Date: 2017-10-16
From: The Lodge at Amicalola State Park

To: Amicalola Falls State Park Visitors' Center
Miles today: 1.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I got up at 7 a.m. and for breakfast ate some of the leftover pizza I had ordered after dinner last night. I also had a couple cups of coffee, a shower, packed up all my stuff into my backpack and checked out. I decided that instead of getting picked up at the lodge, I wanted to hike the remainder of the approach trail down to the Visitors' Center. When I checked out at the front desk, the lodge manager informed me that a portion of that trail was still impassable because of blown down trees damaged during Hurricane Irma. He showed me the rerouted portion on a park trail map. Essentially, the upper half of the large staircase running 1 mile from the top of the falls to the bottom of the mountain was bypassed using the access road. I would still get to complete the trip to the Visitors' Center at the stone archway that serves as a sort of psychological if not the official start point for most northbound hikers. This morning it was windy and significantly colder than yesterday. I had heard this change predicted in weather forecast describing the weather system that had passed through late yesterday, bringing rain and the clouds responsible for yesterday's sunset. First, I made my way down a portion of the access road, and then went across the parking lot and through the woods on a confusing series of trails marked with yellow and green blazes. The black and white photocopy of the park map given to me at the lodge was not much help here. Haha. Just before 9 a.m., I arrived at a reflecting pool at the bottom of the falls. I took a couple pictures. I think this was the spot at which I had seen a white automobile parked in the distance in yesterday's photograph from the top of the falls. I took a look around and located the continuation of the approach trail which I used from there as the path to the Visitors' Center.This trail maintained a relatively shallow slope and ran roughly adjacent to the runoff stream from the falls. It passed a number of picnic areas, pavilions, and cabins. At the top of the falls I had seen a sign and yellow caution tape closing off the top portion of the approach trail. Next to it was another sign which described that part of the approach trail as "difficulty -- strenuous. 425 steps." Apparently all 425 of those steps were on the upper half mile of the approach trail between the reflecting pool at the bottom and the top of the falls.I arrived at the bottom of the approach trail at about 9:15 a.m. and took a few pictures at the stone archway. I then went into the Visitors' Center. I signed the logbook there, and the staff gave me a complimentary Cherry Coke and ice cream sandwich. I looked around the VC for a while, and Bill picked me up around 10 a.m.1 more mile As I'm now at the end of this "expedition," I want to express my deep appreciation for all of the people who are and have been part of it. It has been a journey full of adventures and wonderful experiences made far more enjoyable with the inspiring company and support of great people, friends and loved ones with whom I have had the fortune to share it. I can hope for nothing more important in any part of the continuing journey that is my life. ¢The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun... Happiness only real when shared.¢ -- Alexander Supertramp/Christopher McCandlessIn particular, I am especially glad to have met and bonded with many fellow hikers -- May you stay forever young! Also, special thanks to my wife Teresa, for both all the time needed to complete this and for the near-daily tedium of editing my misspelled journal entries. I love you.