Clouds and Canyons

Hubby and I left the ren fest early due to rain and crowds. We went back to our yurt to rest and I played some ukulele. We had left the windows open just to screens so it was good we got back when we did to zip and latch the window flaps, the rain progressively got stronger as the afternoon and evening wore on. Originally we had planned to go on a guided candlelight hike to the ruins but when it started getting dark we heard thunder in the distance so we knew the hike was most likely canceled.

The lightning and thunder was quite violent from midnight to 4 or 5 in the morning but we can add being in a yurt during a thunderstorm to the list of cool things we have experienced (I was so happy not to be in a tent). When we got up it was just drizzling, I had feared lugging gear and loading the car in a heavy downpour.

Across the road from the camping area was a large reservoir with boat put-ins and a bait shop. Hubby and I strolled along the banks and bought a few snacks and postcards in the bait shop.

We sat in a bench and watched the water, we thought it had started sprinkling again but upon closer inspection the surface was covered with water bugs as far as the eye could see. We played with fingerlings (baby fish) and watched a mommy duck and her ducklings swim to a landing. When the rain picked back up we went to the visitor center and walked through the mini museum. We met up with our friends and chatted before we got on the road for the drive home.

Roads through Georgia farm land can be a bit dull and mind numbing. About 2.5 hours out from home we stopped at Providence Canyon State Park to stretch our legs, eat some food, and use the bathroom. We weren't prepared to hike otherwise I would have dragged hubby on the 3 mile hike through the canyons. Now I know what you are thinking...canyons...in Georgia? Providence Canyon has earned the moniker of "Little Grand Canyon" for good reason, while not as large or deep as the Grand Canyon (which I have been to) it is very impressive.

 These were taken from one of the many overlooks along the rim.

 The landscape is constantly evolving.

 We may have had some fun.

Don't worry, we did not climb over the fence for real, this was strictly posed and shot behind the railing with a zoom.

 Looking down to the trail.

The bees loved these blooming trees.

The temp was in the mid 90s and even with cloud cover the UV index was 12 so I didn't get to explore the church or the cemetery as much as I would have liked without melting so I did a quick run around to snap the pics then jumped back into the air conditioned car.

It was a whirlwind yet delightful trip, I hope we can do it again. Maybe next time we can allow enough time to visit Stone Mountain, Callaway Gardens, and the Little White House (all which Hubby hasn't been to). I really want to do the canyons again when it is cooler so we can hike down though them.

Some Bunny Loves Ya!

Sweetwater Creek

With temps rising our adventuring dies back a bit, however we got a fun short notice trip this past weekend. Some friends rented a yurt at Sweetwater Creek State Park in Georgia and we split the cost with them. We hadn't been to the park before, we don't often explore Georgia or drive more than 4 hours for our little adventures. This park is worth a return, I really want to hike the trails and get better pictures.

The back porch of our yurt

We arrived around dinner time Friday night and after a quick pepper and onion burrito dinner we all went on a short hike before dark. I am so glad we did since much of the weekend was rainy and Hubby and I didn't make it to the trails again.

 Sweetwater Creek houses the ruins of a civil war era textile mill that was burned by Sherman's troops. The mill is only about half a mile down an easy trail. I apologize for the quality of the photos, it was just before dark and I was pushing the zoom on my little pocket camera.

The mill has a fence around it to protect it and people from each other but this overlook gave some great views.

If you are a Hunger Games fan these ruins may look familiar, parts of Mockingjay Part 1 were filmed here.

There was a candlelight tour of the mill to be held the Saturday evening while we were there but unfortunately it was rainy and bad thunderstorms rolled in that evening. 

Some critter was an accomplished fisher, these little shells littered the shore.

 The river was a wonderful sight, with all the rocks it reminded me much of visiting my family in Washington State.

Saturday morning we slipped into our pirate gear and drove to the Georgia Renaissance Fest. Traffic was unbelievable, it took our friends an hour to get in to park, so after about 20 minutes of bumper to bumper traffic only moving a few inches at a time we took a side street and explored the historic district of a cute little town. We did some treasure hunting in an antique mall and I found a few nice jewelry pieces. Down a few shops we found a sports bar with a Gizmo totem out front, yes we got photos with Gizmo.

Our stomachs were rumbling so when we came across a local pizza joint we gave it a try. Hubby and I both ordered calzones and we were blown away, we haven't had calzones that good since our favorite little hole in the wall joint closed a few years back. If you are ever near Fairburn Georgia stop into Oz Pizza, your stomach will thank you. After lunch and a cider we got back in line for the ren fest. It still took us about 20-30 minutes to get in but at least we were well fed.

More photos from our weekend adventure coming soon.

Some Bunny Loves Ya!