Two Tubes and A Kayak

We hit the little mountains in north Ga. last week for some R+R before The Kid leaves for college.

We are pretty spoiled by these cabins we rent.  This one is about 15 minutes outside of Ellijay and had everything you could want.

Sunday

We stopped by Mulberry Gap with the MTBs.  The Kid and I rode up and back down Pinhoti 3 while the Lovely Wife hiked the gap and read.  It's a nice place, we'll return.  

Monday

We had scheduled a trip on the Cartacay River.  The Kid wanted to kayak it and after some discussion we decided the Lovely Wife and I would just tube it.  The outfitter was a little sketchy.  The place didn't look anything like the website.  The bathhouse was particle board with holes kicked in it.  They had a shed with a Burger King table sitting under it and their cell phones plugged into an outlet in the ceiling.  "Woody" was the owner and may have been the biggest reason the Lovely Wife was having doubts.  We eventually dragged our stuff down to the river and hopped in.

Things didn't start out too well, the river was muddy with thick vegetation on both sides.  See, with tubes you just kinda go where the current takes you, usually into and under all the trees.  The Kid just paddled around in the middle and got used to the boat.  The Lovely Wife wasn't smiling as she tried to avoid the banks.

The first rapids were easy and a relief.  It was good to see some rocks and the water had started to clear up.  At the end we had to run some class 2-3 stuff.  Yea, it was scary in those tubes.  We all made it without falling out though.

The Kid was pumped with his boat.  While the Lovely Wife almost drifted past the take out.  We managed to wade out and get her, she had to crawl out of the tube on all fours.  There was a pay phone at the ramp and you waited for Woody to call, then he shows up in a beat up old van with wooden benches bolted to the floor.  He buckled his seat belt (the only one in the van) and we managed to make it back to the car.

Tuesday

We hiked Fort Mountain's 8.5 miles of trail.  It was pretty challenging for north Ga.  Took us 4.5 hours to complete the loop.  The Kid was in front of us when he turned around and started walking back "bear!" he says. I looked up just in time to see it run across the trail and down the mountain.  It stopped, turned around to look at us, and started scratching it's butt on a tree.  We made more noise as we walked after that.

An interesting aspect to this state park is the rock wall built on top of the mountain sometime in 500 ad.  They don't really know who built it.  Look it up, it's an interesting story.

Wednesday

Stopped by Blankets Creek for another MTB ride.  I was gassed from the hike but wouldn't admit it.  The Kid beat me on the technical stuff pretty bad.  Yea I know that's not surprising.  I felt great by the time we got done.  I don't know why I like that place so much.

Anyhoo, it was great to get away even for a short trip.  Everything will change for the three of us in just a week so it was nice to have one last mountain trip before that happens.

Mother, Mother Ocean

Yea I know, Mr. Buffet has been overplayed, especially at the Riverview Restaurant in St. Marks.  In fact they played the same 10 songs over and over.  Still it was hard to get too upset, as long as the beer was cold and the food adequate.  Which both were.  It's a dive but I like it.

Big Jim photo.  Don't we look pro?

We ended up there after partaking in my newest hobby.  Well it's not quite a hobby yet, I'm still feeling it out to see if it fits.  Kayaking.

We rented boats from Wilderness Way.  The Lovely Wife and I in a tandem, Big Jim and The Kid each in singles.  Plopped them in the water at the highway 98 launch on the Wakulla River, and paddled upstream to the fence blocking the entrance to Wakulla Springs, then paddled back.  A pleasant 3.5 hour trip.

The Kid now wants his own boat

I'll admit to having reservations, but the boat was very stable and comfortable.  We saw manatee, gar, bass, and a species that is prevalent on that river; Wakullius Redneckius.  These can be easily identified by their tattoos, lots of flesh, smoking, loud voices, and usually playing some sort of music.

Anyhoo, I doubt that kayaking will replace cycling in my recreational pursuits list.  At least not anytime soon.  But I'm looking for something The Lovely Wife and I can do together since we will soon be "empty nesters".  She loves the coast, me, not so much.  So we'll try this again, see how it goes in some more open water.

This is the view from the back seat

I can put up with almost anything as long as there's beer and seafood at the end of the day.

Photo by Big Jim, notice how The Lovely Wife managed to get the paddle in front of her face