Another trip between Georgia and the New York farm

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Its unusual that I make the trip this late in the year. Although it is highly unlikely it would snow (and bring the road salt and all the other bad stuff). It is often rainy. I had excellent weather. The main objective was to bring the brush hog up and mow trails. The trails have been disapearing and there are a number of bush islands appearing everywhere a small finish mower can't do the job. The tractor worked well. Back up over a multiflora rose bush with the brush hog up and drop it down and take care of business --at least for another couple of year or so. I spent many hours years ago yanking these things out of the ground with tractor and chain which yields a more satisfactory long term outcome. I will be doing the same with the largest ones for sure. I understand that these bushes were originally planted as a natural fence. Animals and humans alike don't like the thorns. They are invasive.
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My kayak trip was awesome! So what happens when three restless boys want to do something exciting in Atlanta over the Thanksgiving holiday? Shoot the Hooch. Traverse the Chattahoochee river in grand style. We did it in a combination of couchsurfer, thrillseeker, and urban explorer (mostly Couchsurfer). We met for the first time last week. The participants, one from France (a recent MBA grad from Georgia Tech), one from California (a 20 something Mechanical Engineer) and me.

We put in at the Buford Dam at Lake Lanier. We put in illegally since the park was closed. (I mean who would want to use a park on a holiday?) We parked illegally at both ends of the run (not sure of the reasons, but an accumulation of a $50 parking ticket). And, we camped illegally for two nights. So, let's add some danger with two beginner kayakers, and very fast water. It is very dangerous, at least one person has died in the Chattahoochee in the last year from swift water. The risks were fully assessed. This wasn't a ride at Disneyland.

I have to admit that in my 28 miles I had a couple good shots of adrenaline, like when my team member got caught in a strainer and he had to bail inverted. Keep in mind, the temps were just above freezing during the evening, the water was cold. I was with two exceptionally cool guys.

It was fun cruising through the sanctum of the backyards of multi-gazillion dollar estates and country clubs. These are the same country clubs I enter the front door. At one point, I was out of my boat on a golf course. The golfers acted like a frogman just climbed out of their swimming pool. They didn't know whether to say hi or get me arrested. The biggest house we saw on the hooch was 32 thousand square feet, with an 18 hole golf course on 60 acres with a ten thousand square foot carriage house. Others were much more modest and I don't think we saw a single house with more than 5 stories.


















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gpc said…
Dang! What a cool trip! Great job!
Lynn K.
1:06 PM
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