2015 Birthday Ride and Hike

Our breakfast stop in Dahlonega GA

I took off last Friday so Diane and I could take the BMW for a ride to the GA mountains and go for a hike. It is the perfect time of year for it - before the weather gets too hot. Diane likes to refer to these rides as "Two wheels to trail head." It was also the kids first day of summer vacation (Drew is rising sophomore and Emily is rising 8th grader). The kids didn't miss us at all since Diane told them they could play with as much electronics as they wanted on their first day off.


The bike loaded with gear as we changed to from biking to hiking attire

Diane and I did one of our more common and favorite routes. We headed to Dahlonega, where we had some drinks and muffins for breakfast, and then headed up to Suches on rt 19/60. Just south of Suches the Appalachian trail crosses the road at a location called Woody Gap. Their is parking on both sides of the road and a bathroom.We took a short hike up the mountain to a beautiful outlook call Preacher's Rock. Supposedly in the 1800s "Bear" Joe Lunsford would go here to practice his sermons. Melissa, from my lab suggested this hike and it didn't disappoint. Trust me .... the photos don't do the view justice.




Rare photo of Diane on the hike up

Cool flowering tree we spotted on the trail

Preacher's Rock Selfie



The view from Preacher's Rock

 After the hike we rode wolfpen's gap (rt 180) which is some serious twisties and the highlight of the ride. Then we took the big, sweeping curves back down rt 19/129 to Turner's Corner Café for lunch before the ride home. We sat outside which has  deck overlooking the Chattahoochee river. It was a perfect day. The service was slow as usual, but we expect that :)