I Vote For Woody! - Election Day On The AT

Tuesday was election day, and while the results were nothing like I wanted (a dirt bag like David Perdue is now a US Senator) the day was not a total lost, I spent most of it hiking at one of my favorite spots Woody Gap. On this day I did both the Ramble (to Ramrock Mountain) and Big Cedar Mountain (which includes Preaching Rock and the Big Cedar Vista). I had thought of doing this hike because I had never been up here when autumn was in full color. I had been putting it off, going to other places like Blood Mountain and Anna Ruby Falls, anyway I got a good day and decided to go. While the trees on the trail were past peak in the valley they were beautiful. I also learned that setting up a Eno Hammock is a thing called Enoing. So, here are a collection of pictures on my election day hiking on the AT (Appalachian Trail) and some added shots from the Chestatee Overlook, Lake Zwerner and Rock Springs Park. Oh, I will do a couple of compare and contrast photos from my hike to Big Cedar Mountain in September with Deb to show how things can change in just over a month.

Headed up GA 60.

First stop...Chestatee Overlook.

From the overlook Blood Mountain...

...& Levelland Mtn, Rock Springs Top, Wolf Laurel Top & Cowrock Mtn.

The AT Information Kiosk & rock.

With rock.

Sign &..

...vista.

I found the sign at Woody Gap had been vandelized...

...Here is what it looked like in April.

Headed south on the AT I found...

...mushrooms.

White blaze...

...& some fall color.

With white blaze.

Some fall colors led the way...

...south on the AT.

Trees at camping area at Tritt Gap are almost bare.

Another white blaze....

...& the trail up...

...Ramrock Mountain.

The valley below...

...with farm & fall colors.

More of the Ramrock Vista.

Sawnee Mountain.

At Ramrock Mountain.

Headed back toward Woody Gap.

Autumn in the mountains.

Headed down Ramrock Mountain...

...on the AT...

...to Tritt Gap.

More AT.

Headed around Black Mountain.

The Sun...

...& fall colors.

The beauty of autumn.

White blaze leads the way.

The fall colors...

...at this camp site.

One last look.

Another favorite tree of mine.

More AT.

While the leafs were past peak...

...there was still some nice color.

One last white blaze before Woody Gap.

Besides being turned the wrong way...

...the Woody Gap part is also missing.

More cars than when I got here.

Colors of the Woody Gap vista.

Headed into the Blood Mountain Wilderness.

I love hiking...

...on the AT.

Still a litte color left...

...but most is on the ground.

Lunsford Gap & the start up Big Cedar.

With white blaze.

The leaves covered one of my favorite tree...

...but now the Devil Tree is visible.

Devil Tree close up.

First outcrop on the way up Big Cedar...

...here is the second...

...from it one can spot Yonah Mountain.

Preaching Rock panorama...

...& I.

Some nice color in the valley.

They call this Enoing, but their limb was about to break.

More from the Preaching Rock vista...

...it was nice!

Headed up the summit.

Same spot in September.

Low bridge.

Trail cuts through this log.

One of my favorite AT trail spots in September...

...just over a month later, what a difference!

It is about 1/2 mile from Preaching Rock...

To the trail junction that leads...

...to the Big Cedar Vista.

Beautiful!

More beauty.

I t was just me & my GorillaPod.

"The mountain are calling & I must go."

Lovely panorama...

...& fall colors.

Cowrock, Wildcat & Yonah Mountains.

Trees at the summit.

One last look....

...back down the trail.

Headed back south...

...on the AT.

Headed toward the crowded...

...Preaching Rock.

One more, one last look.

The AT & in the back ground...

...Black Mountain.

The 2nd outcrop...

...& the first.

Cowrock Mountain.

Headed down Big Cedar Mtn.

With a white blaze here...

...& here.

Sun on the trail.

Home stretch.

Back at the Woody Gap sign...

...with it.

Leaving the Blood Mountain Wilderness.

Back in September around this sign you could spot...

...lovely Jewelweed.

...now those are gone.

Good bye Woody Gap...for now.

Stopped for another look at Blood Mountain.

Headed back done GA 60.

Trahlyta's Grave.

Lake Zwerner...

...& the fall colors one its banks...

...they were red...

...& beautiful.

Old bridge over the Chestatee River.

Finished the day with a two-mile walk & sunset at Rock Creek Park.