Hiking Brasstown Bald, and Water Falls

Helton Creek Falls, Brasstown Bald, Helen, and Playgrounds Galore - Here we come! Wish there was more time to spend today, but alas we must return to flatlands tomorrow morning. See you next camping trip! Pappy.

This was a go, go day. Up early and headed to Brasstown Bald (which you might know is the highest elevation in GA. We huffed and puffed our way up the trail to the summit. What a wonderful day it was. We were told by a old gentleman who volunteered at this park that there was a really nice waterfall not too far from Vogel State Park. He called it Helton Water Falls. So, what could we do, but check out Vogel and then head over to Helton Falls.

Vogel is a really nice park although a little small for the size of our rigs. The kids however found what was really important - The Playground! It really doesn't take much does it:)

Next it was off to Helton Falls. This is a little known hide away waterfall that was located at the end of a very, very narrow dirt mud road. Very bumpy and very fun (don't ask Grammy). Check out the photos and you can almost feel how cold this mountain water is.

A Camping Birthday Party for Grammy

March 16th, Grammy, Hannah & I headed up to Unicoi State Park near Helen, GA to camp with Butch & Bonnie & grandkids and celebrate Brenda's birthday.... and our 40th wedding anniversary which will be on Sunday March 20th. What a deal!!

Brenda mentioned that I was getting a little "snooty" camping at Unicoi in our 5th wheel for our 40th - since we celebrated our 20th anniversary in the middle of the Okeefenokee Swamp. What can I say except that I tend to be a little more extravagant in my "older age". Do I have a great wife, or what! I love you Honey!

Of course we had to travel to BabyLandGeneralHospital to check out the Cabbage Patch Kids, ect. This place has done really well since they opened 35+ years ago. Only now, their "Kids" are made in China:(

Hannah adopted an appropriate "Kid" and named her, uh, well you'll have to ask Hannah for the child's name. They all had fun and they it was time to head back to camp and other "camp activities" - as Hannah likes to say.

Hannah Clair, Hannah Marie, Dustin, and Tristen hanging out in a convenient tree in the park.

If it looks like they're having fun - your right!

More to follow in days to come. Pappy

Crooked River State Park

Brice aboard the USS "Ground Hog".

Mandy, Brice, Bonnie, and Brenda listening out for any wild things to come out of the jungle:)

Bonnie, Brenda, and Mandy ferrying over to Cumberland Island. It 'twas a little chilly on deck.

Mandy spotted this gator taking a snooze after making a mad dash into and out of cannel. It's mating season in the Okeefenokee:)

Well it's been one month since I've blogged about our trip to Crooked River State Park. This place is wondrous. Kings Bay Submarine Base is located adjacent to the park, and although we didn't tour the Base, Brice did find a land-locked sub that he just had to climb on.

Cumberland Island is just across the river -bay which is accessible only by ferry twice a day. The ferry departs from St.Mary's and it's just a 45 minute ride across. Braxton's BSA Troop made the trip on Thursday and we went over on Friday. A walking self guided tour of the ruins of the old Carnegie Estate was an interesting adventure - particularly while walking through the narrow foot paths of jungle like foliage . Wild horses and other wild creatures abound on the island and when we heard something running toward us through the thick jungle it got the "lady-folks" a little on edge. All went well though and the rain held off most of the time.

The Okeefenokee Swamp was just down the road apiece so we boarded one of their tour boats and visited about 50 alligators in the swamp. All of them were very peaceful and meant us no harm, but Mandy was startled by the one pictured here. It seems that this was the beginning of mating season and some of them started bellowing. This one let out a bellow and ran into the water where he made some more menacing growls and made the water jump. Then, as quickly as he went into the water - he came back out and began taking his sunbath. Mandy excitedly told us every detail .... several times:)

On Thursday, we watched the Shuttle Discovery blast off for it's last voyage. We watched it from the beach at Fort Clinch State Park, FLA. It wasn't a whole lot to see except for a sparkler in the sky and a very very long plume of smoke. What can you expect from 100 miles away! Still, pretty neat!

The day before we left to come home, we contacted some old high school friends in Jacksonville, FL. Lloyd and Vera Able both graduated from Baker High School which has now been torn down and we haven't seen them since the 20th reunion. Anyway we couldn't pass up an opportunity to visit them since we were so close to Jacksonville. Those of you who don't know the Ables would enjoy their company. They traveled the world while Lloyd was in the Navy, and they had many adventures to talk about. Even though you may never have met them, you may have seen some of Lloyd's work. In the motion picture "Top Gun", Lloyd was one of the Navy Pilots flying the dog fighting scenes. In the closing credits, you can find him listed as LTCMD Lloyd "BOZO" Able. Very Cool! Who says I don't know important people:)!

That's all for now folks .... next trip.... Unicoi State Park, Helen, GA.