re here, you need a strategy – one that keeps the fun and your patience level higher and your internal temperature and blood pressure lower. With those seemingly mutually-exclusive objectives in mind, we offer the following suggestions for how to enjoy Six Flags over Georgia.

Sky Buckets. We’re putting these first because you should ride them early. You can tell the family it’s to help them get a feel for the park layout. But the real reason is this attraction closes at the first sign of thunderstorms and remains closed long after. Unlike the towering, looping coasters, the Sky Buckets won’t be confused for an aerial daredevil experience. These slow-moving gondolas cross the park, providing a good view, gentle breeze and some relief from the closeness of the summertime crowds.
Kiddie Rides. OK, so this is obvious. If you have little ones in tow, consider this your home base. Six Flags over Georgia offers two connected areas dedicated to the young crowd. Bugs Bunny Boom Town is the original kiddie land area, featuring seven rides perfect for the four-foot-and-under crowd. The newer DC Super Friends area adds four more superhero themed rides. For grandparents and parents, the only down side to the dedicated kiddie area is a lack of seating and shade. Well, that and the connector between the two is a black hole with an intense gravitational pull – the kiddie arcade area.
The cartoon-themed Boom Town features seven rides perfect for the four-foot-and-under crowd.
Riverview Carousel and Rocking Chairs. Every older adults ultimate resting ride, the Riverview Carousel is located on a shaded hilltop above the rest of the park. And it’s surrounded by classic rocking chairs, a perfect place of refuge from the hot, humid Georgia days. So you have two options: hop on and enjoy the ride, or grab a seat in the shade and watch the world and the little ones whirl by. While the Chattahoochee River flows nearby, this ride takes its name from Chicago’s Riverview Park, from whence the carousel was rescued following that park’s demise in 1967. The ride originally opened in 1908, and features intricate hand-carved horses and seats. If you want to enjoy the shade a little longer, walk over to the historical plaque while your family is in line. Then, when they’re done, regale them for a few extra minutes with grandparent-style trivial knowledge about the history of the hand-carved horses and seats. But if you do that, be certain you’re standing near one of the horses, and not the near-pornographic bench carving where a cherub looks surprised to see a half-naked woman wrapped in a tight embracing kiss with a bearded man. That just might be more that you bargained for!
The carousel is surrounded by old-fashioned rocking chairs, the perfect waiting place if this is a rendezvous point for your troops.
Hanson Cars. You passed these on the way up the hill to the carousel. Now that you’re on the downhill slope, coast into this line. One of the original park rides from 1967, these antique cars roar around on a rail track at speeds up to 7 mph. Lines are often long as you’re not the only grandparent or parent who loves this ride. When you’re done with the cars, you’ll find two other run-of-the-mill attractions that will provide some additional shade time for you and distraction for the younger ones: Rockin’ Tugs and Up, Up and Away.
Six Flags Train. The train whistle is like the siren song of the Iliad for our grandsons – once they hear the beautiful sound, they ignore all else in a hypnotic trance. But once you’ve been in the park for a while, the whistle loses its magical qualities and so you will need to remind your younger charges about it to restore the mystical appeal. The Six Flags train is a 1.3-mile round trip to grandparent heaven, and you can enjoy it for an eternity as there’s no requirement to exit at any point (except during the Holiday Season, when the train ride is one-way to Santa Town!) You’re seated. Movement creates a gentle breeze. And sound of the wheels coupled with the rocking motion are perfect for inducing naps among tired and weary riders. Admit it, you’re secretly hoping the kids fall asleep. I’m just thankful my family members woke me up instead of abandoning me there.
The train whistle is like the siren song of the Iliad for kids. During the Holiday Season, it’s a one-way trip to Santa Town.
Monster Mansion. Walt Disney launched a sea of floating theme rides when he introduced “It’s a Small World” at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York. At Monster Mansion, you swap out cute singing dolls for furry monsters and lose the mind-numbing song that sticks in your head. Yes, the ride features 107 imaginative ghoulish residents creeping, crawling and flying around with the intent to entertain and spook. But I’ll state the obvious: the real attraction for grandparents is the air-conditioning.
JB’s Sports Bar and Grill. This is an adult refuge among the hustle and bustle of theme park madness, featuring appetizers, burgers, wings, lots of televisions and (YES!) cold beer. Most people line-up to place their orders at the main entrance, but we usually walk around to the side entrance, grab a picnic table and place a food and beverage order at the bar. There’s always sports on the myriad of TVs, and any channel featuring SEC football is the preferred fare in the fall.
JB’s is an adult refuge away from the hustle and bustle of Six Flags crowds — unless you visit during an SEC football Saturday.

What About Coasters?

Love ‘em but I can no longer tolerate any that include corkscrews or multiple loops. Six Flags offers a plethora of thrill ride and coaster choices, including a kiddie coaster, a log flume, and the gentle Dahlonega Mine Train suitable for your wee ones. New in 2018 is the Twisted Cyclone, a hybrid coaster that incorporates steel-track thrills into the tight quarters of a wooden coaster structure. An initial 10-story drop creates some impressive speeds, while the spinning turns generate a weightless feeling and some impressive screaming.

Batman coaster at Six Flags over Georgia near Atlanta — **The looping Batman ride remains a crowd favorite. It’s one of many towering and twisting coasters at Six Flags over Georgia.**

Hand carved horses and seats at Six Flags over Georgia near Atlanta — If you explain the history of the carvings, stand near a horse. You’ll want to avoid the near-pornographic bench carving where a cherub looks surprised to see a half-naked woman wrapped in a tight embracing kiss with a bearded man who resembles Jesus.

Remembering World War 2 and the Holocaust at KSU

Georgia Small Plates

DeanLand

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May 24, 2021

2

Remembering World War 2 and the Holocaust at KSU

Within a long week in 2021, Americans will commemorate both Memorial Day and D-Day, the Allied invasion of Europe on June 6, 1944. With that in mind, we’ve updated our visit to the World War 2 and Holocaust Museum at Kennesaw State. Tucked away in an abandoned outlet mall along I-75, this little historic gem is easy to miss. For those who appreciate history and are open to learning its vital lessons, spending a few hours in the solemn and somber exhibits will remind you just how important and precious our freedoms are.

Remembering D-Day

On D-Day, some 156,000 American, Canadian and British forces fought their way ashore on the beaches of Northern France in the face of fierce enemy fire from fortified positions. By June 11, the largest amphibious invasion in history was completed, with more than 326,000 men, 50,000+ vehicles and more than 100,000 tons of supplies landed in France.

The war would rage on for another year. As it drew to an end, Allied soldiers found and freed hundreds of thousands of imprisoned Jewish survivors of the German concentration and extermination camps. The world was horrified to learn of these captives and their condition. But the worst was yet to come as the truth emerged about Adolph Hitler’s “Final Solution,” the scale of the evil extermination operations and the murder of more than 6 million people.

It was exactly 72 years later – June 6, 2016 – when I discovered by accident the Museum of History and Holocaust Education in an abandoned outlet mall just off I-75 in Kennesaw. Kennesaw State University owns the former mall, now home to the College of Continuing and Professional Education. And while I was attending a corporate-sponsored program on the D-Day anniversary, I found this hidden history treasure. Since then, I’ve made several return trips and discovered new exhibits and details with each return.

KSU, Kennesaw State, Museum of History and Holocaust Education — **The Holocaust Exhibits and Georgia Journeys comprise the largest portion of the Museum of History and Holocaust Education at Kennesaw State University**

The Holocaust Exhibits

The main museum is built inside a simulated concrete block vault, which from outside and in creates the feeling of a prison. Without a doubt, the most powerful sections of the museum are those dedicated to the Holocaust story. Your introduction is a butterfly display at the entrance, accompanied by creations of local schoolchildren who participated in museum programs. Along a wall sits a solitary bench, and behind it an excerpt from Pavel Friedman’s poem, The Butterfly, which he wrote in 1942 while captive in the Terezin Ghetto when he was 21. He was dead at the age of 23 at Auschwitz, and the poem was found after the end of the war in his belongings.

Immediately following is the main exhibit, named Parallel Journeys. In literal side-by-side displays, stories of individuals on both sides of the tragedy are portrayed with personal details. Anne Frank’s well-known personal story is among those included, along with other Jewish victims. Hauntingly and unexpectedly, Parallel Journeys also documents how regular people were pulled or seduced to become engaged in Hitler’s scheme. There’s Stella Goldschlag, a Jewish woman who became a “catcher” and betrayed her community to the Germans – until she herself is turned in by another like her. And Irma Grese, a young German woman indoctrinated into the beliefs of the SS who became a prison guard at Auschwitz, and at age 19 was put in charge of more than 18,000 women prisoners at Bergen-Belson concentration camp. Her reputation for cruelty earned her the name, “Bitch of Belson,” then she herself was executed following a trial after the war.

Parallel Journeys, Holocaust, Exhibit, — **In literal side-by-side displays, stories of victim and perpetrators are portrayed with personal details.**

Parallel Journeys, Holocaust, Victims — **The Museum of History and Holocaust Education both conveys the Holocaust horrors and connects visitors to real people who lived and died during this time.**

I find it impossible to convey here in mere words the experience of reading these stories, or the sorrow I felt for the victims. I’ve visited the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, and while it’s a deeper and broader experience, the Museum of History and Holocaust Education both conveys the Holocaust horrors and connects visitors to real people who lived and died during this time.

Georgia Journeys

This exhibit was developed through an oral history project of the Museum. It tracks the lives and stories of a dozen people with ties to Georgia whose experiences reached throughout the world. The stories of soldiers, a Tuskegee airman, a “Rosie-the-Riveter” Savannah factory worker, a Hebrew teacher, a code breaker and others are told in multimedia form, bringing to life the stories of how ordinary people contributed to the war effort in extraordinary ways. Beyond the physical display in Kennesaw, the museum has archived and made available online some of the original interviews.

Other Exhibits

Propaganda and democracy with fake news — **The exhibits on propaganda and democracy offer teaching moments and discussion ideas meaningful in today’s battles about “fake news.”**

Outside the main museum, several other exhibits highlight Georgia’s role in World War II, local heroes, the Tuskegee Airmen and more. The exhibit on the Power of Propaganda is a stark reminder of how demagoguery, nationalism, government power and misinformation can be combined to mislead nations with disastrous consequences. It has particular relevance in today’s highly-charged political world where opposing viewpoints and investigative reporting are often discarded as “fake news,” and individuals look only at the information or sources that conform to or reinforce their own views.

**In addition to Georgia Journeys, another section entitled “V for Victory” provides details about the state’s contributions and roles in World War 2.**

For native Georgians or those curious about the impact of war on the region, a section entitled “V for Victory” includes great information on Georgia factories, facilities and other contributions. The Marietta Bell plant, which produced the B-29 bomber, several Georgia training bases and POW locations, plus the Savannah and Brunswick shipyards all get detailed attention for their roles before, during and after the war.

Programs and Events

The museum and its extended supporter community offer a variety of programs at the site. Traveling suitcases are loaned to schools for education programs, home-schooling programs are hosted onsite, and a variety of education and lecture series are conducted periodically. A recent program featured a Jimmy Doi, a Japanese-American included in the Georgia Journey’s section. Doi recounted his personal story of captivity in America’s internment camps, then joining the US military and serving his country in Europe. You can “Like” and follow the museum on Facebook to get these regular updates.

When and How to Visit

The museum is open Monday to Friday, 10 am to 5 pm. As part of Kennesaw State University, it observes the University’s holiday schedule, so you may want to check before you visit. Admission is free, and donations are always greatly appreciated to support the museum’s mission. Individual visits are self-guided. The museum offers docent-led tours for groups of 20 or more, and for schools.

Holocaust Museum in an abandoned outlet mall in Kennesaw, GA — **The museum is located in an abandoned outlet mall, now the home of KSU’s College of Continuing and Professional Education**

The museum is located near the intersection of I-75 and Chastain Road, behind the Cracker Barrel Restaurant. The address for your GPS:

Museum of History and Holocaust Education, 3333 Busbee Dr NW. Kennesaw, Georgia 30144

(470) 578-2083

Local Day-Trip Pairings

You likely won’t spend an entire day at the museum. If you’re interested in other nearby historical locations, here are a few we’ve visited and recommend:

Gone With the Wind Museum. Located in nearby Marietta, this museum is dedicated to the story and history of the epic film depicting Civil War times.

Pickett’s Mill State Historical Site. Part of the Georgia State Park System, this battle was the last Southern victory of the Georgia campaign. Interestingly, General William T. Sherman omitted mention of it from his memoirs. Ultimately, the families of many Union soldiers were involved in preserving this battlefield.

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. We like this as a hiking spot for a great view of Atlanta, the northern Blue Ridge Mountains and more. There’s also a good historical display at the visitor center.

How We Finally Fell for Lula Falls

Georgia Small Plates

DeanLand

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May 10, 2021

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After five years of procrastination, we finally did our waterfall hike at Lula Falls!

Since moving to Georgia and pursuing waterfall hiking as a hobby, we’ve been taunted and tantalized by wonderful pictures from this Georgia geological gem. Located in the Northwest corner of the state, wedged between Cloudland Canyon’s twin falls to the South and Chattanooga’s natural, commercial and Civil War attractions to the North, Lula Falls remained on our “to-do” list, but never seemed to get checked off.

Taunted by wonderful pictures, Lula Lake and Falls remained on our “to-do” list for more than five years. We remember the many reasons we skipped the trek, and now already are eager for a return visit.

Looking back, we remember the many reasons we skipped the trek. Located on private property managed by a land trust, the core preserve is open only on limited weekends. And since advanced reservations are required for the limited admission, we didn’t want to make arrangements far in advance, only to find ourselves with a scheduled visit on a weekend when Georgia’s weather gods were throwing thunderbolts from the sky. Then, we visited other waterfalls throughout North Georgia and Southern Tennessee. And, of course, don’t forget that COVID thing.

When the visit was finally scheduled, it wasn’t our doing. Our daughter and her family also love waterfall hiking, and it was she (encouraged by her husband, boys and dogs!) who finally made the arrangements, got the reservations and put the trip on our schedule. Thus, with arrangements completed, we piled our seven family members and two dogs into the Honda Odyssey for our own waterfall odyssey to this long-awaited destination for our waterfall hike.

Welcome to Lula Falls

Arriving for our 10 am admittance, we were welcomed and assisted by the friendly Lula Falls staff greeting us at the small, uncrowded parking lot. Given the hordes of visitors who have overwhelmed Georgia’s state parks on weekends during this year of COVID, we immediately appreciated the reservation and capacity control system in place at Lula Falls that helps preserve the park’s natural wonder and creates an uncrowded experience in nature.

Our biggest decision of the day now faced us: what route should we follow to the falls? Our hosts and the printed trail map provided to us recommended following the access road trail down for 1.5 miles to Lula Lake, then continuing down another 1/10^th mile to the Lula Falls Trail, where we would begin a short descent to the base of the falls.

***Our biggest decision: what route to follow on the waterfall hike. We had a solid plan, until we spotted a stream and saw a footbridge leading into the woods.***

And that WAS our plan — until we had walked approximately 8/10ths of a mile, spotted a stream to our right and saw a footbridge leading off into the woods. Like dogs distracted by a squirrel, we immediately veered off our planned route for a different adventure.

Unplanned High Adventure

We followed the Ford Trail over the bridge, then intersected with and followed the Middle Trail through the wooded mountainside. Along this route, spring wildflowers bloomed all around. To the great annoyance of my family, I paused for pictures everywhere, collecting a beautiful photographic bouquet.

Ascending the Middle Trail approximately 200 feet in elevation gain, the force was with us. So at the intersection of the Jedi Trail, we had to pause for the obligatory little-boy Star Wars fighting posed.

We gradually ascended approximately 200 feet, pausing briefly for the grandkids to strike a warrior pose at the intersection of the Jedi Trail. From there, we finished the ascent, snapped a few pictures at the bluff overlook and continued along Bluff Trail to the appropriately-named High Adventure Trail. Using helpful ropes on the steepest grade, we dropped back down into the rocky canyon finally reaching the Lula Falls Trail.

**Beware that the High Adventure Trail is appropriately named. We gratefully used the helpful ropes to descend the steepest grade.**

To the Base of the Falls

Scampering down over more rocks and boulders, we descended approximately 100 feet, emerging near the base of the 160-foot promontory where Rock Creek plunges as Lula Falls into the canyon. Directly in front of us, a small group of 20-somethings spread out on a large rock, enjoying the scenery just beyond the reach of the mist created by the falls. To our left was the falls, and more people taking cautious steps on wet, slippery rocks while attempting the compose the perfect photo. We chose the middle ground, and our son-in-law carefully guided the younger ones out onto larger rocks, while mom and grandmother aided the effort with nervous, instructional yelling.

We joined groups to our left and right, clambering over large rocks to seek a better view of the falls. Thankfully, our son-in-law had the nervous, instructional yelling of mom and grandmother to keep him focused on child safety. 🙂

The Return Journey

After the exploration and yelling were done, we started the steep, stair-aided climb back up 150 feet, then joining the North Creek Trail and gravel road back toward our starting point. We paused at the falls overlook, at Lula Lake, on a bridge and elsewhere – or more specifically, everyone paused while I continued to take photos.

By the time we returned to the parking lot, we had been gone for 2 hours and 41 minutes, walked 4.84 miles, and recorded 728 feet of elevation gain along the way, according to my trusty Garmin Fenix activity watch.

Our Next-Time Plan

We departed the waterfall hike tired and recognizing that we had left much to be explored on a return trip. Literally high on the list for our return is following the South Creek, Ovenbird and Turkey Trails to hike the length of the Bluff Trail, following the ridgeline along the 1700-foot crest. Hopefully, we won’t wait another five years for that.

***Hiking the full length of the Bluff Trail to enjoy the overlook views is high (literally) on our list of trails for our return visit.***

Know Before You Go

The Lula Lake Land Trust visit website has all the details you’ll need for a convenient, safe and fun visit. Be sure to go through all the information there to plan your visit.

As mentioned, Lula Falls generally is open to the public on the first and last weekends of each month. Advance reservations can be made online only, with payment due at reservation time. A reservation is good for a parking space for a family vehicle, but NOT for passenger vans, busses or extra-large vehicles. No one is allowed without a reservation — believe this, as we saw the friendly volunteers cheerfully guide several reservationless visitors back to the exit!

Cancellations with refunds are allowed up to 48-hours in advance (which we didn’t know before!). There’s a waiting list available when all reservations are claimed.

***Descending to the canyon floor to the falls base requires navigating an uneven and rocky path. Be aware of endurance limits for those with different physical abilities.***

The descent into the canyon at the falls base is rocky and can be slippery, so be mindful of your footwear. If you descend to the base (and at 65-years-old, we did it!), a 150-foot stair-aided climb back up is required, so beware of endurance limits for those with different physical abilities. The natural, rock and wood stairs don’t have rails, so those with balance issues may find walking sticks or hiking poles helpful here and elsewhere in the preserve.

To the great annoyance of my family, I stopped to take pictures of many of the native wildflowers. The identification is thanks to friends on some of my favorite waterfall hiking groups.

There are limited picnic areas and primitive restroom facilities available. Aside from those “amenities,” you’ll need to carry anything else you might need, including water, snacks, bug spray and a first aid kit.

After Your Visit

The nearby towns of Fort Oglethorpe and Dalton offer a plethora of fast food, casual dining, lodging and other amenities. We stopped for a well-deserved post-hike treat at Cook-Out, ordering fresh and tasty milkshakes for all. And, you’re minutes away from Chattanooga, so combining Lula Falls into a Chattanooga-based weekend is simple and easy.

Tucked into the far Northwest corner of Georgia, it’s easy to combine a visit to Lula Falls with a weekend in Chattanooga, TN, where you can visit Rock City. Nearby Fort Oglethorpe and Dalton, GA, also provide traveler amenities close by.

The Casual Cyclist’s Guide to Family Fun Rides in Marietta

Georgia Small Plates

DeanLand

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April 24, 2021

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The Casual Cyclist’s Guide to Family Fun Rides in Marietta

For those who’ve seen my online profile, you may know I like long distance bike rides. But when my wife and I go riding together, we take more leisurely and slow-paced journeys, focused on safety, scenery, frequent stops and even some coffee shops, with no need for speed nor any regard for fitness records.

My best biking advice: if you have any doubt, take the easiest and shortest route.

If the second type of leisure, recreation ride is of interest, keep reading. Or if you’re more into challenges and distance, we’ll be adding new posts soon on these topics.

Marietta Leisure Ride

Marietta Station bike and pedestrian path, OurTravelCafe.com — Riding the Mountain to River Trail in Marietta between Brown Park and Tower Road is perfect for the pleasure rider looking for limited physical activity blended with local history and some off-bike time.

Since you reached this sentence, let’s start with our most leisurely ride, shall we? For this short ride in Marietta, we’ll focus on a section of the Mountain to River Trail in Marietta between Brown Park and Tower Road. The ride stays exclusively on a mostly-flat, dedicated bike and pedestrian trail with overpasses bridging above busy roads and signal-controlled crossings at other intersections. This is perfect for the pleasure rider looking for limited physical activity blended with local history and some off-bike time. People of all ages can make the four-mile round-trip ride on virtually any type of bike, with no special packing, supplies or gear required. And, if you prefer a shorter ride, you can make this one shorter by turning around sooner since it’s out-and-back on a single path.

Brown Park in Marietta, GA, starting point for ride on Mountain to River Trail. OurTravelCafe.com — When open, the small parking lot at Brown Park offers a good starting point, and a scenic view of nearby Kennesaw Mountain. After riding, you can also walk through adjacent Confederate Cemetery. However, both have been closed and locked in 2021.

To get the most exercise and fun, I usually start at Brown Park, where there’s a small parking lot. (NOTE: The parking lot at Brown Park has been closed periodically in 2020. Another option is to park at Lewis Park, then pedal into Marietta from the opposite direction. See this map: ) You’ll join the trail at the new overpass across South Marietta Parkway and then pedal through downtown Marietta on a rail-side brick path. Follow the path through downtown, observing all crossing signs for your own safety. On busy weekends, it may be best to walk your bike through Marietta Station area. Once you cross the overpass bridging North Marietta Parkway, you’ll definitely want to dismount and walk your bike down a narrow connector sidewalk near Brumby Loft apartments. Once down, remount and rejoin the trail as it turns left away from Marietta Parkway and eventually follows Brumby, Sessions and Rosedale Streets to Tower Road. At Tower, turn around and retrace your route back to Brown Park. (If you prefer a longer ride, you can continue. But beware, the trail gets hillier and more difficult as it continues toward Kennesaw Mountain.)

Railroad and bike trail crossing at Marietta, GA. OurTravelCafe.com — ***The ride through Marietta crosses railroad tracks twice at controlled crossings. Riders of all skills should use caution over tracks, and beginners might consider dismounting to avoid accidents.***

Mountain to River Bike Trail in Marietta, GA, OurTravelCafe.com — ***The Mountain to River trail traversing Marietta between Brown Park and Tower Road is relatively flat. There’s a slight climb coming up from Brown Park, but it’s short and gradual.***

Downtown Marietta Stops

Depending on your motivation for the ride, you may want to pedal past downtown on your outbound journey and save the downtown stop for your return. That way, you’ll have most of the work behind you, and a mostly downhill journey to return to your car at Brown Park. You’ll find convenient bike racks near the Marietta Welcome Center to safely lock your bikes during your downtown visit, as bikes are not allowed on in the square or on city sidewalks.

If you’re hungry or thirsty, a plethora of restaurants offer quick carry-out and limited outdoor seating, which is perfect if you want to rest. And there’s always the option of carrying your takeout into Glover Park at the center of the square.

Among our favorite downtown treat choices on the return trip are Cool Bean Coffee Roasters, Sugar Cakes Patisserie and Bistro and Sarah Jean’s Ice Cream. All offer quick carry-out and limited outdoor seating, which is perfect if you want to rest without bothering others with any potential unpleasant exercise after-smell. There are many other options if you want something more substantial, many with outdoor seating, and there’s always the option of carrying your takeout into Glover Park at the center of the square. Snow on the Square is a seasonal option for cool and refreshing snow cones.

Session's Stand restaurant on Mountain to River Trail in Marietta, GA. OurTravelCafe.Com — Session’s Stand offers a rest stop and snack opportunity outside of the downtown Marietta area. It features sandwiches, baked goods and a variety of beverages all of which can be enjoyed on the patio.

Another good choice is Session’s Stand. Assuming you make the full round-trip, you’ll find Sessions Stand after you pass downtown on your out-bound journey. It’s an amazing little neighborhood café with outstanding coffees, baked goods and more. And yes, there is outdoor seating!

I’ll also mention that we’re eager for the opening the Marietta Food Market, a new food hall under construction across the railroad tracks from downtown. It wasn’t open yet as of mid-January 2019, but we’ll do a full update on it when it finally opens!

Kennesaw’s Wooded Noonday Creek Trail

***Starting at Bells Ferry, you can ride 1.8 trail miles with only one road crossing, since the trail passes under several highways.***

We promised to keep it short and fun for these rides, and there are two other options in Kennesaw, both on the Noonday Creek Trail. The full trail is approximately 7-miles one-way, extending from a trailhead on Bell’s Ferry Road to Kennesaw Mountain, where it intersects with and continues as Mountain to River Trail into Marietta. But it’s easy to create shorter rides with convenient and easy access points.

Noonday Creek crosses under Interstate 75 near Kennesaw. OurTravelCafe.com — ***Riding the Noonday Creek trail west and south, you follow the creek, pass under I-575, then cross the creek near Town Center Mall. The trail enters a more wooded area as it crosses under I-75.***

The easiest, shortest, and flattest option measures 3.8 miles roundtrip, and traverses only one street intersection. For this ride, park at the Bell’s Ferry Trailhead, where you’ll also find restroom facilities for your pre-and-post-ride convenience. Ride the trail west and south, following along Noonday Creek, passing under I-575, then crossing the creek near Town Center Mall. The trail proceeds across George Busbee Parkway at a controlled crosswalk, then enters more wooded area as it passes under I-75. Continue here until reaching Barrett Lakes Road, then turn around for the return. If you want a bit more of a challenge, you can continue on the trail up Barrett Lakes Road, climbing about 70 feet over the next 0.3 miles, then pedaling a flat section for another 0.6 mile to reach Aviation Park. After the climb, you can use the facilities, watch a few planes land or take off at McCallum Airport, then turn around to coast downhill and complete a 5.6 mile version. You can also do this in the opposite order, starting and ending at Aviation Park. But as you coast down the hill on Barrett Lakes Road, remember that you’ll be climbing the equivalent of seven stories on final leg of your return.

The Commercial Noonday Creek Trail

Aviation Park in Kennesaw, on the Noonday Creek Trail. OurTravelCafe.com — ***You can park at Aviation Park in Kennesaw, where bike rentals are available. RIding west treks through some commercial areas, all on the trail. But there are more road crossings here.***

A second option on this trail is to park at Aviation Park, which has a large parking lot, nice restroom facilities and a credit-card bike rental location. From Cobb Place Boulevard, follow the trail for 1.9 miles as it passes by offices, commercial and distribution facilities. The trail turns away from the roads and back into the Noonday Creek flood plain before it reaches But this extension has lots of busy road crossings, some significant hills along Barrett Parkway, and we’ve found the trail often littered with broken glass – a bike tire’s worst enemy!

Noonday Creek Trail at Cobb Parkway. Our TravelCafe.com — Cobb Parkway is a good turn-around point if you’re coming from Bells Ferry or Aviation Park. While we don’t recommend it for leisure riders, the trail continues across Cobb Parkway, follows along to the south, then turns right to parallel Barrett Parkway and eventually reaches Kennesaw Mountain.

Final Thoughts

My best biking advice: if you have any doubt, take the easiest and shortest route. It’s better to start slow, ride easy and enjoy some fun than to find yourself tired and stressed with a long return ahead. And if you want to learn about more challenging rides, click here to read about other nearby rides for the experienced rider.

Weekday Walking in Wonderful Woodstock

Georgia Small Plates

DeanLand

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April 10, 2021

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Somedays, no matter how much you might want or need to, it’s just impossible to get out to the mountains, forest or even a park for a hike through nature. On those days, we try walking our neighborhood or enjoying one our favorite urban trails to put in a few miles.

Such was the case recently when regular maintenance meant taking our Honda minivan to our preferred servicer in Woodstock. After the Monday morning drop off, we engaged in a bit of early morning retail therapy at the nearby outlet mall to upgrade some aging outwear with newer, lighter thermal reflective gear. Then, with a deadline to pick up our grandkids in early afternoon, we headed into Woodstock for a 3.6-mile out-and-back walk on the Noonday Creek trail and a loop around the downtown area.

***When it’s not possible or practical to get to the mountains for a hike through nature, we often turn to urban trails like the Noonday Creek trail in Woodstock to reach our mileage goals.***

Which Noonday Creek Trail?

For the unfamiliar, the Noonday Creek trail currently exists in two unconnected sections. The 1.5-mile northern-most and shorter section connects downtown Woodstock to busy Highway 92 near I-575, passing through downtown residential complexes and wooded areas on its way to following the namesake creek. This is the portion we walked.

The northern-most and shortest of two unconnected Noonday Creek Trails, the trail runs through preserved green space wedged between growing residential and commercial areas. Along the way you’ll find wastebaskets, benches and mileage markers, but no restrooms except near this start/finish and at the Woodstock Woof Park spur trail.

The southern portion of the trail originates at a trailhead on Bells Ferry Road, continuing approximately nine miles near Town Center Mall, around office and commercial buildings, then alongside Barrett Parkway and Stilesboro Road until ending at its intersection with Mountain to River Trail at Kennesaw Mountain. We’ve done that portion as a bike outing, and you can find that post here.

Walking from Woodstock

Our weekday journey began at the public parking area at the intersection of Elm and Market Streets, convenient to the trail and to the restaurants and shops of downtown Woodstock. Parking here is free, but the main attraction for us was the promise of a post-walk refreshment under the shady oak outside of Reformation Brewery. When the grandkids are in tow, the primary benefit is the Woodstock Downtown Playground and the large event green along Market Street. If you plan to visit on a Saturday between April and December, beware that this also is the location of the Woodstock Farmer’s Market, so parking here may not be an option.

Public parking is available at the corner of Elm and Market Streets, just off the main thoroughfare. The parking is free, and having a cold beverage under the oak trees outside Reformation Brewery may be another attractive post-hike benefit.

Leaving downtown, the wide, paved, mixed-use trail passes by many of Woodstock’s newer high-density housing developments, all within easy walking distance to downtown and helping to fuel the growth of this historic community. Crossing a small stream that flows into Noonday Creek, the trail skirts a few single-residence homes before entering the wooded area leading to the creek-side route.

Leaving downtown, the trail passes through and near many of Woodstock’s newer high-density housing developments before twisting down toward its namesake creek. We found many pet-friendly stops along the residential section, offering water and pet treats.

The trail represents a preserved green space wedged between growing residential and commercial areas, running parallel to I-575 to the west and continuing residential development to the east. Along the way you’ll find wastebaskets, benches and mileage markers. But the only restrooms are at the trailhead near downtown, or at commercial establishments where the trail meets Highway 92. Dog lovers will be happy to know that dogs are allowed on the trail, and a 1/10^th mile spur route leads to Woodstock’s Woofstock Dog Park. Restrooms also are available at the dog park.

Looping Around Downtown

While it was Five O’Clock Somewhere when we returned, we passed on a noontime beverage at Reformation Brewery and continued into downtown in search of food. The challenge for us with Woodstock restaurants is narrowing the choices from the plethora of appetizing options, ranging from burgers and fries to a variety of ethnic foods, pub grub, seafood, coffee house fare, dessert shops and more. Pure Taqueria rates among our favorites, where it’s easy to grab hand-held fare or a filling bowl for outside dining under the trees. (We welcome your list of favorites in our comment section!)

We always stop in at the Woodstock Visitors Center, located in the historic Dean’s Store, to get news of the latest happenings in and around downtown. You can also pick up a map a brochure of the historic downtown walking tour, right here at stop 16.

For history lovers and those who enjoy the preservation of these historic downtowns, Preservation Woodstock Inc. and the Cherokee County Historical Society have mapped out a 1.7-mile, 24-stop historic downtown walking tour. You can pick up a brochure with the route and descriptions at the Woodstock Visitors Center, itself located at stop 16, the historic Dean’s Store. Our big tip: we ALWAYS stop here to get the latest about the many local goings-on, and because the visitors center itself is best described as “a visitors center, a museum, a library, an art gallery, a concert hall, a literary lounge, a gathering place, a time capsule.” We’re also partial to the original name! 😊

Other Seasonal Fun in Woodstock

If not obvious by now, we love the history, careful blending of past and future, downtown attractions, dining options and seasonal in Woodstock. One of our favorite summer visits featured a picnic lunch and noontime concert by a friend’s band on the stage at The Park at City Center. In the fall, we make at least one annual trek to the pre-Halloween Scarecrow Invasion, a favorite for our grandsons. And we always drop in at the local clothing shops, plus the Wright Stuff Records and Collectibles. And don’t miss wonderfully wacky and sometimes weird Blue Frog Imports and hippie shop, where the art is fabulous, and the vibe may hearken you back to the more famous Woodstock of music history lore.

The local proprietors at Blue Frog Imports describe their goods as “hand crafted furniture, pottery, folk art, yard art and architectural funk, and all your hippie needs.” They are also prop artists, providing set materials for retail stores, television and more.

***Our grandkids look forward to visiting Woodstock with us each year for the annual Scarecrow Invasion, featuring creative Halloween displays in September and October.***

During the summer, Woodstock features a robust concert offering, from local groups performing at lunch in the Park at City Center to nationally-known acts and tribute performances at Northside Hospital-Cherokee Amphitheater.

Cruising: Our Smorgasbord of Travel Delight

International Sampler

DeanLand

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March 24, 2021

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Cruising: Our Smorgasbord of Travel Delight

Ever go to a new restaurant, can’t decide on an entrée and order a sampler platter featuring small portions of their famous favorites?

That’s our idea for cruising: a personal smorgasbord of regional travel delight, allowing us to sample a bit of everything so we can enjoy our favorites more fully on future visits. Cruises also help us to travel in comfort and simplicity, avoiding the troublesome packing, relocation and resettling that inject extra stress and lost time at great destinations.

Our idea for cruising: a personal smorgasbord of travel delight

When We Got It All Wrong!

We weren’t always cruisers. In fact, as our kids went through middle and high schools, we often questioned the sanity and frugality of friends who routinely cruised during school breaks and summers. For us, piling everyone into a car, driving for hours and having our own transportation to wander more at our destination sounded like a better approach. Looking back, we admit that our cruising friends were on to something that we missed — totally.

***Looking back, our cruising friends were on to somethings we totally missed, including convenience, ease and spectacular sail-out views like this one leaving Seattle.***

We took our first cruise as 20-somethings in 1982, and it managed to dissuade us from trying again for nearly 30 years. I was working for LSU’s alumni office, and assigned to escort a seven-day Caribbean cruise on the high-end Cunard Line. Those were the days when cruise dinner meant assigned tables, tuxedos and formal dresses, and a midnight buffet that awaited the gluttonous late-night crowd. On our first full day, we hit rough weather which confined my wife to our cabin for nearly four days. And we hadn’t done our homework to determine how we wanted to spend our time on or off the ship. Playing it by ear, we missed much, and it caused us to miscalculate for too long.

Our Cruise Conversion

Fast forward to 2008. Seeking escape from the omnipresent work cell phone while celebrating our 30^th anniversary, we booked a seven-day Alaska cruise round-trip from Seattle on Holland America. That experience – relaxing travel, great food, and adventures like helicoptering to a glacier and kayaking through pristine covers — was to addict us to cruising in the future.

We returned to cruising after a 25-year break, seeking escape on an Alaska adventure from the omnipresence work cell phone and to celebrate a 30th wedding anniversary. That experience got us hooked on cruising as a preferred vacation option.

Since then, we’ve enjoyed nearly 100 days of cruising in the Mediterranean, the Baltic Sea and Scandinavia, Norway and Scotland, Canada and New England, several Caribbean voyages and a return to Alaska. We’ve visited 25 countries in the process, including a fabulous 3-night, 2-day extended visit to St. Petersburg, Russia, the absolute highlight of our touring stops for me – a kid growing up in the 1960s who never imagined it would be possible to travel to places like Russia and China.

For our age and tastes, Holland America is our cruise line of choice, with mid-sized ships, a personal attention to service details and a focus on fine dining options. We’ve also cruised recently on Royal Caribbean and Carnival, and don’t plan to return to either line. While our experiences and the perks earned from participating in the Holland America Mariner Program bring us back to HAL, we’re thinking of trying a Celebrity X or Princess cruise for our next ocean-going trip.

These days, Holland America is our cruise line of choice, though we’ve also done Carnival, Cunard and Royal Carribean. We may sample Celebrity X on a future cruise, seen here sailing past the Portland Head Lighthouse outside of Portland, ME.

Aboard Holland America’s Eurodam, we enjoyed a sea day lecture by Captain John Scott, who with his wife Susan authored a book called “Driving the Hotel.” He described the intricate planning and flawless execution required behind the scenes to make our perfect cruising seem easy. By this time in my cruising experience, I was thrilled to leave the driving, planning and headaches to him and his crew while I sipped another refreshing adult beverage.

Cruise Line Tours

Early in our cruising days, we took the easy route to destination planning and booked port excursions through the cruise line. We enjoyed the simplicity and certainty, and never having to worry about being left behind if we ran late.

We still use cruise line excursions for some extended tours, especially where we’re venturing far from port on a long touring day with a tight schedule and lots to see. Two perfect examples: a 14-hour stop in Civitavecchia for a full day of touring the heart of Rome, and a similar 200 kilometer roundtrip from Livorno to Florence and Pisa, and back to Livorno. For us, those distances mean more complexity and higher risks. Thus, we stick with cruise line tours for those and focus on enjoying our day rather than worrying about a missed return.

We also book cruise line tours when they offer a special attraction or itinerary not generally available through other sources. In St. Petersburg, Russia, we were among a limited number of cruise passengers permitted to tour the Hermitage Museum during a special evening opening, avoiding the day-time madhouse that develops when passengers from a plethora of ships descend on an overwhelmed location.

Often, cruise lines can arrange special private event tours, which can greatly reduce the number of visitors at popular locations. That’s how we managed this shot of the empty throne room at the Hermitage Museum and Winter Palace of the Russian Tsars in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Guided Adventures

These days, where we are familiar with cultures, languages and safety, we often book directly through local tour companies, who meet us at the ship and take us in smaller groups to locations not always reached by the large ship-run tours. We research these through travel sites like TripAdvisor.Com and various blogs and other travel accounts produced by frequent travelers.

Docking in Warnemunde, Germany, we skipped a grueling train ride and whirlwind tours in Berlin and booked with a friendly local group. We enjoyed a day of local touring, including this castle in Schwerin. Comparing notes with our exhausted tablemates the next day reinforced our choice.

One of our favorites was in Warnemunde, Germany, where we passed the cruise-sponsored long rail trip inland for a short day in Berlin. Instead, we booked with a friendly local group called “Friends of Dave” and, with 10 others, spent a wonderful casual day in the port city, then hopping a local train to tour castles and landmarks in nearby Schwerin. Comparing next-day stories with those who made the grueling day trip to Berlin, we were glad that we stayed local and saved Berlin for a multi-day stop on a future trip.

We were the center of attention at the port when our local driver arrived then whisked us away on our three-wheel chariot for a private tour of the Scottish Highlands. We rely on our research and recommendations to find these kind of adventures.

Another example was a four-hour tour of the Scottish Highlands, distilleries and Loc Ness riding on the back of a custom three-wheeler touring motorcycle driven by a wonderful local host, Steve. We chose in advance one of several basic options Steve had mapped out, then asked for a few “tweaks” which he was happy to make. Steve also brought along “a wee dram” of local Scotch and fresh biscuits, which we enjoyed along the way. Departing and returning to the ship on our private chariot, we were the center of attention for the cruise cattle being herded onto the large buses.

We also tried this in the Caribbean, booking a 6-hour excursion of waterfall jumping and zip lining in the Dominican Republic through a reputable tour company found through Costco Travel. As Costco members, we’ve discovered that often the prices, perks and excursion options available through their aligned travel company are excellent. But beware, self-service may mean some troubles when things go wrong — as when our helicopter trip was grounded in Alaska due to fog and we had to deal with the cancellation long distance through voice mail and follow-up e-mails.

We’ve booked waterfall, river floating, and zip line adventures with small groups in the Caribbean through Costco Travel, enjoying the uncrowded trips.

Costco Travel also has worked out well for us to book affordable trips that may not be available in the same manner from a cruise line or port agency. In Ketchikan, Alaska, we were able to reserve a half-day salmon fishing trip which promised no more than six guests on a boat. Our tour ended up being only four people — our three-person family and one other person, and we were able to fish the entire time rather than take turns among a larger group.

Booked through Costco Travel, we enjoyed a small-craft semi-private fishing excursion in Ketchikan, Alaska. There was a limit of six guest on the trip, but we ended up with four — and a spectacular day of salmon fishing plus unplanned whale and eagle watching.

On Our Own

In some European and most North American ports, we set out unaccompanied and on our own, maybe using tour guide products from Rick Steves, Lonely Planet and local sources we’ve researched ahead of time. Among our favorite stops on our self-guided days are local open air food and merchandise markets found frequently in European cities.

Our first trips in many ports comes from atop a double-decker Hop On / Hop Off Bus. We enjoy these narrated tours, which allow us to get a feel for a city, then decide where we want to return for further exploration.

We often rely on one of two favorite touring options on these self-guided days. In many ports, we look for the Hop On / Hop Off bus company. These operators generally run standard, narrated bus routes stopping at major areas of interest in larger cities. As the name implies, you can hop off at will to explore, then hop back on another bus later. We’ve done these in Barcelona, Glasgow, Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Montreal, Vienna, Paris and elsewhere, often booking a two-day pass during our pre and post-cruise days.

In Oslo, Norway, we circled the city on the Hop On / Hop Off bus, then explored wonderful Vigeland Park and the Viking Ship Museum on our own, also wandering around for some local food and other touring on foot.

Guided bike tours are another favorite for our “on-your-own” touring, usually booking these ahead at our cruise stops. Bikes allow us to cover more ground than walking, and they don’t get slowed by novice operators or frequent mishaps like those popular Segway tours. In cities with great bike trails and friendly biking streets, we’ll often just rent a bike for a full day and head out with our preplanned stops for touring and great exercise. We’re always ready to enjoy dinner after these!

In bike friendly European and Canadian cities, we often arrange guided bike tours, then arrange to rent the bikes at favorable rates for the remainder of the day. Biking allows us to cover more territory than we can on foot — and we’re always ready for a fabulous cruise dinner after we return.

Did we mention fabulous cruise dinners? One of the reasons Holland America remains our favorite sea-going cruise line is their culinary offerings. Their standard main dining room food selections are outstanding. Dinners at their specialty restaurants, like this one in the Asian-themed Tamarind, rival any you’ll find in a high-end, fine-dining favorite.

A Few More Days, Please

In Barcelona, Copenhagen, Venice, Montreal, Vancouver, Seattle and Boston, we’ve tacked on extra days before and after cruises, both to expand our adventures and take advantage of the investment in time and money to reach some of these locations. We’ve made a conscious effort to avoid repeating ports of call, but when it occurs, we simply seek a different adventure or return for a longer visit at a favorite one.

In Bar Harbor, we boarded the Lulu Lobster Boat for a tour of the local waters and lessons in lobster fishing. We enjoyed the 2-hour tour and enjoyed a leisurely day in Bar Harbor as well. Booking the cruise directly saved approximately 35% over the exact cruise booked through the cruise line — more than enough to cover one of the fabulous lobster meals we had overlooking the harbor.

We look forward to the days when we can return to cruising in a post-COVID world. Until then, rather than writing more about our smorgasbord, I’ll leave you here with a few more pictures from our 100-course, 25-country cruise buffet.

***Mercat St. Josep along Las Ramblas in Barcelona.***

***Visiting Marche Jean-Talon on a Saturday morning before a late-afternoon embarkation and sail-out of Montreal.***

We often visit local food markets during cruise stops. It’s a great way to get a sense of a community, plus there’s always fresh local specialties to try. In the three pictures above, we’re visiting markets along Las Ramblas in Barcelona, Pike Market in Seattle, and a complex of food stands in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Even on escorted tours, we always checkto confirm whether it’s permitted, safe, and advisable to wander on our own. Rather than plunging into touristy stores and attractions, we oven seek out different perspectives, like this on near the Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood in St. Petersburg, Russia.

***A lovely and lonely view of Highland Cliffs, Shetland Islands in the North Atlantic.***

Our Norway / Scotland cruise made a stop in the Shetland Islands, where we had no real sightseeing or visit agenda. Booking with a small company owned and run by knowledgeable locals, we escaped the few, overrun locations accessible by tour busses. Instead, we found ourselves on narrow, winding local roads leading to wonderful, deserted locations.

Not all our tour decisions are wise. We rented a four-wheeler to tour scenic Santorini, and sought out secluded beaches. We enjoyed a great day, but learned later that several tourists had been seriously injured on similar outings when they crashed their unfamiliar vehicles. Chalk one luck day up to experience.

Our Five Favorite Forays on St. Simons Island

Georgia Small Plates

DeanLand

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February 24, 2021

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Our Five Favorite Forays on St. Simons Island

Walking under sprawling oaks. Kayaking through tidal marsh. Visiting uncrowded beaches. Watching pelicans silhouetted against the sunset on the downtown fishing pier. Exploring the lighthouse and World War II Homefront museums. Enjoying the relaxed pace of island living.

Located in the deep Southeast corner of Georgia, under the sprawling oaks where the low country meets the Atlantic Ocean, St. Simons offers a slower pace and true community feel compared to other busy golf and tourist islands

Those are among the reasons we love visiting Georgia’s island community of St. Simons. Located in the deep southeast corner of the state where the low country meets the Atlantic, we consider St. Simons one of Georgia’s underappreciated treasures. It’s amazing that many who trek to the self-contained enclaves of Sea Island or drive south on I-95 seeking Florida beaches simply bypass this authentic island gem. And though national attention focused on St. Simons in September 2019 when a car-carrying freighter, Golden Ray, overturned in the sound between St. Simons and Jekyll Islands, the media attention created only short-term blips of abnormal and distracted visitor traffic to the island. (Subsequently, the salvage operation — with the phenomenal machinery and photos of smashed cars — has brought another temporary uptick by the curious.)

That’s perfectly OK with us, though, because we love the slower pace and true community feel of St. Simons compared to the hustle and bustle of other East Coast condo, golf and tourist islands like Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head.

We enjoyed a week of peaceful relaxation on St. Simons thanks to a housesitting gig for a traveling friend. When we weren’t enjoying relaxation, beaches and bike trails, our five favorite forays around the island included these:

Lighthouse and Downtown Pier

The second St. Simons Lighthouse, celebrating 150 years in 2022, is an iconic beacon near the center of the island’s downtown area. Thanks to the visionary Coastal Historical Society, you can tour the lighthouse and keeper’s dwelling, climbing high for panoramic views and enjoy the air conditioned exhibits on steamy summer afternoons.

Usually, you won’t find a more postcard-perfect or iconic setting than the island’s small-town heart, anchored by the fishing pier and historic lighthouse. Until the wreck of the Golden Ray is cleared, visitors unfortunately won’t enjoy all of the pier’s charm, though sunrises continue attracting families and fishermen alike. Visiting the 104-foot-tall lighthouse and keeper’s dwelling offers panoramic views of the surrounding area and deep insights to the island’s military and community history. The first St. Simons lighthouse was commissioned in 1807, and the current-and-second lighthouse will celebrate 150 years in 2022. The lighthouse is operated by t he visionary Coastal Georgia Historical Society, founded by local residents in 1965 to preserve the island’s history. For a great afternoon, find a village parking spot and visit the lighthouse first. Then stroll the downtown area, dropping in at local art stores and the funky JC Strother Hardware Store for some local crafts and color. Finally, catch the late-afternoon sites at the pier before enjoying an early dinner at one of nearly 20 restaurants within easy and pleasant walking distance.

Sunsets at the pier are great for people and pelican watching, plus fishing and good photographic opportunities. However, until the shipwreck of the car-carrying freighter Golden Ray is cleared completely, some of these scenic views are obstructed.

WWII Home Front Museum

Another project of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society, the vintage 1950 Coast Guard station houses an outstanding museum that documents all the community activities undertaken in support of the World War II effort. Filled with immersive galleries and interactive exhibits, visitors of all ages can pilot a blimp, spot airplanes and learn about the 99 “Liberty Ships” built at the shipyards in neighboring Brunswick. We were fascinated by the Coast Guard station’s role in the crew rescue of two ships sunk offshore by a German submarine, including one which originated its journey in our home state of Louisiana and was crewed by sailors with lots of my own hometown-familiar French-Cajun surnames.

St. Simons and nearby Brunswick had important home-front roles during World War II, commemorated by the Home Front Museum located in the repurposed 1950s-vintage Coast Guard station. From blimp fleets to Liberty Ships and haunting stories of submarine attacks off the coast, this is another effort of local residents committed to preserving history through the Coastal Georgia Historical Society.

Cannon’s Point Preserve

Home to pristine maritime forest, salt marsh and tidal creeks, Cannon’s Point features well-marked walking trails, a canopy viewing platform and historic discovery. Ancient oaks hide authentic tabby-concrete buildings constructed of local oyster shells. Well-marked hiking trails and available maps reveal the location’s secrets but check the operating hours since the preserve is open only three days each week. For any visit, we recommend long pants, long sleeves, closed-toe shoes, lots of bug spray and bottled water so you can enjoy the natural splendor in relative comfort and safety. Another example of local resident engagement, Cannon’s Point is owned by the St. Simons Land Trust, a community and corporate partnership which has helped to preserve more than 1,000 acres on the island and holds conservation easements on 300 additional acres.

Southern Soul Barbeque

Best. Ribs. EVER! We could stop there, but even those superlatives don’t fully describe how much we enjoyed this local joint, operating out of a former gas station. During our pre-COVID visit, we ate lunch at Southern Soul twice (arriving early to beat the crowds!) and ordered extra ribs to-go plus purchased take-home seasonings. We were skeptical when Southern Living magazine listed this as the best barbeque restaurant in the South in 2018, but we are now believers. True to their slow-cooking rib smoking process and quality control, they offer reserved time slots for rib take-out orders. Ribs are great, but don’t miss the pulled pork and baked beans, all of which can be enjoyed on outdoor picnic tables.

***We were skeptical of Southern Living’s rating of Southern Soul as the best barbeque in the South. But now we’re true believers: Best. Ribs. EVER!*** ***And don’t be afraid the the wait, as you can engage in friendly games of corn hole on the outdoor patio.***

Barbara Jean’s

If we convened a local group to debate authentic island eateries, Barbara Jean’s might not get the top nod, but it would undoubtedly be recognized in the top two for real Southern specialties. This family-owned downtown fixture offers a full range of traditional comfort foods, and is best known for their legendary crab cakes, she-crab soup, and daily-baked pumpkin bread, sweet rolls and jalapeno corn bread. Adults can also enjoy a refreshing and relaxing Barbara Jean’s Sweet Tea, made with Firefly Tea Vodka, Peach Schnapps, and other ingredients. If you want other reassurances before visiting, this is a consensus choice by Southern Living, Georgia Trends and Coastal Living and other publications.

A Little “Lagniappe”

For those not familiar with Cajun French or our Louisiana upbringing, lagniappe is a little something extra, like a baker’s dozen. Beyond our five favorite forays, we also enjoyed these stops and activities while on St. Simons:

Kayaking. The tidal marshes and backwaters offer fantastic kayaking opportunities for novices and experts. But friends, we always recommend the use of single kayaks rather than doubles, which we believe may be a major cause of divorce among vacationers.
Beaches. There’s plenty of public beach access on the island. Massengale Park and East Beach offer easy parking, restrooms and outdoor showers to rinse off the salt. You’ll also find beach access along the side streets off Ocean Road but be careful not to park on private property. Nearer downtown and the pier, low-tide beaches also appear until the incoming tide hides them away again.

We found lots of uncrowded beaches at Massengale Park and East Beach, especially when we visited during the cooler times of early morning. Even when we visited on the traditionally-busy *Fourth of July Weekend, we were still able to find space to stretch out without feeling crowded by holiday throngs.*

Bike Trails. Bring your bicycles or easily rent for hours, a day or a week at low rates. The 10.3-mile, paved Hampton Spur Trail keeps bikes and pedestrians off the major thoroughfares for safe riding along the length of the island. Historical markers along the way point out interesting island features, including a side-route to Fort Frederica National Monument. While we recommend avoiding the heavily-trafficked and no-shoulder-available Sea Island Road raceway between the causeway and the cloistered resort’s entrance, safe biking can be practiced on the side-streets around downtown and on Ocean Boulevard.

Biking was safe and pleasurable along the Hampton Spur Trail, separated from busy thoroughfares by wide medians. Historical markers and clear directional signs add to the enjoyment, and help riders learn more about the island’s history. We also enjoyed casual riding around downtown and on Ocean Boulevard.

King and Prince Hotel and Resort. This St. Simons landmark began its history as a seaside dinner club, and still offers the only sea-side dining on the island. We’ve ended many busy days sharing relaxing beverages with good friends here.

More Planning Resources

In addition to the links we’ve included throughout, you may find these general resources helpful for planning an extended visit:

StSimonsIsland.Com. Your prototypical visitor center resource, this page features the usual listing of island accommodations, dining and activities, with additional links to useful information like tidal charts and beach guides.
GoldenIsles.com. If you feel the need or desire to broaden your activity horizon beyond the island itself – though we rarely do — this site provides more detailed links to Jekyll Island, Little St. Simons, Sea Island and the port city of Brunswick.
VisitSavannah.com. If you won’t be back in this region anytime soon, we’d recommend Savannah as two-day (minimum) stop while on the Georgia coast. Its full of antebellum treasures, historic squares, walkable sites, haunted graveyards, excellent dining, and that famous Forest Gump bench.
Georgia World War II Heritage Trail. For those interested in more about Georgia’s role in World War II, the World War II Museum is now part of a Georgia World War II Heritage Trail (one of five such heritage trails in the country) with 10 museums across the state.

Some of the small resorts between downtown and Massengale Park set out chair rentals for their patrons. However, when you continue walking along the beach up to East Beach and beyond, rentals become sparse, crowds smaller and space more plentiful.

Your Favorite St. Simons Spots

We’d love to hear about your favorite forays and wonderful experiences at St. Simons or other nearby locations. Leave a comment for us and others to learn about more great ideas.

Who visits a hardware store during an island vacation? We wandered in to J.C. Strother in downtown to find a wide assortment of fishing gear, recreational supplies, local crafts and, yes, hardware, too. This hardware store visit resulted in our sole take-home souvenir purchase.

The Coast Guard Station nee museum is another well-preserved historical landmark, located near the parking lot for East Beach. We were transported back to our own childhood, and visits to a similar station at Grand Isle, La. We also discovered that a Louisiana-based ship crewed by many Cajun-French sailors was sunk just off St. Simons after leaving a Baton Rouge oil refinery.

Sawnee Mountain Indian Seats Deliver Majestic View

Georgia Small Plates

DeanLand

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February 11, 2021

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Sawnee Mountain Indian Seats Deliver Majestic View

Motivated by pictures and descriptions on our favorite Georgia hiking groups, we headed to Sawnee Mountain Preserve for a weekday hike of the 3.7-mile Indian Seats loop trail. Unlike the usual large weekend crowds and busy trails, we found the park nearly deserted and enjoyed a 2-hour winter stroll.

***Leaving the parking lot off Bettis-Tribble Gap Road, we chose a counter-clockwise route on the loop trail, the shortest route to the views at the summit.***

Unfortunately, we hadn’t done our usual pre-trip research or we might have allowed more time in our day. And we definitely would have planned departure so we could grab biscuits from nearby Guy’s Biscuit Barn as pre-hiking fuel.

Those oversights aside, Indian Seats delivered on the wonderful Blue Ridge Mountain views and easy hiking we desperately needed after cold, rainy winter weather kept us indoors too long.

Views for Miles and Miles

The view from the 1663-foot promontory at Indian Seats delivers an impressive panorama. Thanks to a 2017 Eagle Scout project, a sturdy, safe wooden viewpoint structure with descriptive graphics identifies the peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains projecting skyward to the north.

This sturdy, safe viewing platform provides excellent views of the rising Blue Ridge Mountains, some 25 to 40 miles to the north. The railing makes it a safe vantage point for young ones. We chose not to venture to the cliff-side seats to dangle our feet over the precipice.

Amicalola, Hawk, Greasy and Springer Mountains are grouped in the center of the view, approximately 25 to 30 miles away, reaching 3,382 to 3,782 feet. To the right and 39 miles distant as the crow flies, Georgia’s tallest peaks of Blood Mountain and Brasstown Bald tower to nearly 4,800 feet. (Can see back to Sawnee Mountain from Brasstown Bald? Maybe. To determine this, you can visit an hike up, or perhaps just check out the live webcams.)

Closer in, verdant farmlands divided by tree-lined streams and highways flow outward until the wavy mountains rise in the distance.

***Georgia’s tallest peaks at Blood Mountain and Brasstown Bald reach to nearly 4,800 feet and are easy to spot, even 40 miles away as the crow flies.***

Walk through the Woods

While leisure hikers and day visitors are drawn by the views, 11 miles of forest and mountain trails at Sewanee Mountain offer diverse terrain. We intentionally chose the less-busy parking area off Bettis-Tribble Gap Road as our starting point, rather than the more popular entry and visitor center on Spot Road. Walking past the picnic shelters, we turned right and began winding our way up the well-worn path. The trail is marked every 1/10 mile by blue trail guides, numbered to help in emergencies. We gained approximately 300 vertical feet in under one mile of walking to reach the summit and enjoy the expansive views.

This switchback is approximately 350 feet directly below the seats at the summit, on the route toward the Laurel Creek Spur and main entrance. But the upwards view is obscured by trees year-round. Just below here, a wet-weather spring spills across the trail, making for slippery footing.

Continuing the loop after that stop, we turned and twisted down and around while viewing the true 1,970-foot peak of Sawnee Mountain, just across Bettis-Tribble Road and within the 821 acres of the Sawnee Preserve. We plan to do the loop, ridge and peak trails over on that side of the preserve when we return.

Approximately 350 feet below the Indian Seats, the trail makes a hard left switchback over a wet weather spring. But the view to the top is obscured by trees even during winter. From here, it’s a short walk down to the Laurel Trail Spur leading to the visitor center and main entrance. We followed the spur a few hundred yards to visit the Treehouse observation site.

***Local Girl Scouts decorate The Fairy Trail with fanciful creatures and scenes. Even without the grandkids, we detoured to see the birds, fairies, unicorns and trolls staged in the landscape.***

That’s also where we found the Fairy Trail, a project of local Girl Scouts to build fanciful fairy homes placed in the hillscape. By February, the fairy houses had endured a rough winter, with some damaged or toppled. Even without the grandkids, we enjoyed viewing the collection of fairies, trolls, and unicorns occupying the enchanted trail.

Now near the lowest point of the preserve, we returned to the slowly-rising loop trail, gaining 200 feet of elevation as we walked to our starting and end point.

Just the Stats

We tracked our hike on a Garmin Fenix activity tracking watch, which reported 3.45 miles in 1:32:53, including 15 minutes of stops for viewing, photos and navigation. Over the route, we recorded 581 feet of total elevation gain while traveling at an average moving speed of 2.7 mph.

We track our activities with a Garmin Fenix 5 watch, and sync the results to the Garmin Connect App. It helps us recall our trips and monitor our fitness with nice reporting and graphics. With 527 feet of total elevation gain and finishing at a moving pace of 2.7 mph, we rate the loop trail as easy, though other sites rank it as moderate.

Other sites list Indian Seats as a moderate trail. For us, it was an easy trek, with no long or steep climbs and only a few rocky or muddy surfaces. Among others we saw were a mother and two preschoolers enjoying the rocky areas near the viewing location, and they reported no problems (or tantrums!) while ascending.

History and Legends

According to onsite and online information, Woodland people may have occupied Sawnee Mountain for ceremonial purposes as early as 500 BCE. The Cherokee reportedly used indentations in the rocks at the summit to survey their lands, as lookouts and for meditation. There’s considerable debate and no firm conclusion whether three ridge-top “seats” were chiseled from the protruding granite, though some suggest that their symmetry can’t be natural. Others claim the formation may have some resemblance to eagles, which historically were present in the area. We passed the opportunity to sit in the seats with feet dangling over the cliff due to wind, cold, aches and the healthy fears (or wisdom?) which come with age.

Along the trail, two entrances to abandoned gold minds that date back to the late 1800s are now sealed with iron bars, preventing curious explorers and modern foods from venturing into the dangerous shafts.

After the first Georgia gold rush of the 1820s faded and prospectors moved from Dahlonega to the West Coast, a pair of Atlanta men obtained land rights for gold mining at Sawnee Mountain. A crew of 15 hopeful men dug shafts into the mountainside. But the tunneling was tough and the gold produced scant, so when questions arose about land ownership, the intrepid miners abandoned the area. Mining resource “The Diggings” described both the mine and the production as “small.” Along the trail, you’ll find two entrances to the former mines, both now thankfully sealed with iron bars to explorers (and modern fools!).

Closing Notes

We visited on a quiet weekday. Beware that Sawnee Park an activity hub for Forsyth County Parks and Recreations. Camps, adventure activities, nature classes, tree climbing, zip lining, and more often add large groups to the usual weekend walkers, runners and hikers. Also, signs state that dogs are not allowed on these trails, so leave your furry friends at home.

Finally, we’d be remiss to forget the fried pickles at Rooster’s Café in nearby Cumming, where we grabbed takeout for the return trip. Along with other good and convenient dishes, those fried pickles hit the right fiery notes for our Louisiana Cajun palate.

**Apparently, Papa John’s delivers directly to the parking lot. But we passed on that pizza option and headed into nearby Cumming for some lunch and a fabulous dish of spicy fried pickles.**

**Recently reminded by tragedy of the dangers of slippery mountain rocks, we chose not to venture over and sit in the “seats.”**

Our Top Reasons to Revisit Marietta Square Market

Georgia Small Plates

DeanLand

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January 27, 2021

0

Our Top Reasons to Revisit Marietta Square Market

We were enthusiastic patrons at Marietta Square Market in the grand-opening spring and summer of 2019. But since the pandemic, our restaurant dining has been about as frequent as an Atlanta Falcons Super Bowl appearance. So after a recent downtown walkabout with the grandkids, we decided to mask-up, pop in, walk around and sample an assortment of midafternoon treats.

Marietta has a well-deserved reputation as a foodie favorite, with chef-centric restaurants like Spring and The Butcher The Baker, surrounded by an orbit of down-home favorites like The Local and Stockyard Burgers, seasoned with the weekly Farmer’s Market and finally sprinkled with dessert and treat locations.

In pre-Covid days, we made a series of sojourns to Marietta Square Market, sampling a broad cross-section of the fare. Each time, our visit has been better as outlets gain consistency. We returned in January 2021, and while the market is surviving, the experience sadly doesn’t look as happy or as busy as this.

In March 2019, Marietta Square Market made a grand entrance into this thick gumbo of culinary craftsmanship, offering a trendy food hall concept that has a long European history and was one of the fastest growing food trends in the US. A few months later, the Market seemed to have found its pace and place, though some locations weren’t yet open and others seemed to be struggling for operational consistency.

During those early days, we made a series of summer sojourns to the Market, sampling a broader cross-section of the food fare. Each time, our returns to previous outlets were better than before. And our first experiences at several locations delivered mouth-watering flavor fests that might even encourage Food Network’s Guy Fieri to book a train to Marietta’s new flavor town.

Because of the business disruptions and the fact that our 2020-21 restaurant visits have been about as rare as an Atlanta Falcons Super Bowl appearance, we’re not going to pick favorites from food outlets at Marietta Square Market. Instead, we’re sharing our experiences at those we’ve visited so far.

And then came the coronavirus and Covid-19, striking devastating blows that included forced business closings. Restaurants were particularly hard hit, with permanent closures unfortunately common. For Marietta Square Market — built on the concept that multiple food outlets located in close proximity would serve large dining crowds who shared crowded tables in an open hall environment — the shut down, followed by slow, restricted and careful reopenings, proved particularly challenging. Several of the original tenants didn’t survive.

But the good news is that Marietta Square Market now seems to have adapted to this “new reality” during these “unprecedented times” and “successfully reimagined” its operation. (Did we capture all the proper buzz words?) We made a return visit for a walk-through survey and some quick take-out snacks in January 2021. We found ordering easy and fast, and were able to enjoy our snacks on the outdoor tables.

Food halls are built on the concept that multiple outlets located in close proximity serve large dining crowds who share crowded tables in an open hall environment. To see how Marietta Square Market has adapted to Covid realities, we dropped in for some quick snacks and desserts for outside dining, to the delight of the grandsons.

We’re still not ready to pick favorites from the primary outlets at Marietta Square Market – yet – since we haven’t tried them all. Instead, we’ll share our experiences at those we’ve visited so far, listed in the order in which we visited. And, we give a strong recommendation that you visit, try individual offers at multiple outlets, and determine your own favorites. Likely, we’ll do another update on this post once vaccines combined with preventive care make us comfortable to spend extended times at dine-in locations. Then, hopefully, we can complete revisits to all outlets and will be prepared by then to pick favorites.

Before we go further, note that Marietta Square Market is NOT located actually on Marietta Square, but rather across the railroad tracks in renovated warehouses facing Marietta Parkway between Polk and Mill Streets. And neither is it the weekend Marietta Square Farmers’ Market, although combining an early morning visit to the Farmer’s Market with a later visit to the food hall is a great outing.

Enough clarification. On with the food fest!

D’Cuban Café

At D’Cuban Cafe, the coffee station was a beautiful as the coffee was thick and delicious. It provided the caffeine jolt required to restart us after a filling pressed Cuban sandwich that took us on a mental flavor foray to Tampa.

D’Cuban Café delivered an authentic hot, pressed Cuban sandwich originated at Columbia Restaurant that we had craved since relocating from Tampa years ago. Loaded with slow roasted pork, smoked ham, melted Swiss cheese, dill pickles, and mustard, this tasty toasted classic hit all the Florida flavor notes we expected. The coffee station was a beautiful as the coffee was thick and delicious, providing the caffeine jolt to restart us after that filling sandwich. Unfortunately, our side of plantains likely had been held slightly too long, with a limp and soggy consistency that distracted from the flavor. We’re guessing that the early afternoon time of our visit contributed to that small disappointment, so we’ll happily return again.

Just Loaf’N Cajun Café

We grew up in South Louisiana, thus generally have low expectations for “Cajun” restaurants elsewhere. Just Loaf’N Cajun Café served up a good shrimp po-boy on our first visit, as well as excellent fish and shrimp poboys return visits. Born from food truck roots that earned honors as “Best Cajun” by Atlanta Magazine and “Best Bread” by the AJC, Just Loaf’N’s poboys come “fully dressed” with mayo, mambo sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, all served on New Orleans’ own Leidenheimer’s French Bread. While our side of hush puppies was too onion-forward for my tastes, my wife enjoyed them greatly. The seasoned New Orleans fries packed that peppery and salty goodness that hearkens you back to The Big Easy and tempts you to douse your fiery mouth with cold Dixie beer. Hot beignets and icy cold, sugary snoballs are on our list for the next return visit!

Perfectly fried, crispy and moist fried catfish dressed with lettuce, tomatoes and pickles, and all served on fresh French bread from New Orlean’s Leidenheimer’s Bakery. Our Just Loaf’N experience made us want to form a New Orleans second line back to the counter for more.

Bullgogi

The “build your own bowl” concept has gained popularity among millennials who seek to customize virtually every experience. But for older diners who prefer a set menu, Bullgogi and these poke bowl places can be a bit overwhelming. Falling into the second category, we put ourselves into the guiding hands of a Bullgogi server. With a few basic questions and a sampling taste or two, together we crafted a double-chicken spicy poke bowl with noodles and several toppings. The result was a flavorful blend of available starches, proteins and veggies that tasted great and digested easily on a hot summer day. We won’t hesitate to return, and we’ll probably get a bit more experimental on the next visit.

Shai-Karr Eatery

With a main course from Korean-inspired Bullgogi, we sampled a shrimp tempura street sushi roll from Shai-Karr, which is operated by Marietta’s full-service Thaicoon restaurant on Mill Street. In case you haven’t noticed, adding the word “street” to your menu is one of the culinary trends that’s supposed to show you’re both cool and legit. In the case of Shai-Karr, our large sushi roll was on-target for both claims. We wished we had sampled more on this visit. That said, recognize that Shai-Karr has a limited food-court-style menu, and Thaicoon is literally less than 1,000 steps away across the parking lot. So, in all likelihood, we’ll visit Thaicoon for a more complete experience and continue visiting Shai-Karr for appetizers and snack option when we’re at the market.

Admittedly nervous about eating sushi at a food hall, we sampled the cooked rolls at Shai-Karr. Two of us ate well on the rolls, without feeling too stuffed for a dessert. And remember, the parent restaurant, Thaicoon, literally is less than 1,000 steps away across the parking lot.

Four Fat Cows

This ice cream and snack shop has some of the best ice cream we’ve ever tasted, and perhaps the worst location in Marietta Square Market. So, be sure to look for it before making a final dessert decision. Four Fat Cows is operated by a mother and son duo from a family familiar with celiac disease. The store offers traditional flavors, some exotic options, and a variety of gluten free and diary free treats – all allergen free. My double-scoop combination of caramel turtle and carrot cake was gluten free and flavor rich. Kids are sure to love the colorful Superman, birthday cake and cotton candy explosion flavors. For my next visit, I’ve already got my eyes on chocolate bourbon pecan pie, huckleberry pie, strawberry balsamic or one of the many cupcakes we have yet to sample. Our grandsons are converts, too!

Since we had three in our dessert party, I won’t say that the name reflected our post-dessert status. We sampled a few of the unusual flavors, then made our final selections. My double-scoop combination of caramel turtle and carrot cake was both gluten free and flavor rich.

In With the New

Among the original outlets we visited, three have closed, and two have been replaced, in-place, by similar entries. Henri’s Bakery and Grill has moved into a large front-corner location, and offers a range of savory breakfast sandwiches and sweeter baked treats great all-day. I’m a sucker for supersized cupcakes, and those with brilliant white toppings always shine brightly into my dessert-focused eyes. We look forward to returning here for lattes and those cupcakes — or maybe the double doozie, featuring two chocolate chip cookies surrounding a white icing middle, then partially covered in chocolate. Well, who knows what will catch our eye on the return, but we will be back!

**Henri’s Bakery and Deli, Buckhead’s iconic 90-year-old bakery, tantalizes all-day-long with breakfast items, fresh pastries, a range of cupcakes and cookies, including their famous Double Doozie.**

In one of the largest outlets and featuring both a craft bar and full-service tables, Siete specializes in tacos, tequila and Latin fusion inspired by a trip to New York, of all places! Owned and operated by a local family which deserves credit and support for having the courage to open a sit-down restaurant during a pandemic, we’re looking forward to tasting the well-reviewed El Georgian Guac, ceviche tostados and the wide range of creative tacos. Hopefully, when winter eventually gives way to spring and summer, we’ll also be able to enjoy Siete’s patio and a margarita, tequila flight and one of those tequila craft beverages. OH, we meant OR one of those beverages, not AND all of those beverages — unless we Uber over!

Next Up!

We still have outlets to try that offer barbeque, burgers, crepes, lobster, pitas, smoothie, hot dogs Italian options. We’ve heard good things about each, and have our menu choice prepared. Frankly, we would have tried Cousins Lobster previously, but we had a Maine trip scheduled on our final pre-Covid visit, and thus wisely left our full lobster consumption allotment open for that trip. Cousins operates food trucks in nearly 30 cities, and restaurants or food hall outlets in another 10.

More Nearby Attractions

If you need to build up an appetite, burn some calories or create other reasons to drop in at Marrieta Square Market, here are a few of our other favorite nearby activities to consider:

Gone With the Wind Museum. If you’re looking for Scarlett on the Square, she’s no longer there. Relocated to Brumby Hall, the Gone With the Wind Museum is a perfect spot for fans of this Southern classic movie. And don’t skip the gardens outside.
Kennesaw Mountain Hiking. The nation’s most-visited national battlefield, Kennesaw Mountain offers history, hiking and lots more. On weekdays, you can drive to the top, while on weekends you can walk or take the park shuttle for a small fee. Our favorite hike is around KEMO’s backside, a longer, more challenging hike that includes some rock climbs and ascents of both Little KEMO and KEMO.
Marietta Walking and Bike Trail. The brick and paved trail follows the railroad tracks through downtown Marietta. Continuing South for less than a mile, you can visit Brown Park, the Confederate Cemetery and Marietta City Cemetery – all good walking and history spots.
KSU WWII and Holocaust Museum. A small, somber and interesting local museum, the folks at KSU have done a fabulous job of documenting both the horrors of the Holocaust and the role Georgia played in World War II. Admission is free, and you’ll definitely learn something new.

The Gone with the Wind Museum at its home in Brumby Hall is a perfect pre-or-post dining excursion when you’re in Marietta. And the recreational Mountain-to-River trail is adjacent to the food hall, and leads past lots of good shopping and sightseeing.

All Our Adventures

We’ve been busy at OurTravelCafe.com. You can check out all of our (50+) adventures at OurTravelCafe.com/blog. We’re adding new stuff all the time. And we welcome contributions by “guest chefs.” So if you want to share a travel story, location or tip, just leave a comment on our comment form, or drop us an e-mail.

Lobster kissing on Lulu Lobster Boat Tour. OurTravelCafe.com — ***We’ve been busy this summer and over the past two years recounting our travels — far and near. Check out all our stories by visiting our home page:*** ***http://www.ourtravelcafe.com***

How to Do the Sloppy Floyd

Georgia Small Plates

DeanLand

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January 22, 2021

1

When I asked my adult daughter if she and her kids wanted to go with us to Sloppy Floyd, she replied, “Sure, what kind of food do they serve?”

For sake of clarity, our reference to Sloppy Floyd was James H. “Sloppy” Floyd State Park, one of our favorite Northwest Georgia hiking parks surrounded by the Chattahoochee Forest. But you knew that, right!

For the record, Sloppy Floyd is not a new restaurant. Nor is it:

A trendy island bar. That’s Sloppy Joe’s in Key West.
A saucy loose meat sandwich, legendarily invented by a cook named Joe at Floyd Angell’s café in Sioux City, Iowa. Again, Sloppy Joe.
A song honoring school lunch ladies. Again, Sloppy Joe, written by Adam Sandler and performed on Saturday Night Life with Chris Farley.
A bad haircut on The Andy Griffith Show, though Floyd the Barber was a popular character with classic scenes.

And no, grandpa, Sloppy Floyd is NOT what the kids are calling it these days!

For sake of clarity, our reference to Sloppy Floyd was James H. “Sloppy” Floyd State Park, one of our favorite Northwest Georgia hiking parks surrounded by the Chattahoochee Forest. The park’s most photographed and well-known feature is the small waterfall over the gaping entry to the abandoned Marble Mine. And regional anglers would prefer to keep secret that the park’s two man-made lakes are well-stocked with channel catfish, bass, and bream, with easy access from the shore, boats or the fishing docks.

Marble Mine Trail

***Sloppy Floyd State Park’s most photographed and well-known feature is the small waterfall over the gaping entry to the abandoned Marble Mine.***

Our starting point at Sloppy Floyd always is the Marble Mine trail, a relatively easy, slightly inclined, gravel-and-rock-covered wide trail suitable for families. It’s just 0.8 miles and approximately 300 feet of vertical climb to the wide opening of the former Marble Mine, where a low-volume waterfall drips steadily during wetter periods from a 35-foot ledge above the mine into a reflecting pool. A boardwalk at the mine entrance allows visitors to walk by the side and behind the falls, a sure delight for the youngsters on a hot day as small eddies sneak through crack in the rocks to drip on the unaware or curious. Standing on the boardwalk at its various terminating points behind the falls also provides some natural air conditioning as cool air escapes from the now-closed subterranean passages.

***When crossing the lake on the boardwalk, water-loving birds can often be spotted, along with turtles, frogs and the occasional curious fish.***

We usually start our Marble Mine hike near the park offices, allowing us a scenic walk across Upper Lake on a permanent boardwalk bridge. A variety of water-loving birds can often be spotted here, along with turtles, frogs and the occasional curious fish. In warmer months kayakers generally can be seen around the lake. (And a variety of boat rentals are available, too, at least they have been in non-Covid times.)

Regional anglers would prefer to keep secret that the park’s two man-made lakes are well-stocked with channel catfish, bass, and bream, with easy access from the shore, boats and fishing docks. In non-COVID years, peddle and paddle boats are available for rent.

From the lake, the trail enters the forest, crossing streams fed from above. Along the route, a variety of abandoned buildings, foundations and heavy metal items can be spotted in the forest, likely ghosts of the mining operation that began here in 1923.

Where to Now?

After exploring the boardwalk and snapping pictures, we were faced with the question, “Where to now?” When hiking with grandkids who generally have exhausted snack supplies, our answer is to take the short connector and head back down on the Jenkins Gap trail. That route flattens out and joins the Upper Lake Loop, where we follow the lake’s edge through the woods rather than taking the road over the dam and back to the parking lot. We enjoy the lakeside route for the winding path and plentiful flora. However, be on the lookout because you can often encounter some slithering surprises along this route.

But when we’re hiking alone or with mobile adults, our usual response to “What’s next?”is “Going up!” A word of warning: taking this higher route can be strenuous and may challenge those with balance or endurance issues.

Taylor Ridge and the Turkey’s Home

By continuing up on the Marble Mine trail, you’ll climb a relatively steep, narrower trail featuring many switchbacks gaining approximately 500 feet in under a half-mile. When you reach the high point of Taylor Ridge at 1,400 feet, you’ll join a section of the 335-mile Pinhoti Trail as it meanders from Alabama into Georgia. With a prominence of approximately 800 feet above some of the surrounding valleys, the views here are expansive, especially in the winter when the fallen leaves open the vast panorama. Reflecting both the elevation and the plentiful wildlife in this area, Pinhoti is a Creek work for “turkey’s home.”

With a prominence of approximately 800 feet above some of the surrounding valleys, the views here are expansive, especially when the leaves have fallen. But the route down on Jenkins Gap Trail is steep, slippery and strenuous.

As the Pinhoti Trail continued its winding journey to a northern terminus, we completed our loop down on the Jenkins Gap Trail. More words of warning: if you’ve climbed to Taylor Ridge and are uncertain of your abilities or balance, return down the Marble Mine Trail instead.

After descending the first 100-feet of the Jenkins Gap Trail, the dirt trail takes a very steep turn, dropping 300 feet quickly. Slipping often here, we reached for trailside rocks and branches to help maintain our footing. Once traversing this challenging section, the trail gradually returns to easier angles the further you descend until joining the Upper Lake Loop.

***Descending the first 100 feet from the ridge, we kept our heads up to enjoy the views. For the next 300 feet of descent, it was heads down, trying to find firm footing on the steep downward trail.***

Lower Lake Loop

The easiest trail at Sloppy Floyd is the near-flat and descriptively named Lower Lake Loop. Following the shore of Lower Lake, the trail crosses the earthen dam that creates the lake, and also over the Upper Lake overflow dam where water flows in. Leaving the park office, it’s easy to follow the Lower Lake Loop until crossing the earthen dam. Once over the dam, the trail rises slightly into the woods, then intersects a campground connector. We learned – the hard way – that keeping left follows the lake trail, while taking the right fork climbs further through the campgrounds and requires a lengthy walk along Sloppy Floyd Lake Road to return to the park office.

***The lower lake is created by an earthen dam, and filled from water falling over the dam at the upper lake. In the background, Taylor Ridge towers nearly 900 feet above the lake.***

Getting There and Back, With Treats

Coming from the Kennesaw/Acworth area, we usually take I-75 North to Adairsville, then travel west on GA-140, passing through the scenic Conasauga District of the Chattahoochee Oconee National Forest on winding sections of US 27. It’s a beautiful drive, especially in the fall when changing leaves paint with a fall palette on Taylor Ridge.

Quaint and colorful, the City Creamery in downtown Rome is one of our favorite post-hike stops for sweet rewards, especially when we have the youngsters with us. Of course we use the littles as an excuse to stop, but it’s a crowd-pleaser for all ages..

Often tired and craving a reward for our exertion, we often follow US 27 south on the journey home, frequently stopping in downtown Rome for a cold treat or warm meal. The City Creamery beckons whenever we have the grandkids with us, or when we just need a cooling reward. If we haven’t packed a picnic with the kids, Harvest Moon Café is a favorite comfort-food stop. And if we’re craving something a bit different, we head to the always-amazing choices of Mediterranean food at The Jerusalem Grill.

***When we need something heartier and filling — perhaps accompanied by an adult beverage or two — Harvest Moon Cafe in downtown Rome is just what the adults ordered.***

***For a more adventurous post-hike dining adventure, Rome’s Jerusalem Grill offers up a variety of Mediterranean fare. And their bakery serves up great dessert options, too.***

Just the Facts — and Stats

With various trails, there’s a hike for all at Sloppy Floyd State Park. For our trek starting at the park office, heading up to Marble Mine, ascending to Taylor Ridge, then returning down the Jenkins Gap and Upper Lake Trails, we recorded 4.81 miles in just over 2.25 hours. With the various ups and downs along the way, we climbed more than 1,000 vertical feet over that trek.

We track our outings with Garmin watches, which keep our stats and provide a number of cool visualizations of our day. We track time, distance, calories, maps, rate, elevations and more. We’ve recently upgraded to the Garmin Fenix, and love it!

Before you decide to make the ascent from Marble Mine up to Taylor’s Ridge, keep in mind (again) that this top area is very steep, strenuous and has treacherous footing on the way down. And our best tip for Sloppy Floyd is this: Do NOT hike up Jenkins Gap trail to Taylor Ridge unless you’re a serious and in-shape hiker.

The basic elevation plot was produced by our Garmin watch. I added the white labels and red markers for this version. The key take-away: the upper sections leading to Taylor Ridge are steep, no matter which way you go. Our suggest route flows left to right, starting at the park office, climbing to the Marble Mine, then continuing up the switchback trail to Taylor Ridge. The descent on Jenkins Gap Trail is steep and treacherous. Of course, you CAN do this in reverse, but that long, steep slope on Jenkins Gap Trail should warn you about the effort required to climb.

Who Was Sloppy Floyd?

We were curious about James H. “Sloppy” Floyd, and why a state park was named after him. Detailed biographical information about the man is sparse, but we did find this, which we share without further comment or commendation:

Atlanta Magazine, Who the Hell Is Sloppy Floyd?

New York Times, Obituary

Wikipedia Entry

Where to Light Up the Holidays

Southern Fried Favorites

DeanLand

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November 30, 2020

3

(We’ve updated information for 2021, with the most important reminder being to call ahead, recheck details and purchase tickets in advance. Due to Covid-19, many of these locations are limiting admissions and changing their visitation options. Where possible, we’ve added links to most current information — but check again before heading out!)

Once Thanksgiving leftovers are a memory, a new season starts at our house. No, not Black Friday or shopping season. Rather, it’s immediately the beginning of Christmas Light season for us, and that means putting up our own decorations, enjoying Griswold-inspired efforts in nearby neighborhoods and a few annual treks to some of our favorite Holiday Light displays.

We’re blessed here to have a wide variety of good options for Christmas and Holiday Light displays. Our annual explorations generally include multiple evenings of piling the extended family into the minivan, immediately breaking out sugary snacks for the drive, and doubling down with hot, chocolaty drinks when we arrive at any faux-North Pole, leaving parents to deal later with the sugar-high grandkids while we relax back at home.

Our explorations include sugary snacks for the drive, then doubling-down on hot chocolaty drinks at any faux-North Pole, leaving parents to deal later with sugar-high grand kids while we relax back at home as the best grandparents in the whole, wide world!

Christmas market at Callaway Gardens — **We’re blessed with many regional, municipal and private Holiday light displays around the area. Some feature Christmas markets for your decorating and novelty needs.**

With a reminder that we don’t accept sponsorships, advertising or freebies for anything we post, here are a few of our favorite festive destinations for Christmas displays, holiday lights and an evening of good fun – plus some tips on how the best enjoy them:

Callaway Gardens, Fantasy in Lights

We put Fantasy in Lights first on our list because it is our most frequent and most favorite of our annual Holiday Lights outings. If you plan just to visit for an evening, the downside is the drive South through Atlanta rush hour traffic. So instead, leave early and spend the day enjoying the shops, restaurants and decorated downtown of neighboring Pine Mountain. Another option is to explore Callaway Gardens, as a free admission is included with each Fantasy in Lights ticket. Allow at least two hours on-site at the Festival of Lights, not including your local travel or parking time.

**Callaway’s brand new field of lights spans two football fields, and features a 10-story lighted tree.**

When purchasing your ticket, you can choose to ride through the display on their “Jolly Trolley,” an open-air wagon with recorded narratives pulled through the displays at a leisurely pace. Don’t forget your winter wear, including hats and gloves if you plan to take the trolley. Otherwise, you can drive your own vehicle through the displays. The trade-off is enjoying your heater in exchange for waiting in what can be a long vehicle queue. Afterwards, enjoy the animated lake-front displays of the Night Before Christmas and The Nativity Story while sipping hot chocolate or one of the more spirited adult beverages also available. There’s also an indoor Christmas Market which offers some unique regional decorations and gifts, plus features a nice children’s play area.

Santa's workshop at Callaway Gardens Fantasy of LIghts — On previous visits, we took the one-horse open sleigh — or the Jolly Trolley wagon pulled by a pick-up — to see the lights. On our recent visit, we chose the drive-thru option, and enjoyed the heat in our van.

Six Flags Holiday in the Park

**Beyond the lights, many of the park’s favorite coasters are decorated for the season, making Six Flags a perfect option for kids one to 92.**

Following Halloween Fright Fest, Six Flags rids the park of monsters, mutants and zombies to transform it into a festive wonderland with lights, foods and shows celebrating the Holiday season. Of course, many of your favorite coaster rides are open and operating normally, while others are themed and decorated for the season – making Six Flags Holiday in the Park a great option for families with kids from one to 92, including those in the tween and teen years. One admission gets you into all the attractions, and Holiday in the Park is included for no extra charge for season pass holders. If you’re a season pass holder, check your e-mail and you’ll likely find some special discounts for friends and family. Otherwise, just bring a Coke can and you qualify for discounted admission. Once we’re in the park, we enjoy the decorations and lights on the walk over to the train station, then hop on for a ride to the North Pole. On the way out, we usually enjoy making s’mores on the open pit fires, always a smokin’ hot way to end a cold evening.

Snow globe at Six Flags Holiday in the Park — **Children’s rides, the carousel, roller coasters, and the train all operate during Holiday in the Park. Plus, the snow globe offers cool photo opportunities.**

Petit Creek Farms Christmas Light Show

Located in nearby Cartersville, Petit Creek Farms is a year-round best bet for affordable family fun. The Christmas Season is no exception, with approximately one mile of Holiday lights, a petting zoo, Georgia reindeer and Santa visits. Plus, the carload pricing scheme is family friendly, and we often find additional discounts using Groupon. It’s no wonder this local attraction consistently is rated in the Top 20 for family Christmas lighting by AtlantaParent.Com.

Rockin’ Christmas, at Whitewater in Marietta

This is billed as the world’s largest drive-thru animated light show. We won’t challenge that in court, but the claim seems dubious (or maybe, just legally-nuanced!) compared to, say, Callaway Gardens.

Cars are in continuous motion through the serpentine traffic pattern at World of Illumination, winding through a computer controlled, music-synchronized LED light field in the parking lot at White Water theme park. Rockin’ Christmas replaces the 2020 show, Candy Rush.

The 2021 show, Rockin’ Christmas, is one of three shows offered by World of Illumination, and they seem to travel annually to different locations.

The drive-through-only display is located in the parking lot of Six Flag’s White Water theme park off Barrett Parkway in Marietta. Cars are in continuous motion through the serpentine traffic pattern, winding through a computer controlled, music-synchronized LED light field featuring seasonal and whimsical characters and shapes. Using short-range FM broadcast, music plays through your vehicle speakers as you drive. While there is a smattering of seasonal Christmas and holiday music from Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani and Trans Siberian Orchestra, the lights also dance to a rocking Queen medley, “Happy” by Pharrel Williams, and other non-seasonal tunes.

**The whimsical characters and seasonal shapes dance to a smattering of Christmas music, but also to a medley soundtrack of rock and pop tunes.**

Rock City Enchanted Garden of Lights

If you’re counting steps, Rock City’s Enchanted Garden of Lights is the perfect choice, using much of the 4,100-ft walking trail at the year-round attraction to create four different Holiday-themed realms. And as an outdoor attraction, Rock City welcomes pets, but beware that your pets may not like the large crowds, other pets and the light displays. Our grandkids were as fascinated with the traditional nursery rhyme area as they were with the bright and blinking Holiday displays. One planning note: there’s only one mountain road up to Rock City and thousands of people who want to visit. Part of the location opens at 4 pm, and it’s best to get there early – which means before the 6 pm full opening time. If you do, you can tour the displays, then enjoy the view seated with hot chocolate on one of the overlooks as hundreds of headlights form a twisting line up the mountain.

THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride

Note that I’ve used the TM to reflect the trademark with the Polar Express on the Great Smokey Mountain Railroad in Bryson City. That’s because while there are many holiday train rides that feature lights, treats, Santa and songs, only those that pay the proper licensing fee can officially use the Polar Express story, songs and characters from the movie. And that, in a nut shell, is why we drove all the way to Bryson City rather than opting for a more convenient Holiday train ride. We’re glad we did it, but we definitely wouldn’t make the 300-mile round trip drive again in one day for the 75-minute experience. Instead we’d make a weekend of it, spend some extra time in Bryson City and maybe even plan a visit to The Biltmore while “in the neighborhood.”

Holiday train ride with elves at SIx Flags — You’ll find Holiday train rides all around Atlanta and Georgia, including at Six Flags and Stone Mountain. But if you want the characters and songs from Polar Express, you’ll have to find the officially licensed attraction.

Atlanta Botanical Gardens

It’s impressive and beautiful. But it’s also ItP (Inside the Perimeter), which means a painful trek through Atlanta traffic, then more potential hassles to get to convenient parking. City crowds and manners also may be overwhelming compared to more laid-back locations. Prices tend to be higher, too, though value and regular nights do offer some relief compared to premium night pricing. How do you know what’s a premium night at Atlanta Botanical Gardens? Simple, if you want to go on a convenient weekend or holiday, you’ll pay more for that premium convenience. Beware, too, that tickets are good only for a specific date unless you upgrade to a “flex” ticket.

Neighborhood Lights

Laser lights and Christmas Joy yard sign — Age and technology have conspired to convince me that three laser projectors, two colored fluorescent bulbs and a hand-made yard sign can suffice for neighborhood decorations. But I haven’t given in to movie-themed blow ups.

We do enjoy riding through nearby neighborhoods and enjoying the Holiday creativity. Sometimes we stop and gawk. Other times we point and laugh. And if we don’t have the grandkids with us, I might occasionally mutter, “WTF?”

Let me get something off my chest about neighborhood decorations and displays. I’m not a modernist. And while age and technology have convinced me that three laser projectors can pass for a whole-house lighting display, I’m just not a fan of blow-ups, especially those based on recent movies. At the theatre, I’ll tolerate yellow mumbling minions for 90 minutes because my grandkids enjoy them. But what they have to do with Christmas or the Holidays is beyond me. The same goes for Disney mice, and random dinosaurs. Bah. Humbug. Ok, I better stop on this deviation before I get my full Grinch on.

What Are Your Favorites?

We don’t have an exclusive on Holiday light rankings. We’d love to know about your favorites, especially since our extended family will be visiting around Christmas time and the idea of getting out of the house for a few hours will sound great. That is, until we pack everyone into even tighter quarters of minivans and child seats and venture into the December darkness.

Winding Walks in The Woods at Red Top Mountain

Georgia Small Plates

DeanLand

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November 6, 2020

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Winding Walks in The Woods at Red Top Mountain

Recently, we’ve headed out to Georgia’s Red Top Mountain State Park to explore the various trails, enjoying the canopy and lake breezes while escaping the withering heat of the last days of summer and enjoying the changing colors of fall. We’re describing these outings as walks rather than hikes since we’re not quite sure where to draw the line between the two and we certainly don’t want to offend serious hikers – like those who trek the 2,200+ miles of the Appalachian Trail from the Georgia gateway at Amicalola State Park.

Colorful scenery on Red Top Mountain trails — **We enjoyed lots of natural scenery on our walks through the piney woods along Lake Allatoona, while also escaping the withering heat of the final days of summer.**

Regardless of the characterization, Red Top offers several trails featuring clear paths, consistent footing, mild elevation changes and some short inclines that will increase your heart rate if you’re an average American over age 40. The trails are well-traveled even on weekdays, and you generally maintain cell phone coverage, so even novice hikers can feel comfortable when heading out on an outing.

***Whether escaping the withering heat of summer or wandering the wide trails to enjoy the colors of fall, Red Top Mountain offers trails to fit every fitness level.***

Choosing Your Route

Selecting your trail is easy, thanks to a trail map from the Georgia State Parks. Available online in advance or as a pamphlet at the park, the maps provide solid information about each trail, including an elevation guide. While these aren’t detailed hiking maps like you might need on technical trails, they provide enough information for the average walker out for a casual stroll.

Visitor center at Red Top Mountain State Park; OurTravelCafe.com — **Multiple trails start and end at the visitor center. Helpful rangers provide trail maps and advice, and restrooms are a welcome site.**

For those who like shorter walks, three trails feature walks under one mile. The Visitor Center trail starts at the park visitor center, and circles for 0.75 miles through nearby woods and small hillsides. The Lakeside Trail also measures 0.75 miles and offers a fully ADA-accessible loop along the shores of Lake Allatoona. The White Tail trail is 0.5 miles one-way ending at a scenic point along the lake, which means your walk will total one mile when you return.

We like covering longer distances, thus prefer the 3.5-mile Iron Hill trail and the 5.5-mile Homestead Trail.

Iron Hill Trail: Share With Bikes

If shaded walks on flatter terrain with lots of water views sounds great, the Iron Hill Trail is a great bet. You’ll enjoy wide open or tree-framed views of Lake Allatoona over approximately half of the trail, with several opportunities to walk down to the shoreline if you wish. These sweeping, panoramic views are great year-round, whether you prefer blue water filled with boat and bathers or fall colors reflecting in smooth lake waters. The gravel-covered trail offers relatively easy footing, generally without ankle-challenging roots and ruts.

Lake views from Red Top Mountain hiking trails; OurTravelCafe.com — **The Iron Hill and Homestead Trails are among those providing wide open and tree-framed views of Lake Allatoona. A marina also offers boat rentals.**

Both walkers and bicycles are permitted on the Iron Hill trail, which can present challenges and frustrations for both types of users. The number of bikers on the path swells on the weekends, so weekday walking is more bike-free than weekends.

Since I’m both an avid bicycle rider and walker, I’m not taking sides here. But I will say both types of users should be aware of, communicative with and courteous to the other. If you’re walking, keep to the right, and consider walking single file if you’re in a group. And if you hear someone yell out, “On your left,” just keep moving ahead and stay to the far right of the trail.

Check Out The Video on Hiking Iron Hill Trail

If you’re on a bike, be sure to call out clear warnings well in advance. Be prepared for that “deer-in-the-headlights” reaction that freezes many walkers smack in the middle of the path, or worse yet, the backward glance over the left shoulder accompanied by a few leftward meandering steps putting them precisely in the middle of your handlebars.

We particularly enjoy the Iron Hill trail in the fall, as the shore-hugging trail offers spectacular views of colorful hidden coves.

Homestead Trail: A Walk in the Woods

For a bike-free walk over more challenging terrain, the Homestead Trail is your best choice. Technically, this trail would qualify as a hike as it features elevation changes, a natural trail bed, requires adjustment of your stride to accommodate obstacles, and is best undertaken wearing ankle-protecting hiking boots or shoes.

Homestead Trail at Red Top Mountain; OurTravelCafe.com — **Homestead Trail is a pleasant walk in the woods on a natural, compacted path. Ruts, roots and other ankle-twisting surprises make hiking boots a good choice.**

Homestead Trail takes its name from several abandoned homesteader locations in the area, with some traces still visible along the loop portion of the trail near Lake Allatoona. Starting at the Visitor’s Center, you’ll walk about a mile through the native forest, often following a small stream that feeds the lake. Crossing Lodge Road, you’ll begin the loop portion on an undulating path which features several uphill sections gaining 75 to 150 feet of elevation over relatively short distances.

Chimney at abandoned homestead; OurTravelCafe.com — **Several abandoned home site give Homestead Trail its name. Keep an eye out and you can find some of the remaining signs of former sites.**

While the path generally is well traveled over tightly compacted soil, footing can be treacherous in spots. Natural drainage can create a few slippery wet sections even during dry season. Roots protrude at unpredictable spots, and also contribute to deep ruts cut by water running downhill during heavy rains. And limbs, trees and even leaves that hide uneven ground create unexpected trip hazards. Plus, while looking down, you’re likely to find some interesting ground creatures and plants that make for interesting – and literally overlooked – photo opportunities

Natural sites at forest floor level, OurTravelCafe.com — **With uneven ground and trip hazards, it’s a good idea to keep your eyes focused on the forest floor while walking. Doing so will also help you find some overlooked sites.**

Spider web at Red Top Mountain, OurTravelCafe.com — **But don’t look down constantly, or you’re likely to encounter some surprises. We found this just off the main trail, but walked through lots of smaller strands on the trail.**

Other Favorite Walks

All this writing about walking got us to thinking about others who write, sing or remind us about different types of walks. Here are some of our favorites:

A Walk in the Woods, Bill Bryson. One of my all-time favorite writers, and not just as a travel writer. This inspired and inspiring book recreates his hilarious path to and trek on the Appalachian Trail with a very interesting friend. Skip the movie – it’s horrible.

The Walk, Richard Paul Evans. Actually, a series of books which tell the ultimately-uplifting story of a man finding faith and friendship after overcoming death, depression and evil as he walks from the Pacific Northwest to South Florida.

A Good Walk Spoiled, John Feinstein. Back to the light side, one of my favorite sportswriters tells stories from the PGA tour. Published in 1995, it’s a bit dated now, but still great fun for us boomer types who remember golf before Tiger Woods.

Dead Man Walking. Growing up Catholic in Louisiana, we have special connections to this true story of a Roman Catholic nun who becomes the spiritual adviser to a convicted killer in the Louisiana State Prison. Susan Sarandon won an Oscar for her 1995 portrayal of Sister Prejean – but she’ll always be Annie Savoy in Bull Durham to me since I have her autograph on an original movie script.

Walking Tall. The original 1973 movie version and sequels, and not the 2004 remake. Yes, The Rock brought big-time wrestling cache to the remade story of Sheriff Buford Pusser, a professional wrestler-turned-lawman. But Joe Don Baker and his baseball bat are forever ingrained in my memory.

Walk This Way. This Aerosmith song is an all-time favorite and launched the band and lead singer Steven Tyler to prominence. Oddly, it also brought rap to the mainstream when Run-DMC covered it with the help of Tyler and guitarist Joe Perry. My special connection: Perry says the famous guitar riff was inspired by New Orleans funk group, The Meters – who played at my high school prom.

Take a Walk on the Wild Side. I’m still shocked that Lou Reed’s exquisite story telling about cross-dressers traveling to New York and becoming prostitutes was ever played on radio in the mid 1970s. Well, it was almost exclusively on FM – which is totally beyond the understanding of any post Baby Boomers.

Christopher Walken. Wonderful, weird and wacky, Walken’s myriad characters are found in legendary movies. And who doesn’t like a good Christopher Walken impression. Even with 100 movie credits, one of my favorite Walken film bits is a Saturday Night Live skit with Will Farrell and a cowbell.

Never done it, never will:

Walking Dead, the series. Nope. Ever since I saw the original “Night of the Living Dead,” zombies – along with clowns – are among my fears.

Moonwalking. Bad knees, no rhythm and profound clumsiness haunt me like zombies. And I prefer Thriller.

Walk a Straight Line. What, with my situational positional vertigo? Not a chance.

Iron Hill Trail route at Red Top Mountain, OurTravelCafe.com — **The 3.5-mile Iron Hill Trail follows along the banks of Lake Allatoona. The gravel-covered trail offers relatively easy footing, generally without ankle-challenging roots and ruts.**

Updated: November 2020

Originally Published: October 2018