EVENT SCHEDULE

July, 2005

[~6'ish~7'ish] p.m. until ??: Gather after work for dinner and/or drinks plus some good socializing on the patio of Mellow Mushroom and Jersey Mike's Subs at the Midtown Promenade shopping center.

Costs: Your food/drinks.

12 noon: Lunch at the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Powers Island Unit of the Park then Hiking

Brown bag your lunch or pick up some take out and meet at the Picnic area. After lunch we will hike the trails from the Powers Island unit to the Cochran Shoals and Sope Creek units then back. These trails are classified as easy to moderate by the National Park Service.

The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA) consists of a 48-mile stretch of the Chattahoochee River and 14 land units along its corridor. It begins at Lake Lanier's Buford Dam, near Buford, Georgia, and continues downstream through four counties to Peachtree Creek near downtown Atlanta. CRNRA provides outdoor recreation for more than 3 million visitors a year. It is an important resource for this urban area that is experiencing unprecedented population growth and development.

CRNRA is a place rich in natural and human history, each influenced by the river's pervasive force. Usually clear, cold, and slow moving, the river sometimes plunges as a muddy torrent through its rockbound shoals. For centuries people have been drawn to the river for food, transportation, and for power to sustain the mills, factories, and homes built along its banks.

Today the river attracts us for different reasons. People come to float down the river, as the locals will say, "shoot the 'hooch", hike the trails along its banks, fish in its cold water, and simply relax. In its role as an outdoor classroom, the park promises to expand your horizons through nature walks, workshops and evening programs.

Wildlife is abundant in the park. Some animals you will see every time you visit CRNRA and some, like the playful river otter, will delight you with a rare appearance. In any season, the Chattahoochee's banks are resplendent in color. Trout lilies, serviceberry, and redbuds bloom in early spring are followed by azaleas, trillium and coreopsis. Late summer, cardinal flowers and the showy scarlet sumacs turn brilliant shades of red with the yellows of goldenrod, the deep purple of ironwood and the multitudel foliage of falls changing leaves.
 

Costs: Group fund: $3 per person; Chattahoochee River Park Pass: $3 per vehicle.

[~6'ish~7'ish] p.m. until ?? — Gather after work for some good eats, drinks some socializing on the patio of Willy's Mexicana Grill at Piedmont Park or in the air conditioning if it's too hot.

Cost: Your food/drinks.

11:30 a.m.: Meet at Zesto for lunch

Cost: Your lunch

After lunch (~12:30~1'ish): Carpool to Sweetwater Creek State Park

Sweetwater Creek is a 2,549 acre peaceful tract of scenic wilderness with over nine miles of trails only minutes from downtown Atlanta. A wooded trail follows the free-flowing stream to the ruins of the New Manchester Manufacturing Company, a textile mill burned during the Civil War. Beyond the mill, the trail climbs rocky bluffs to provide views of the beautiful shoals below. 

The many unique plants are greatly influenced by the presence of the Brevard Fault zone which runs directly through the Sweetwater Creek basin. This fault created rising elevation giving the park a more mountainous environment than the surrounding area.

The 215-acre George Sparks Reservoir is popular with anglers and provides a pretty setting for feeding ducks and canoeing. Fishing supplies and snacks are available in the parks bait shop, while maps and park information may be found in the Visitor Center.

Costs: Group fund: $3 per person; Ga. State Parks Parking Fee: $3 per vehicle; 2 person canoe or 3 person boat rentals: $3/1hr, $6/2hr, $9/3hr, $12/8hr

12:00 noon: Meet for lunch at Rising Roll Sandwich Company 

Cost: Your lunch

After lunch (~1'ish): Biking on the Big Creek Greenway

The Big Creek Greenway is primarily a 12-foot wide concrete path that meanders through the deciduous woods along Big Creek. The greenway offers an ideal setting for walking, jogging, inline roller blading, and biking. Dirt mountain bike trails are located on the east side of the creek 2/5 mile south of Webb Bridge Road.

The concrete trail is about 6.15 miles (10 kilometers) in length. The greenway runs along Big Creek parallel to North Point Parkway, from Webb Bridge Road on the north end to Mansell Road on the south end. A soft mulch trail encircles a large wetland between Haynes Bridge Road and Mansell Road. Wildlife such as blue heron, deer, ducks and Canadian geese can be observed in this preserved water setting. 

Costs: Group fund: $3 per person

[~6'ish~7'ish] p.m. until ?? — Gather after work for some good eats, drinks and socializing at Johnny's New York Style Pizza on Cheshire Bridge Rd.

Cost: Your food/drinks.

11:30 a.m. — Meet for lunch at the Atlanta Bread Company behind the Sandy Springs MARTA station.

After lunch: Carpool to Dahlonega

We will horseback ride in the North Georgia mountains for one or two hours then explore Dahlonega or some of the surrounding areas. (Look for more information in future email announcements)

Costs: Group fund: $4 per person; Cost of lunch and dinner; Horseback ridding: $25/hour; shared gas expenses