[at-l] Memorial Day weekend - very busy

[RussDade@aol.com (RussDade@aol.com)]

Well, I spent my Memorial day weekend partaking in Some of the Great things the South East is famous for.
Grits, NASCAR & Hiking...The only part I didn't love, was the Grits... but I'm trying...
My wife & I spent Saturday in the sun in Charlotte NC watching a NASCAR Busch race. Lots of Sun, lots of engine noise & a couple of F-16 fly overs made for a great day (add in the 3-4 miles I walked beck & forth between the car & the track & it also counts as a hiking day).
Sunday we spent the day driving & hiking around Georgia.
My wifes not a hiker, but I got her to hike in to Springer with me from 42. We drove in from the East, so it was about 18 miles on the dirt road (but in the process I found a motorcycle only campground near 42 I wanted to check out, so it was worth it). Only a 2 mile round trip hike, but it was a gorgeous sunny day. The view on the way up was nice & the view from Springer was better than I imagined. This was my first hike in to Springer, my heart was pounding with excitement (and it still is). We saw lots of day hikers & 12 backpackers out on trips ranging from a couple days to a week +. I spent some time reading the register & just soaking up the view (with a break for the usual picture session). 
After we got back to the car, we drove down to Amiacola State park & checked out the view from the top of the  falls & hiked to the base of the falls to look up at them. Of course, I had to check out the hikers gear scale & the start of the Springer approach trail (with another kodak session). I thought that the Gathering got my juices flowing, & my blood pumping dreaming about a thru-hike, but that was nothing compared to what I felt after going to Springer Mt. and Amiacola State park... 
We drove about 300 miles that day, with beautiful scenary & views through much of it. Today (Monday) we are home, cleaning house & remembering the men & women that fought for our country, both the living & the dead... 

Russ