Bear Mountain

This was a great day hike with time to spare. The 4+ mile loop connects the Major Welch trail with the Appalachian trail. Many thanks and congrats to the volunteers who crafted this sectoin of the AT.The weather was not so great for pictures but made for an interesting day on the mountain.Trail map

Major Welch trail near base of Bear mountain.

Steep rock face but not so slippery when wet. The trail goes straight up the mountain and ascends (or descends) large rock faces. There may be easier ways around but the rock face is really incredible.

North view of Hudson river valley. Just missed autumn colors by a week or two, I guess we'll have to come back next year... After this picture we lost the trail and wandered around for about 20 minutes before back tracking and finding the trail again.

Fire watch tower on summit occasionally open to public. Dedicated to George Perkins who is regarded as the founder of the Palisades interstate park conservancy.

Thanks trail volunteers, this section of the AT is very well crafted.

Small Town Discoveries

Returning from our day trip to the Chattahoochee National Forests we happen to drive through a town called Helen, Georgia that was in the midst of celebrating their annual Oktoberfest. We were so wiped out from our hike that we didn't stop to check it out but it appeared as though the town's architecture was German/ Alpine year round. With all the townspeople out and about enjoying the weather and the festivities, it was really a nice little town to drive through. So much so that I definitely think its worth returning to Georgia in the fall for.

Http://www.helengeorgia.com

We did stop for dinner at a lakefront restaurant on Lake Lanier. It was a breezy, casual, seafood restaurant featuring gulf shrimp and fish that I assume is caught in the lake. With a front row view of the marina it was a great dinner and a great way to finish our trip.

Http://www.fishtaleslakelanier.com

Pizza Epiphany

For about 7-8 years I've been declaring to anyone that would listen that the best pizza I've ever eaten was Totonno's on Coney Island, NY. I probably even blogged about it, it was so good.

Well, I'm about to commit pizza blasphemy and lose my pizza cred with this post. So here goes...

The best pizza I've ever eaten is no longer in NYC. It's in Fairburn GA at a shop called Oz Pizza. They get their impossibly thin crust so right. I can't even explain it.

Now that's out of the way, I will say this. I haven't had a good pizza in NY in a while. But I'm pretty sure when I do, I'll be back to saying the best pizza is in NY again and the order of the universe will be restored. But until then, if you're in the Atlanta area, you can get a delicious slice at Oz Pizza (they have 3 locations).

http://ozpizza.net/

Anna Ruby Falls

If you avoid the major highways, there's a wonderfully winding road to the next state park, 40 miles west. It's a fun drive for the serious car driver and you remain in the Chattahoochee National Forest so it's picturesque for passengers too. We head to Unicoi State Park to see Anna Ruby Falls. Our parking fee for Tallulah Gorge State Park was valid at Unicoi, so you can really do a lot for just $5. However, Anna Ruby is a separate park within Unicoi and charges an additional $3 per person. Still an affordable price for a family trip.

This is a more family friendly hike. All ages and fitness levels are able to walk at leisure to the twin falls, about three-quarter mile one way.

Tallulah Falls

A short 2 hour drive north of Atlanta will get you to Chattahoochee National Forest. There's lots of budget friendly outdoor activities here, from hiking to boating. You'll find something for everyone with a taste for the outdoors.

We decided to check out Tallulah Falls and Anna Ruby Falls. First we went to Tallulah Gorge State Park and took a 4+ mile hike to the bottom of the gorge and viewed various waterfalls. I forget the exact elevation but it was 1,100 steps to the bottom. The steps back up to the top are killer but the views are worth the sweat. It is recommended that this hike is for the physically fit. My knees and calves were burning on every step.

At this park you will also see where that famous tightroper guy crossed the gorge. You can cross the gorge too, by taking the route that includes the suspension bridge. Normally when I hear the words suspension bridge I tend to, instead, think of a rickety old rope bridge with a cannibal tribe waiting at the other end. But this is a nice, wide, sturdy bridge where you see nice views of the Chattahoochee River.

There are no fees for the park, but there is a $5 parking fee. That parking fee is good for all same day Georgia State Park parking. This was handy when we then drove to another state park later that afternoon.

Food Guide: Southern BBQ

If you're the type of traveler that prefers to eat local, here are some suggestions on where to eat well, on a budget, and not at a chain restaurant. (You can also find additional restaurant suggestions in my previous travel guide posts)

You can't leave Atlanta without trying some great southern BBQ. We found an excellent BBQ place near our hotel in Fairburn called Ohio Hog Company. They keep their menu simple- ribs, pulled pork, or chicken and your typical southern sides of slaw, corn on the cob, baked beans or fries. This is an extremely delicious BBQ, just the right smokiness and spiciness in the sauce. We got the rib sandwich which comes with a 3 bone section of ribs, 2 pieces of white bread and one side (coleslaw) for less than $10 per person.
http://www.ohiohogbbq.com/

There is also a good BBQ spot in Northern GA near Tallulah Gorge called Overlook BBQ. It's upstairs from a roadside country store that happens to have a very clear view of Tallulah Gorge. They also keep the menu simple and we chose a lunch platter ($8) consisting of pulled pork, a slice of bread, slaw and boiled beans. This was a little too smoky for Joe's taste but I thought it tasted just fine. The couple that runs the food service portion were super friendly. (Google maps places this at the end of a road loop when in fact it is in the middle of the loop.)
http://m.yelp.com/biz/overlook-bbq-tallulah-falls

Atlanta on a Budget

Half the expense of traveling is just getting there and finding decent lodging. Here is some budget friendly advice on getting to Atlanta without already spending half your bank.

Cheap flights are hard to find these days but luckily you can get a one-way ticket from Baltimore to Atlanta for less than $100. You may need to wait for air fare sales though. Try to be flexible with your travel dates. We chose to travel on a weekday, which is sometimes cheaper but definitely less crowded. Sometimes, avoiding the aggravation of crowds...well you can't put a price on that.

You can definitely find cheap hotels outside of downtown Atlanta. I booked at Hampton Inn in Fairburn for ~$75 per night. The hotel is new, so it's clean and well-maintained. It's 20 minutes from the airport and about 30 minutes from downtown. Finding hotels outside of the beltway will certainly help your budget.