Month: March 2016

Remembering Helen

Remembering Helen

Road Drifters

If you’re a hiking enthusiast, Helen, Georgia will never disappoint.  A mecca for nature lovers, Helen is a very different kind of Southern town.  Nestled in the Blue Ridge mountains, this Bavarian village is straight out of a German storybook.  Walking on cobblestone streets lined with Alpine restaurants, charming shops, and colorful buildings, you can almost forget where you are.

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TUBERSOne of my favorite memories of Helen is tubing down the Chattahoochee River with my husband, after a day of exploring the village.  The normally smooth and relaxing tubing trip down the river was an especially hilarious one for us.  We didn’t account for the low water level, and instead of enjoying a two-hour trip, it took close to four hours of laughing at each other while getting stuck on the rocks, then flipping over as we lost our balance prying ourselves out!  A push stick and water shoes are a must have on this river adventure.  Check out Cool River Tubing if you’re ever passing through Helen.

And now to the hiking trails!  From the touristy and challenging steep climb to Anna Ruby Falls, to a lesser known wildlife trail we came across while exploring the countryside, we had our pick of dozens of picturesque trails.

While on a hike on one not so primitive trail, lined with plaquards depicting the various wildlife of the region, we spotted a sign on the BLACK BEAR.   I have to admit that we were just a bit intimidated, okay more like terrified, after seeing that bear sign. We quickly brushed off the fear and pushed on, that is until we came across a plaster cast of a bear paw in the middle of our trail.  Needless to say, we finished that trail in record speed!  SL273034

Here are some more pics from that hike.

After a long day of exploring the village of Alpine Helen, and walking the surrounding trails, we were grateful and happy to wind down for the evening at our charming B&B.

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The Nacoochee Valley Guest House is just a few miles outside of the heart of Helen.  It is the perfect restful getaway, owned and operated by a mother/daughter team. These charming ladies also run the gourmet restaurant located at the inn.  Every meal at Bernie’s Restaurant is more delicious than the next.  It’s a good thing our daily hikes balanced out the amount of food we devoured at Bernie’s!

Our final adventure on this trip was our very first zipline tour.  Ziplining with Nacoochee Adventures was exhilarating, and a bit frightening.  In the end, we were ready to do it again, and again.

Whether you visit Helen for the trails, the adventures, or the charm of its unique village, this is a place you will never forget; a gem in the beautiful mountains of northeast Georgia.

Buen camino. . .Buen Camino Logo

 

 

 

 

Every Day Counts

Every Day Counts

Road Drifters

Finding the motivation to get out there and walk is not always easy.  Factor in a busy workday and 86 degree temperature with high humidity, and the motivation is close to non-existent.  However, there are so many ways to keep the momentum going if you really try.  Weekday hikes may be as simple as getting up early to get your walk in before the day begins, walking around a park during lunch, or committing to a walk in the evening in your neighborhood.  No matter how you do it, do it.  You are preparing for the more exciting hike planned for the weekend ahead.

Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt:

Planning for our weekend hikes is made easy with a few great apps we love.

AllTrails offers downloadable maps of hiking and biking trails at the tip of your finger.  You can save your favorites for easy access, record your hike, and share your photos and trails with friends or followers.

MapMyHike goes a little further.  It not only tracks your hike/bike route, it also let’s you set exercise and nutrition goals, track the lifespan of your gear, purchase your favorite gear brands and items, and join challenges with friends or groups.

You won’t fall off the map with these apps!

Buen camino. . .Buen Camino Logo

 

Why Santiago de Compostela?

Why Santiago de Compostela?

Road Drifters

Our interest in hiking was born in the Blue Ridge mountains of Georgia.  The inspiration to walk El Camino began one night, browsing through books at Books & Books in Coral Gables.  Rolando came across a book titled Humbled by the Journey by Miguel “Mike” Benito Fernandez.  It is a story of a Cuban businessman, and his journey on El Camino to Santiago de Compostela.  It seemed like an interesting read, so we decided to buy it, hoping that it wouldn’t sit on our bedside table along with the other books we haven’t found the time to read.  At the register, Rolando asked the cashier if he knew anything about this story.  The gentleman at the cashier, a man in his late 60’s we thought, said that he did know something about the story because he had done the pilgrimage himself.  This man 20+ years our senior, he is in his 70’s we learned, planted the seed that would soon become a dream.

That seed was firmly rooted the day we watched a movie directed and produced by Emilio Estevez and his father Martin Sheen, the leading actor in the film The Way.  Movieholics that we are, it isn’t hard to believe that one movie would have such an impact on us.  Great movie–a must see whether you’re interested in making this journey, or just want to experience an inspirational story.

Being in the beginning stages of our quest, our research consists of lots of reading.  Today we started the day reading two chapters of To The Field of Stars, by Kevin A. Codd.

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There is a story about the meaning of Compostela, which if you understand Latin, (and who understands Latin??) translates to Field of Stars.  Hence, the title of Father Codd’s book, an American priest on his own journey towards enlightenment.  We are only two chapters into the book and already we don’t want to put it down.

Next on our reading list will be that first book that inspired us, and still sits on our bedside table.

Our journey awaits.

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Buen camino. . .Buen Camino Logo

 

 

Live, Love. . . Let’s Do This

Live, Love. . . Let’s Do This

Road Drifters

After meeting late in life, we are a couple in love, knowing that sometimes second, even third chances don’t come easily.  We are Olga and Rolando, and while working through the monotony of everyday life, we still dream big.  And now, through the eyes of a couple starting life anew, today we have decided to embark on a pilgrimage along El Camino de Santiago.  Also known as The Way of St. James, for many this path begins in the Pyrenees, and continues through northwestern Spain to the shrine of the apostle St. James the Great in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.

Our love of hiking began while on our honeymoon in Georgia.  There’s something about pushing yourself to walk long distances on beautiful trails, some easy, some hard, but oh so rewarding when you’re done.  This picture was taken while hiking in the Blue Ridge mountains.  It was during our time in Georgia that we began to fantasize about tackling the Appalachian Trail.  We began to follow seasoned hikers of the AT on YouTube, and thought…we can do this!  Now we have set our goal to walk a path a bit further away from home, and hope to walk El Camino, a visual, spiritual, and physical adventure stretching over 500 miles.

Back home in Miami, we have begun to plan for our future journey.  This morning we didn’t venture off too far from home.  We did an urban hike on Ludlam Trail, a new 6.2 mile trail through Miami, created in the old East Coast Florida railway system.  We look forward to training throughout different trails for the next two years, and sharing our experiences in our preparation to conquer El Camino.

Here are some pictures of our hike on Ludlam Trail in Miami.