OnRd0406

Monday and Tuesday, Sep 27-28, 2004 (Joe is On the Road - Sue stayed home):
       I (Joe) am switching to first person naration for this trip. On Monday, I traveled from home to Oak Mountain State Park, near Birmingham, Alabama. On Tuesday, I continued to Unicoi State Park, near Helen, GA, and will remain until Friday AM. I hate reservations. I got here Tuesday but have to leave because the weekenders have all the sites reserved.
Wednesday, Sep 29, 2004, Unicoi SP, Helen, GA:
       Today, I went waterfall hunting and saw three. The first was Anna Ruby Falls, in the National Forest nearby. It was discovered by Colonel John Nichols who bought it after the Civil War and named it for his only daughter. There was a .5 mile paved trail to the falls and I took my "cripple cart". It would not climb some of the grades with me on it, so I had to get off and help it, but the trip was worth it. It was a double falls and one of the prettiest I have seen. It is formed by two creeks spilling off the mountain at different levels. Dukes Creek Falls, appeared to have a paved trail, but steep, and the cart batteries were weak, so I didn't go. I may try it later. It was 2.5 miles on a rough trail at Raven Cliff Falls, so I said, "Forget it". I saw Helton Creek Falls, 2.5 miles in, by car, on a rough logging road, but only a short walk of about 300 yards and 100 steps down. I saw Amicalola Falls from a distance but the trail was too long for an old cripple to walk. At 729 feet, it is the highest Falls in the Eastern USA.
Thursday, Sep 30, 2004 (More waterfalls):
      I went to Tallulah Falls State Park to view the falls and the gorge, but could only see one of the several falls without major climbing. I went on a 50 mile wild goose chase, trying to find 2 other falls, but only saw an unknown falls on a distant mountain. The last stop was Toccoa Falls, on the campus of Taccoa Falls College at Toccoa, GA. It is a pretty falls, dropping straight down for 186 feet, which they claim is 26 feet higher than Niagra Falls.
Friday, Oct 1 (Lake Sidney Lanier, Corps of Engineers Campground):
      Friday, I Moved to this COE campground and spent the rest of the day working on pictures, email and the website. It's a nice place by the lake and I plan to stay here until Monday, then head into North Carolina and eventually the Smokey Mountains.

Joe Reeves, On the Road, Lake Sidney Lanier