Raven Cliff's Ramble 

   One of the first things you notice when you pull into the trailhead parking area are all the bear warning notices everywhere . More on the bears later . 

  A small footbridge starts the hike to the falls . It's easier to go around the footbridge and just hop over the small ditch . The trail goes up, around , and down  a hillside . You may be able to avoid the hill by following the creek for a bit . You will probably have to wade once or twice if you do . Stay on the trail and there is a nice footbridge with a single rail so you won't get your tootsies wet . 

   Now that you are started , here's a couple of warnings for you . Internet sources say that the trail is some where between 5 and 6 miles round trip . If you are hiking just to hike or just for exercise , you can be there and back in 1 or 2 hours . If you hike , more like a meander ,  like me exploring , taking pictures and just dawdling , it's an all day stroll with lots of breaks . If you don't like the sound of the wind rippling through the trees  or water tumbling over and around rocks and such , wear ear plugs . It is constant .

   And there is a plethora of things to look and wonder at .

   I am not a geologist but from what I have read these rounded holes are formed when a rock is caught up and just tumbles round and round . I imagine it takes a day or two at least .

   The trail follows the creek fairly closely with only a few difficult places . Of course the wet , slick rocks keep it interesting .

   Other spots have you going through laurel tunnels . In the spring , the blooms here have got to be killer .

   It looked like some one made a good start on a Romanesque stone pathway .

   Bach to the bears warnings  ...

   The wind and water musical constantly playing masks the all but the whispers of the bears in these laurel hells . But I swear I heard at least two of them making supper plans . '' Just wait , that fat old bastard will either slip and break his neck or stroke out and keel over . Easy pickings .''

   Then I turned a corner . This small water fall dropped about 15 to 20 ' . I fooled the bears , I didn't go all the way to the edge .

   Then I got to one of the many footbridges . It appeared that those damn bears had pulled up a bunch of the walkboards and piled them up against a tree. I guess they figured you would slip and fall or have a heart attack trying to put the walkboards back in place .

    Further on , the path had been cleared through a tangle of trees that had gone down in a storm .

   This pic is part way up to the falls . A huge flat rock makes viewing up and down the creek awesome . Just don't stumble .

   The path continues up to the top of the falls but this ole fat boy didn't attempt it solo . Funny thing about hiking solo nowadays is I tend to listen to that little voice that says '' Are you freaking nutz !?''.

Or maybe I just heed some of my wife's admonitions . 

   You still have to use a bit of caution here . A hiking staff is a must for us older folks .

   The main attraction is the twin falls between the cliffs The entire hike was spectacular in my book . 

   A couple artsy fartsy shots ...

  

  Sources say that this is one of the more popular day hikes in north Georgia and can get  crowded at peak times . I must have hit it just right because I had it pretty much to myself . Maybe half a dozen other hikers . And the ghosts of past loggers hollering at their mules . Like whispers in the wind . 

                                    BERRY COLLEGE RAMBLE  

   

    Berry College is about as well known for it's campus deer herd as it is it's beautiful location . FYI , it is the largest campus in the US, it sits on 27,000 acres . Quite a bit of it is open to yearly quota hunts .
     After stopping to take a few long range deer photos we headed over to the Mountain Campus to see the water wheel . One of the world's largest at 42 ' in diameter .  It was a touch crowded with families enjoying the holiday .

    I am still trying to figure out the gravity system . It wasn't moving and I couldn't figure out how the water got from the two holes at the bottom to the top of the wheel . Surely gravity doesn't push water uphill . Might have to go back when they are grinding and ask some one smarter than me . Of course that could be anybody .

    The roof piqued my interest as well .Stone roof tiles , not slate , partially held in place with copper straps . Thew copper straps may have been used in a repair process but they sure did add character . I liked the stone work here and at the millpond better than the rest of the campus . As a side note , the works were built by students .

             

          Frost Chapel . The architecture , stone work , heavy wood beams , copper gutters , downspouts , and spires , leaded windows , and stained glass are all spectacular . Set up on top of a hill ,it is imposing in all respects .

    One other thing for y'all . It was wide open to the public with no security guards or other intrusive security measures . And no graffiti !

    On to the Ford Buildings .

     Mr, and Mrs. Henry Ford gifted these in the 1920s and 1930s . The English Gothic architecture  is described as iconic . And it is . it will take several more visits to discover all the intricate details these buildings have to offer .

    Ford Auditorium with it's distinctive clock tower .

    Alumni Center .

   Just a taste of the carving and detail work .

    Ford dining hall

Mary Hall details

   Ford Gymnasium .

   Berry College Chapel

    Berry College Chapel religious deer .

    Once again I have only scratched the surface of this unique place . The museum was closed , we missed the dairy , House of Dreams , Possum Trot Church and more . There will definitely be a return trip . If you don't already subscribe to the Berry College Eagle Cam , please check them out . Nesting American Bald Eagles that last year successfully hatched and fledged chicks . 

                                                      After the rain

         Sunday was a rainy day to say the least . Spent the day at my elder son's home enjoying the grandkids . And helping them take naps . 

 

          Monday was forecast to be a nice day with a few clouds so we decided to head back up to check a few places we had bypassed . On our way to Blood Mountain Creek Falls we had to pass Dick's Creek Falls . Yes , the infamous Dick's again . 

        Dick's was running fast and hard making for some fantastic photo ops . Notice I said ''ops''. I'm still new at this photo thing and sometimes , OK most of the time what I think I am capturing isn't always what develops .                                                                                                                                                     

     As we were leaving Dick's an SUV rolled in carrying a couple of kayaks . Of course we didn't think anyone would really kayak here . We headed off to Blood Mountain Creek Falls just a short run down the road after fording Crow Mountain Creek .

    After getting geared up for a short hike up the creek,my first pic came from the bridge crossing the creek .

 

        And the another 10 '- 15'

       According to the directions I had , the left hand side was the route to take . They lied . Less than 20 yards upstream the ''path'' disappeared straight up the mountain into a laurel . So we went back across the little bridge to the parking/camping area and went up the right , and correct side of the creek .  In retrospect  maybe creek left is the same as river left . Oh well ....

      Maybe 100' from the truck was the next set of falls . Giant rocks tumbled into a maze . These boulders are typical of what the name Chattahoochee means , Flowered rocks or painted rocks . These pictures really do not do justice to how beautiful these waterfalls are . You can literally drive any type of car to within an easy 1 to 2 minute walk to view them .

     On the way back out we noticed that the 'yaks had been taken off the SUV . Damn , I bet that was interesting  ! Well lo and behold  as we came around a curve there was a 'yak in the middle of the road and another one poking it's nose up from the steep , overgrown bank . We had to stop and ask how it went .

      We were surprised to see it was the lovely young lady we met at the Walisi-Yi Center last trip . The young man with her had a little bitty kayak and she had an odd looking canoe with full flotation . After turning around we offered them a ride back to the falls . They were going to make another run down the creek and graciously allowed me to take a few pictures . Oh , to be young and adventurous again . Don't believe I would have had the good sense to wear a helmet though .

     I had to make a stop at Byron Reece trailhead again . There was some CCC stone work over Shanty Branch Creek that I hadn't found last time and after some head scratching I figured out where it was  . Kind of looks like either a Troll hole or a Fairy door .

    The parking area wasn't overflowing but it was getting crowded .  The reason I mention this is because as much use as this trailhead gets , these picnic tables didn't look like they saw much use . Odd , considering how pretty and peaceful it was  by the creek .

     We then took 180 east to 348 south or Richard B Russell Scenic Byway . And it is scenic ! We stopped at Hog Pen Gap for a few photos and to water the bushes . 

There was still ice hanging on the rock face from the last cold spell we had  and huge chunks that had fallen to the base of the wall .

    Most of the fall colors are gone or faded but this vista of Lawdamercy Cove was still  nice . And yep, that's the name on the map .

     I read in the Longstreet Highlands Guide that there was an easy , I repeat easy , short cut to the top of  Dukes Creek Falls which is actually on Dodds Creek . That should have rung a bell .  Not only was that a lie , it was a damn lie , not only that ,  it was a damn , boldfaced lie , not only that  , it was also  B. S. You get my drift . 

    In all fairness , there really is a trail . And to be honest , it may be easy if you are young and  in extremely fit condition . Or a mountain goat with low  4 wheel drive feet . Ok , or a damn bird . 

     For old fat guys there should have been a warning sign that said ''Don't even get out of your truck . Just drive on by the trailhead , content that you could hear the falls off in the short distance . ''

    I swear to you that the guide says right there in black and white that the falls are ONLY about 1200' from the road .  Oh , Hell ,Yeah !!!!!  There are about 60'-75' that are actually doable then another 50' or so through a leg breaking tangle of downed trees , then a leaf covered , bobsled of a ghost of a trail down the mountain through a laurel hell . It was so steep and slick I was afraid to let go of the small trees I was clinging to , to  take a picture .

      I stopped just this side of the hell . I could hear the roar of the falls and feel the cool breeze coming off them . Yeah , I know . So close and yet so far away . Boohoo . 

      The gate across Davis Creek was open so of course we forded the creek . One more inch of water and we would have been floating off . Dang crossing was way deeper than it looked . Next time I will have Ron wade across to check the depth . He probably would have gone downstream fast though . Two wheel drive wasn't looking too good today cause we still had to turn around and cross it again to get back But the old Dakota made it through .  We stopped for a photo of Dodds Creek on the way out . Some idjit had spread corn  all around the campsites there . Turned the camping area into a  taco stand for the bears . ( Camper in a sleeping bag or tent . )

      We passed on the Raven Cliffs Falls hike . We will have to make it the focus of a morning trip so we can make the two and a half mile hike up to falls , and more importantly , the two and a half mile hike back to the trailhead . 

     As long as we were in the area we decided to make a couple more easy  stops before calling it a day .  Unicoi Lake is beautiful at any time of the year .

      Stovall Covered bridge was our last stop before heading to Waffle House . 

                                          

                                                  Another good day to be above the dirt .