If You Don't Know Yet I Have Some Big News...

I know that there are some people wondering why I am still in Tennessee and not blogging about hikes and other things I do in Georgia. So, before I go any further for those who don’t know this Wood Booger is permanently relocating to East Tennessee. It has taken a while to get this blog up because of I have been busy and it has taken some time to get this one together. Most people close to Deb and I know that we have wanted to move back to Tennessee for sometime  (in Deb's case ever since we moved to Georgia). As anyone who follows this blog knows it has been a inconvenient summer. Right at the start the apartment flooded and I had two big hikes washed out.

"The Swamp"

One last look at NFHS.

With "Big Buffalo" at Ted's Montana Grill.

This was a cool display at Outdoor 76 in Franklin, NC.

What we did decide was to move most of our stuff back to Tennessee and  if we had to, spend one more year in Georgia we would move back next summer. So with that it looked like we were coming back to Georgia. Then a little over a week before we headed back Deb got a call from Hawkins County Schools and before we knew it, WHAM, she had a job! Like that we found ourselves making the permanent move. For those who don’t know we both have family and friends here and that is one of the many reasons why we wanted to come back. My Dad isn't getting any younger and we just missed him and Terry. Same thing goes for Deb and her her Mom, Aunt and 93 year-old Grandmother. Don't get me wrong there are plenty of things I miss about Georgia. I made plenty of friends playing hockey, like Nick, Garland, Ruby, Mike, Spanky, Brendan and many others.

With Mike and Spanky.

Then there are my hiking buddies like Gregg, who I section hiked the Appalachian Trail from Woody to Neel Gap. Oh, and there is my weekday Hike Georgia group. Kelly, Ken, Paul, Annat, John, Beth, Mikki and especially my hiking co-leader Lori and all of the others I went on outings with.

Some of our Hike Georgia group at Sawnee Mountain.

While I will miss you guys let me tell you now we haven't hiked our last trails together. Then there are my old friends, some go back 20+ years. One I made while working at the Daily Herald, Kelbi. All of us will need to meet up in the Smokies sometime in the future. Two of my closest friends in Georgia go back before I ever moved there. I have known Marty since the early 90's. We have been running the roads to hockey games for many years.

Marty & I at Phillips Arena (when Atlanta had NHL hockey).

While I will get to more Ice Bears games our Thanksgiving Weekend tradition will continue. I have known Dave even longer, going back to my college days at ETSU when he lived on our couch. Finally there is our old friends and fantasy football league mates Clint and Cindy. I have known Cindy since college and, while not that long, it feels that way with Clint sometimes. There are more Super Bowls and fantasy drafts in the future (we will be down for this year's draft Labor Day Weekend). People aren't the only thing about Georgia I will miss, there are plenty of places. Whether it is waterfalls like Amicalola Falls or mountain peaks like Brasstown and Rabun Balds.

Amicalola Falls.

Brasstown Bald

Rabun Bald.

Oh, then there is quite possiable my favorite spot in the Peach State, Blood Mountain and that little store close by Mountain Crossing (but I will be back there in the spring).

Vista from Blood Mountain.

Mountain Crossing at Walasi-yi.

View from the Indian Seats on Sawnee Mountain.

A course I would be re-missed if I didn't mention the place I hiked at the most Sawnee Mountain Preserve. I hiked the trails there countless times and enjoyed the Indian Seats, I will miss this place, but I have to go back and hike the new trail (when it opens). There are the many places I played hockey, but one in particular is closest to my heart, Union Hill Park. These two rinks will always be my home rinks regardless of where I live and play in the future. I love this place!

The indoor rink at Union Hill Park.

It is not just hiking and hockey spots, but there are all of those places I love to eat at. From Ming's BBQ, Chef Liu's, Caribbean Fiesta, Ipanema Brazilian Steakhouse, Penang, What the Pho, and my two favorite Korean places Han Il Kwan and the Honey Pig. This was just a few there were many others.

Feast at the Honey Pig.

Ipanema Brazilian Steakhouse.

Pho at What the Pho!

I almost forgot two of Deb's favorites the Old Blind Dog and Chin Chin. There are also those unquie places to shop like Hmart and the Buford's Highway Farmers Market. Yes, I will miss Georgia, but I am more happy to be back home. One of the good things is I will be able to go somewhere else for vacation. Anyway, because of this move it is a new chapter in our lives and also for this blog. Right now I am not totally ready to revel the changes I want to make, but I will soon. So, after 16 years I say good bye to Georgia.