So, last night I was flipping through my hiking book and chose a hike at the West Palisades Trail in Atlanta. It was suppose to be a mild 5 milepeaceful hike along the Chattahoochie! Didn’t turn out quite that way! We started down the wide trail at the south end of the hike. Not bad, but lots of gravel and roots. Came out at the river and walked a half mile south along a beach area! Seemed like the start of that easy hike! As we came back to our starting point, there were 2 trails close together. One was wide and went away from the river, while the other was narrow and went right along the river! We took the road less traveled and went down the narrow river trail! The first half mile or so wasn’t bad, then the trail closed in and started up a cliffside! We climbed over and under trees, up and down hills and through heavy brush, but there was sort of a trail! Finally after a little over a mile of that, we came to a huge rock cliff with a small cave underneath! The cliff went out into the river and we were at a dead end! After staring at it for a few minutes I noticed it wasn’t a sheer wall, but had cracks and small ledges! I decide we could climb it! After all, I had watched my son Craig climb many rock walls! I left my sweetie at the bottom and started up the 20-25 foot wall! As I reached the top, I climbed over the edge and could see more trail on the other side!!! I called to Phyllis to start climbinbg! She made it up like a pro even though she thought I was crazy! After we worked our way down the other side we went through more under and over and then the trail opened up! After another half mile it became an actual trail, then a paved jogging trail! We went to the end of the trail and then turned back around! We decided to take the high road back! It was a half mile steep grade, but we made it to the top! Looking at the map, it was a straight level shot back to the car! Well, about half way back there was a side trail! I wanted to check out the top of the cliff we had climbed! We walked toward it and then dropped back down a steep trail to the river again! More over and under and then we reached a trail that was straight up and down in both directions! I decided to go up! UP! and UP! We had to crawl, pull limbs and drag ourselves a half mile straight up!!! When we finally reached the easy trail again we walked on! Seemed like an easy walk to the car, but somehow as we popped out of the woods, we were in a very upscale townhouse neighborhood! I wanted to go back, but Phyllis refused and said we would find our way out! Of course she had to ask the first person we saw! They had no idea even though we were actually only about 200 yards from the parking lot! I tried a cut through between 2 buildings and got chased out by a tiny dog! The second cut through was the charm and took us right back to the car!!! Six miles according to the pediometer, but seemed like 20!! We had a blast!! Who needs a quiet peaceful hike!! East Palisades Trail on the other side of the river coming soon!! P.S. Not to downplay our accomplishment, but on the heaviest part of the trail, a 60-70 man came up behind us and had the look of a speed walker! As he moved past us we asked where the trail was! He said there isn’t a trail! Just keep going straight! I can only assume he climbed the wall too! Either that or he sprouted wings and flew over it!! Maybe he was a mirage!! It was awful hot!
2015-09-09