Posts Tagged ‘Georgia’

« Older Entries

Down Memory Lane: Atlanta, 2001

April 24, 2014

2009 -- Atlanta

(Note:  All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice.)

In early June, 2001, Betsy and I were invited to the wedding of the son of one of Betsy’s childhood friends in Atlanta. We were invited to the rehearsal dinner as well the wedding itself, so we spent the weekend in Atlanta.

We took advantage of some free time on Saturday to visit Stone Mountain Park. I had been there a couple of times before, but it was fun exploring the park with Betsy. We took the gondola to the top of Stone Mountain to enjoy the view, and later visited the covered bridge and old mill in the park. That evening we attended the wedding and reception.

The collage above contains pictures from our weekend. Betsy is striking a fetching pin-up pose on the top of Stone Mountain in the picture on the top left, while the top right shows the water wheel of the old mill. The covered bridge is shown on the lower left, while Betsy is beautifying a rock in front of the iconic Stone Mountain carving in the lower middle. The picture of us on the right was taken that night at the reception.

To see larger versions of these pictures and others, click HERE.

 

Tags:, ,
Posted in Travels | 15 Comments »

Our World: Tallulah Gorge in October

October 28, 2013
Hurricane Falls, Tallulah Gorge State Park, Georgia. October 14, 2009.

Hurricane Falls, Tallulah Gorge State Park, Georgia. October 14, 2009.

(Note:  All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them.)

This is my post for the Our World meme.  This meme is a second generation of My World Tuesday created by Klaus Peter and is hosted by five wonderful ladies.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

Tallulah Gorge State Park in Georgia is a favorite of ours.  The park contains five waterfalls, and you know how much Betsy and I love seeing waterfalls.

All of the waterfalls can be seen from the rim of the gorge, but there are advantages to walking down 568 steps to the river.  (The major disadvantage is having to go back up those steps!).  We braved those steps in October a few years ago and got the beautiful view of Hurricane Falls seen above.

Tallulah River, Tallulah Gorge State Park, Georgia. October 14, 2009.

Tallulah River, Tallulah Gorge State Park, Georgia. October 14, 2009.

The floor of the gorge gave us a great view of the Tallulah River as well.

Tallulah River, Tallulah Gorge State Park, Georgia. October 14, 2009.

Tallulah River, Tallulah Gorge State Park, Georgia. October 14, 2009.

The river, and those autumn colors, helped us make it back up those steps.

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Our World | 24 Comments »

Mill Creek

March 27, 2013
The Shoals of Mill Creek, Cohutta Wilderness, Georgia. March 8, 2011.

The Shoals of Mill Creek, Cohutta Wilderness, Georgia. March 8, 2011.

(Note:  All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice.)

It should come as no surprise that Betsy and I have favorite places we have visited several times.  Ocean Isle Beach in North Carolina is one, and Mt. Nebo in Arkansas is another.

But there are other places we have returned to as well.  One place a little closer is Mill Creek in the Cohutta Wilderness of northern Georgia.  We came across Mill Creek almost by accident the first time we were there, but there was a short hike from a campground along the creek to what is called the Shoals of Mill Creek.  There are several places along the creek where we could sit and enjoy the beauty and the sound of rushing water.

It takes a fairly long drive along a gravel Forest Service road to get to Mill Creek, but we both definitely think the drive is worth it.

The photo above, from my archives, was taken during a visit to Mill Creek in March, 2011.

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Waterfalls | 16 Comments »

Our World: Historic Railroad Tunnel

November 5, 2012

The western entrance to the Western & Atlantic Railroad Tunnel in Tunnel Hill, Georgia. This is the way we entered. September 1, 2012.

(Note:  All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them.)

This is my post for the Our World meme.  This meme is a second generation of My World Tuesday created by Klaus Peter and is hosted by five wonderful ladies.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

On the Saturday of Labor Day weekend, Betsy attended another pre-wedding event for her future daughter-in-law in Dalton, Georgia.  While Betsy was partying, her son Jeff and I visited the historic Western & Atlantic Railroad Tunnel in nearby Tunnel Hill, Georgia.

The interior of the tunnel, showing the layers of rock the workers had to cut through. September 1, 2012.

The tunnel was built to connect the port of Augusta, Georgia, and the Tennessee River Valley.  The tunnel is 1,477 feet long through the base of Chetoogeta Mountain, and it was designed to be the first railroad across the Appalachian Mountains.

Another view of the rock inside the Western & Atlantic Railroad Tunnel. September 1, 2012.

Construction of the tunnel began in 1848, and the first Western & Atlantic train passed through the tunnel on May 9, 1850.  The town of Tunnel Hill sprang up during construction of the tunnel, and after the tunnel was completed Atlanta became one of the railway’s major hubs.

The railroad tunnel played a part in several Civil War events, including the Great Locomotive Chase and the 1864 Battle of Tunnel Hill.

After the Civil War larger train cars got stuck in the tunnel several times, which led to the building of a larger, parallel tunnel.  The railroad stopped using the historic tunnel in 1928.

The eastern entrance of the tunnel, 1477 feet from the western entrance. Tunnel Hill, Georgia. September 1, 2012.

The tunnel suffered neglect for about 70 years, but in 1992 steps were taken to preserve and rehabilitate the old tunnel.  It was opened to the public in 2000 in time to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first train passing through.

The ceiling of the tunnel. The black is soot from the wood- and coal-burning engines that traveled through the tunnel. September 1, 2012.

I couldn’t take my tripod into the tunnel, so most of the interior photos are not very good.  But it was fascinating to walk through the tunnel and remember that it was built with hand tools.

Tags:, ,
Posted in Our World | 19 Comments »

Our World: Waterfall Adventure

June 18, 2012

Double Culvert Branch, Chattahoochee National Forest, Georgia. May 5, 2012.

(Note:  All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them.)
This is my post for the Our World meme.  This meme is a second generation of My World Tuesday created by Klaus Peter and is hosted by five wonderful ladies.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

Last week I explained how Betsy and I ended up on a road along the Chattahoochee River in the mountains of north Georgia.  If you missed this post you can find it by clicking HERE.

Before we got into the forest Betsy did some research in our Georgia waterfall book and found that there were two waterfalls along Double Culvert Branch, which we would pass on our way to the waterfall we wanted to visit.

We easily found Double Culvert Branch — the picture above shows the branch just before it crosses the road (in a single, not double, culvert).  We naturally stopped for pictures, and while getting some we noticed a rough trail leading up one side of the creek.

We followed the trail, which wasn’t very well marked, for about a half of a mile and found the lower falls.  There the trail ended.

Lower Double Culvert Branch Falls, Chattahoochee National Forest, Georgia. May 5, 2012.

While getting pictures of Lower Double Culvert Branch Falls (above) I noticed a faint track going up the other side of the creek.  Since I knew there was supposed to be another waterfall, I asked Betsy if she wanted to try and find it.  My Beautiful Bride, wise woman that she is, said ‘No’, but that I could go on if I wanted to.  She would wait for me.

Upper Double Culvert Branch Falls, Chattahoochee National Forest, Georgia. May 5, 2012.

I crossed the branch on a log and started up the track.  It was a hard scramble, but I eventually got to Upper Double Culvert Branch Falls.  There wasn’t a lot of water going over, but it was a pretty little waterfall.  Once I got safely back to Betsy I was glad I went on.

This satellite image (above) gives an idea of our waterfall adventure.  Since the branch is hard to see, I’ve included the terrain map below which shows that there really is a creek with the name Double Culvert Branch.

I have no idea how the creek got this name.  I didn’t see a double culvert at all.

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Our World | 19 Comments »

Watery Wednesday: Fall Branch Falls, Georgia

April 11, 2012

Fall Branch Falls, Blue Ridge, Georgia. February 13, 2012.

(Note:  All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice.)

This is my post for Watery Wednesday.  To see more of our beautiful watery world, or to join and post your own pictures to share, click HERE.

Betsy and I keep an eye out for new waterfalls when we travel.  We usually take one or more of our waterfall books and even notes we have made as a result of internet searches for waterfalls.  I guess you could say we like to be prepared.

We planned to spend a couple of days in Hiawassee, Georgia, over Valentine Day this year, and on our way we found ourselves near Blue Ridge, Georgia.  Betsy remembered reading something about a waterfall near Blue Ridge, so she got out our book and gave me the directions to Fall Branch Falls.

Fall Branch Falls is off the beaten path, but we got to the trailhead without too much difficulty.  The hike itself was fairly short and very pleasant.  We got to the viewing platform and had this beautiful waterfall all to ourselves.  What a wonderful way to break up a trip.

Tags:, ,
Posted in Watery Wednesday | 19 Comments »

Scenic Sunday: Caledonia Cascade

December 4, 2011

Caledonia Cascade, Tallulah Gorge State Park, Georgia. October 14, 2009.

(Note:  All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them.)
This is my post for the Our World meme.  This meme is a second generation of My World Tuesday created by Klaus Peter and is hosted by five wonderful ladies.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

This picture of Caledonia Cascade in Georgia’s Tallulah Gorge State Park comes from my archives.  Tallulah Gorge is one of our favorite places to visit.  The gorge is two miles long and nearly 1,000 feet deep.  We’ve hiked both rims of the gorge and had hiked down into the gorge.  One of the attractions for us is the waterfalls along the river as it makes it’s way through the gorge.

Caledonia Cascade is a small ribbon waterfall that tumbles down the side of the gorge from a side creek.  It can only be seen from the floor of the gorge (where it is hard to get a decent perspective) or from the opposite rim, which is where this picture was captured.  You have to look carefully to see the cascade, but there is that bit of autumn color in the bottom corner.

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Scenic Sunday | 15 Comments »

Down Memory Lane: Panther and Angel Falls (2009)

August 11, 2011

Betsy and I celebrated our anniversary in 2009 by visiting waterfalls in north Georgia.  Tallulah Gorge State Park was certainly the high point of our visit, but we also saw other waterfalls.

All of these waterfalls are in or near Rabun Beach Recreation Area, near Tallulah Falls, Georgia.  Getting to Panther and Angel Falls involved a moderate hike through the woods.  Visiting Minnehahha Falls involved a shorter, but steeper hike.

To see larger versions of these pictures and others, click HERE.

Tags:, ,
Posted in Waterfalls | 15 Comments »

Scenic Sunday: Chattooga River

May 15, 2011

The Chattooga River near Clayton, Georgia. April 30, 2011.

This is my post for the Scenic Sunday meme, which shares beautiful scenes from around the world.  To see more Scenic Sunday posts, or to join and show your own pictures, click HERE.

The Chattooga River is a National Wild and Scenic River which forms the boundary between South Carolina and Georgia.  There are national forests (Sumter and Chattahoochee) on both banks, which makes the river area attractive for hiking and wilderness activities.  The river is also one of the top whitewater destinations in the southeast.

The picture shows the Chattooga just above Bull Sluice, a Class V rapid on the river near Clayton, Georgia.

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Scenic Sunday | 12 Comments »

Watery Wednesday #139: Bull Sluice

May 11, 2011

"I wonder if it's too late to change my mind?" Bull Sluice on the Chattooga River. April 30, 2011.

This is my post for Watery Wednesday.  To see more of our beautiful watery world, or to join and post your own pictures to share, click HERE.

On our way to the beach Betsy and I stopped by Bull Sluice on the Chattooga River.  Bull Sluice is a Class V whitewater rapid, and we saw several kayakers shoot the rapid while we were at the observation deck.

I was fortunate to be able to read the mind of this kayaker as he went through the rapids.

"So far, so good!"

"I think I'm going to get wet!!!"

"Oops!!"

What happened?  If you look at the tip of the arrow in the last picture, you can almost see the end of his paddle.

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Watery Wednesday | 16 Comments »

« Older Entries