Unicoi State Park – Travels with Fred

Unicoi Trip – Day 7

23 December 2017

A couple of points about DoubleTree in Orlando. It’s showing its age but is still a very nice hotel. Strangely, the bathroom only had a back lit mirror for illumination. I would hate to try and shave with that mirror and I admit while taking a shower, it was mostly by feel, not sight. Strangely, you are charged for self parking – $12.50. God only knows what the valet parking would have cost.

I had an opportunity for some XXX rated entertainment. I went to bed around 10:30 pm and heard what I assume to be a young couple come in the room next to mine. It sounded as if they had been shopping because you could hear shopping bags being moved around. They were talking pretty loud at first but I got up and turned on the fan on the A/C and couldn’t hear them any more, so I dozed off pretty quickly.

One popular misconception is that occupational generic cialis for sale therapy is needed by those people who need support to sexually connect with their partners. Keep this and all medications out of the reach viagra on line australia of children. To bring on line viagra the wild fire of impotency effects in to control by the proper advice of physician about the concerned drug. With the summer Olympics due to kick off in Beijing this August, all eyes will be turned to China and to the https://www.unica-web.com/archive/2012/letterpresident1203.pdf generic levitra 10mg sporting world. Around 12:30 am, I awoke and heard some kind of sounds that sounded like someone was hurt. I listened for a little while and then got curious and got out of bed. I shared an inside door with the couple next door and things were getting hot and heavy in the next room. The young lady certainly seemed to enjoy things and I know the man’s name is Denny because it kept being shouted out. He was much less vocal – mostly grunts. I’m always surprised people don’t realize how thin hotel walls are.

All good things must come to an end, and so they finally got to the post coitus stage and I was able to get back to sleep.

The drive home was uneventful except for getting out of Orlando. My GPS got a little confused (or I did) and it took about 15 minutes longer to leave Orlando than it should. I was home by 11:30 am. The trip was everything I had hoped.

Unicoi Trip – Day 6

22 December 2017

I never thought I would get out of Georgia. Somewhere around Gainesville my GPS seemed to go crazy and routed me back to the park. I cleared it and restarted with Orlando as the destination. In a fit of pique, it then took me down back roads, and then eventually two separate dirt roads before it decided to head south. I think it was the Russians.

Recently, I paid to have the GPS updated and ever since, it seems to be more confused than I. No update is a good update.

I finally crossed the state line at Lake City. The old downtown is rather quaint. I then made excellent time until just below Gainesville, Fl when I75 became stop and go traffic until I reached Wildwood. I kept wondering why my GPS kept saying I was still and hour and a half out of Orlando.
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Much later, I got to the Ronald Reagan Turnpike and found sections of it were also stop and go. Damn those holiday travelers – spoiling traffic for us retired hikers.

In any case, I pulled into the DoubleTree Hilton just off I4 around 7 pm. I started the trip this morning at 7:30, so it made for a long 11 1/2 hour day of driving. That’s what happens when you get lost in the Georgia backcountry.

This is my first time in a DoubleTree and it is nice. I got a good rate through my Hilton Card which I never use. Tomorrow should be an easy 3 1/2 hour drive home.

Unicoi Trip – Day 5

21 December 2017

The Mount Yonah hike is described as “moderately strenuous” and “hard” hike. I concur. As you leave the trailhead, you immediately begin to climb. Gradually at first, but then it gets steeper and the trail rockier. Atlanta Trails calls it a 4.4 mile round trip hike and it feels like it. The peak is 3,166 feet high and your elevation gain from the trailhead is 1400 feet. Atlanta Trails has an excellent description of the hike and I used their distances in my descriptions.

You can see Mount Yonah in the distance.

Two guys set off as I pulled up and one said he would have hot tea waiting for me at the top. (I’m still waiting for the tea!) Another group pulled up and beat me on the trail by a few seconds but quickly out distanced me

At mile marker 0.3, you cross the fanciest bridge I’ve ever crossed on a hike, that’s probably due to Army Rangers.

Around the 0.5 mile mark you go through a series of switchbacks as it progressively gets steeper. On my way back down, I passed several day hikers that looked as if they were in over their heads on this section.

At 0.8, someone had put a series of cut stone steps to ease your climb to the next switchback. The trail at that point actually begins to descend significantly until you round the base of the mountain. Once around the base, you then climb at a steady rate. About this time, I was stopping every few yards to catch my breath.

Mile 1.0 has a short scramble over a boulder field that was more fun than difficult. However, I wonder how some of the dogs on the trail will handle it? Perhaps better than their owners.

Mile 1.2 is a clearing with a majestic boulder overlooking the valley. This is apparently a popular campsite. The incline gets steeper and rougher due to erosion of the trail until you reach 1.6, the ranger station and landing zone for their helicopters. They have the most outdoor toilets I’ve ever seen at a site – six.

Army rangers train on the mountain, including rappelling.

From hereon, you pretty much follow a gravel road until you are near the summit. Then it is back to trail, boulders, and as you round the bend is a jaw dropping view of the valley below. You get a tinge of vertigo standing near the edge.

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I followed the trail upward and made the summit which is a large bald (and helipad). I back tracked a little to the cliff edge and had lunch overlooking the valley.

I admit I am slow, but I’m old. I can climb for long periods of time as long as I take numerous breaks. However the downhill part takes a toll on my hips and knees.

As I was finishing lunch, the group of three who beat me to the trail started their descent. I think they were surprised, but pleased I made it to the top.

The trip down was faster, but in someways tricker with the loose rocks. It took me a little over 2 hours to make the climb and about an hour for the descent.

Everyone on the web raves about his hike and I can see why. It challenges you but pays off in the end.

On the way back to the lodge, I took a side trip to Sautee. This is a really quaint little village that has made the most of old buildings, converting some into gift shops, sandwich shops, potteries, etc. It isn’t nearly as touristy as Helen.

I stopped to get a sandwich for dinner and bought my required amount of taffy.

Tomorrow, I start the trek home with a night in Orlando.

Unicoi Trip – Day 4

Continue reading “Unicoi Trip – Day 4”

Unicoi Trip – Day 3

19 December 2017

It was an eventful day. I hiked 3 of the 6 waterfalls starting at 8:30 this morning and finishing at 3:30 pm. My puppies are tired and I suspect it will be a 3 Advil night tonight.

I went to bed early last night but didn’t get to sleep until after midnight because I was wrestling with the thermostat. I set it and it never shut off. The heat was unbearable even though it read 76F. I kept lowering it to get it to shut off and then it would run until I lowered the temperature again. Finally, I had lowered it so much that it was too cold in the room. I shut the fan off (it was on continuous run) and that did the trick. I was awake at 5 am and up by 5:30 pm.

I decided to do the closest fall first – Anna Ruby, just outside of the park. It is in the Chattahoochee National Forest and the fall keeps bankers hours – the gate did not open until 8 pm. I guess the US Forest Service sleeps in.

I then headed to Dukes Creek Falls. Depending on who you believe, it is either a 2.3 mile round trip or a 3.8 mile round trip. It felt more like the 2.3 was correct. You experience a 344 foot elevation gain while you hike. This was the tallest fall I saw today at 165 feet. The water flow was pretty good and a fly fisherman added to the idyllic view.

The fee for parking was $4 payable to the US Forest Service. It’s an honor system and you fill out your envelope with your car tag and make of vehicle, the date and time, etc. Guess who does not provide pens or pencils and guess who didn’t have one on them? The pen I had was dried up but I etched the form and put the envelope in the box.

From there, I headed to DeSoto Falls, so named because a piece of Spanish armor was discovered near the falls and supposedly DeSoto explored in this region. This was about a half mile round trip to the lower falls. There are three falls along this creek – upper, middle and lower. The middle and upper were closed due to debris on the trail – another casualty of Hurricane Irma.

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The lower falls are 35 feet high and you experience a 160 foot elevation gain on the trail. The first part is steep but after that the trail flattens out.

The next decision was a tough one. I wanted to hike Ravens Creek Falls but this was a 2.5 mile one-way trip to the falls meaning that I had to hike 5.0 miles round trip. I decided to go for it and I am glad I did. The falls are really nice and you pass another fall, Duke Falls (not to be confused with Dukes Creek Falls earlier).

Duke Falls along Ravens Creek Falls trail

The trail was almost all up hill for 2.5 miles (567 feet elevation gain) and the last 100 feet were very steep, almost to the point of climbing hand over hand. The falls are 50 feet high and pour through a split in the rocks. The elevation here was 2,639 feet so I succeeded in getting some height in with my hikes.

Along the trail, I passed some older and younger hikers (I must be getting my second wind) and was feeling pretty good until some younger hikers passed me on the trail.

There was a class of young students with their chaperones and they made it to the top as well.

After I got back to the jeep, I decided to call it a day. My tootsies were tired and tomorrow is another day. However, there is a 99% chance of rain tomorrow, so I may not be hiking after all. Stay tuned.

Unicoi Trip – Day 2

18 December 2017

I awoke at 5 am and tried to get back to sleep but gave up at 5:30. I rolled out of Tifton around 8 am and set the GPS to avoid expressways. Boy, did it ever. It routed me through highways 11, 129, and 23 until I arrived in the Bavarian village of Helen, Georgia, circa 1968. The morning was fogged in and I didn’t see sunlight until around noon.

In 1968, the town businessmen decided a make over was needed and an artist at a nearby town remembered his stay in Bavaria just after WWII and pitched them on the idea. It looks remarkably as you would think a Bavarian Village to look like (since I’ve never been to Bavaria).

I checked in at the lodge at Unicoi State Park, and Groupon, true to form, did not warn you about unmentioned fees. I added $42 to the amount I already paid – tacked on by the lodge. In any case, the room is serviceable. It was freezing cold when I walked in and I quickly jacked up the temperature.

After unloading everything to the room, I headed out to Helen to tour Bavaria. Key West and Duvall is a piker compared to Helen. Tee shirts, jewelry stores, restaurants and pubs galore. I made a quick tour of downtown and headed back to the park.

I checked out the zip line adventures in the park and scheduled a Thursday experience when the kid asked me how many were participating. I said one. Wrong answer. They require a minimum of two. If anyone wants to join me, come to Unicoi State Park on Thursday for zip lining. He took my phone number and will call me in case anyone else signs up.

I need to decide what hikes to do tomorrow. There is a 9.2 mile round trip, 6 hour hike to Anna Ruby Falls starting in the park. However, I could simply drive to the falls, pay a $3 admission fee and walk 0.8 mile round trip.

They have a brochure of local waterfalls in the area and I may try to complete the tour of all six.
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1) Anna Ruby Falls 0.8 mi round trip, easy

2) Duke’s Creek Falls, 3.8 mi round trip, moderate difficulty

3) Raven Cliff Falls, 5.0 mile round trip, moderate difficulty

4) High Shoal Falls, 2.4 mile round trip, moderate difficulty

5) Horse Trough Falls, 0.8 mile round trip, easy

6) DeSoto Falls, 4 mile round trip, easy to moderate.

Dinner tonight will be in the lodge dining room.