North Georgia Unplugged
Have you ever felt like stress is choking the breath out of you? Sometimes you are so consumed with managing relationships, your career, and everyday life that it is difficult to take notice of your well-being -- until you have to. This feeling is one I have had to reckon with over the last few months.
Even though I knew I had been feeling the pressure of the stress, I did not expect it to manifest in my body completely betraying me, which my massage therapist pointed out during our most recent session. Their advice -- "You need a day or weekend doing something for you to help relieve the tension” my body was under. This advice translated to "You need a day trip to the mountains." I decided to take the advice.
So, early Sunday morning, I grabbed my hiking pack, camera, and some snacks and headed out for a day trip to the mountains of North Georgia.
Journey
At 5:00 AM, I headed out the door on my way to Brasstown Bald, the highest point in Georgia, hoping to catch the sunrise. The trip up was uneventful, as most of these trips are. You don't see a ton happening when you drive through the North Georgia mountains at 5 AM. However, you do get to witness the serene farm landscape, grazing cows, and quaint dwellings.
For me, it is soothing and a departure from the busyness of more densely populated areas around Georgia. The ride is part of the therapeutic quality I find in any trip, whether a day trip to the mountains or a two-week trip across the country. Just me, the road, a few cows, and Hozier playing in the background -- all keys to unwinding my tension.
I made a quick stop for gas and an emergency hiking snack (trail mix) before arriving in more remote mountain areas. When I finally arrived at the trailhead near the Brasstown Bald entrance, it was 7:45 AM, just after sunrise. Typically, I get to witness the sunrise during the drive-in rather than after I arrive, but it is all part of the relaxingly beautiful journey.
First Stop - Brasstown Bald
Brasstown Bald was my first stop, but I decided to hike to the tower from the entrance at HWY 180 instead of driving up to the parking lot for the shorter .6-mile hike. If you plan to do this, you will most likely take Jack's Knob Trail, which connects to the paved Brasstown Bald Trail. The out & back trail is rated as moderate by most sites and is around 6 miles total, so plan for it to take you over four hours to complete without stops.
I have hiked the trail before, but when I was in much better hiking shape. Regardless, I still wanted to incorporate the hike because it would give me much-needed time to sort through my thoughts and deal with some personal things. Things I likely would have been distracted from had I not taken this trip. One reason I love road trips and long hikes/walks is because it allows your mind to wander before honing in on things that could be causing you tension.
The hike was just as challenging as the moderate rating said it would be. The first three quarters (3/4) of Jack's Knob Trail are all incline, with many switchbacks. The trail was mostly well-maintained, although certain portions were overrun with grass, making them a great place for insects. Since I was wearing shorts, I made sure to check for ticks now and then. After nearly 2 hours, I finally reached the Brasstown Bald parking lot, which meant there was less than a mile to the tower.
Do not be fooled when you reach the parking lot of Brasstown Bald because you still have .6 miles of incline to go, albeit paved. When I finally arrived at the summit, a few people were already there, most of whom had driven to the parking lot. This is a good option if you are not in it for the hike or have a disability; in this case, you can drive to the tower along the roadway. Ironically, I stayed at the Brasstown Bald Tower for only about 15 minutes before returning to the Jeep.
There is a visitor center with educational exhibits and resources at the tower, but apparently, I had arrived too early. The snippy attendant quipped about the visitor center not being open until 10 AM, even though the doors were wide open. Not sure how I got the wrong idea...
Regardless, I headed back to the Jeep. The hike back down was much easier since it was all decline but it did offer an interesting turn when I was surprised by a wild boar behind me on the trail. This was my first encounter with a wild boar, so I was not sure of the protocol for handling the situation. I ended up walking onto a rock and allowing it to pass, but that did not stop it from catching up to me two more times as I hiked down.
Most people like to take the quickest possible route to get to their destination. I only do this when I need to be efficient. On trips where I intend to relax, I like to take the scenic route. It is all about the enjoyment factor for me and offers the most chances I will see something interesting. When I arrived back at the Jeep, I sorted out what my next stop would be. The choices were between Helen, GA, and Clayton, GA.
I chose the latter, which was across the mountain ridge.
Pit Stop - Lake Chatuge Recreation Area
Lake Chatuge Recreation Area
Remember what I said about the advantage of taking the scenic route? Well, this is one of those interesting things that happens when you choose it -- You come across places to recreate!
On my way to Clayton, I remembered a large body of water that ran parallel to HWY 76. I thought, "I wonder if that is Lake Chatuge," a location I had recently written about as a good option for Fourth of July fireworks. Sure enough, it was the same lake and a federal recreational area, meaning it was open for recreation. So I decided to take a detour to grab footage and photos for the post.
There wasn't much to write about in the area since it is mainly for picnicking and boating, but the area does have quite a few restaurants and viewpoints which could be worth exploring.
Next Stop - Clayton, GA
After my quick detour, I hopped back on the highway and headed to one of my favorite places, Clayton, GA. At this point, I could already feel the tension melting away and was hitting my euphoric stride. Something about a ride through the mountains does wonders for me. Around 1:00 PM, I finally arrived in Clayton to a sight I had not seen all day -- crowds.
The Fourth of July holiday weekend must have brought a lot of people to Clayton because it was unusually busy, even for a weekend. Regardless, I decided to make a few stops for coffee, food, and a mandatory stop at Wander North Georgia, my favorite outdoor store.
The first stop was White Birch Provisions, a beautiful little coffee shop situated perfectly as you enter the town. They always offer a great selection of baked goods and coffee. One of the things I like most about them is that they offer locally-sourced honey as a sweetener in their drinks. The iced lavender honey latte I got is HIGHLY recommended.
Next, I dropped in to visit Wander North Georgia. I love this place. They offer everything from hiking clothes to unique books, but the main reason I always go back is the vibe. Everyone there is extremely friendly, and the owners are all about sustainability and the community. I have never found myself to be someone who thinks about either when I patronize businesses, but the amount of passion they have for these two aspects is truly inspiring.
This is why I will go out of my way to visit the Wander North Georgia store. They make me feel at peace and home.
Finally, I grabbed lunch at Fortify Pi, part of the Fortify Kitchen & Bar. This was my first time going to Pi since I usually go to the more high-end Kitchen & Bar. The food was just as fantastic. I only got a Pi Burger and fries since I needed to refuel from the hike. The quality was just what I had come to expect from Fortify.
After finishing up, I had another decision to make. Go home or head back across the mountains again to visit Helen. But I am pretty sure you already know what decision I made.
Last Stop - Helen, GA
Here is a little weird fact about me: I was born in Germany (Army Brat). Now do I remember Germany at all? No, but it is a fun thing I can tell people to make myself seem like I am interesting.
I only bring it up as a transition to my next stop, Helen, GA. Helen is a German-inspired town in the North Georgia mountains. They have a lot of German shops and food while offering visitors a chance to go tubing on the river through the town. I may have gone tubing here once in my twenty-plus years in Georgia.
However, the frustrating thing about Helen is the one-lane road that goes through the town. It is always packed with traffic, especially on weekends and during Oktoberfest. I decided to drive into town to grab some pictures but unfortunately ended up in traffic for forty minutes. Ultimately, I drove in only to turn around and head back home.
And while this might be frustrating to most, I found it difficult to complain because this day trip was about one thing. Taking time to take care of me. And that is what I achieved, regardless of how the day ended.
Care for Yourself
This simple act of traveling to the mountains provided me with some much-needed relief. As I drove home, I felt much better than in the previous weeks. I won't say it completely alleviated the stress and pressure because it didn't. But the trip was never about running away from my problems. It was about getting myself in the best possible headspace to confront my problems head-on.
This is why I preach so much about travel, especially road trips. While they may not be for everyone, there is something therapeutic in driving to a destination and having that time to explore mentally. Being able to think through what is bothering me has been so important -- road-tripping is a tool that helps me do that while also gaining amazing experiences. So if there is one takeaway from my day trip to the mountains, it is this:
Take care of yourself so that you can take care of others. Take care of yourself so that you can approach challenges with your full effort.
