Fri, Apr 26 2019 - 11th Annual Dauset Trails Spring Camping and R&R Retreat: Free Kayaking & Canoeing and miles of Hiking & Biking trails! (View Original Event Details) Trip Leader(s): Charlie Cottingham Participants: Charlie Cottingham, Angela, Arlene S, Jenny, lraymer, Lisbelle C, Lorri, gheetl, Shir K., Huiling, Fred J, Susan Gonzalez, Gayle M., Don B, Laura, Jackie C, christy, Bill, Tennisrobin, Melina, Marie-Felixe, Sandra a.k.a (Hellraiser), Ken H, Sally M, Dave R, Kevin M, Chris F

We Dauset Trails adventurers had an unforgettable good time together on the 11th Annual AOC Spring Retreat at this wonderful nature preserve just south of Atlanta.

As usual for the festive "multi-sport camporee" we had an unbelievable assortment of delicious contributions to our family-style meals - also enthusiasm for our group hikes and for paddling, bicycling, sightseeing, and just chillaxing by the lake.  The weather all weekend could hardly have been better!  And at night the clear skies were perfect for stargazing and meteor viewing from the beach by our beautiful "private lake." 

After breakfast on Saturday we enjoyed a leisurely group hike through the woods beyond the lake to the Nature Center's Visitor Center, Museum and Wild Animal Trail. Dozens of Georgia's amazing native critters are on display there and available for free for viewing by the general public year-round. Georgia's famous "General Beauregard Lee" groundhog is now happily at home in his "plantation mansion home" enclosure with a female companion. Other popular attractions that we enjoyed during this traditional "orientation hike" were the live gators and other amazing reptiles in the Museum's "Wonder Room" plus gorgeous botanical gardens and a restored old-time barnyard complete with pigs, chickens, mules and other fascinating animals.  A special treat was the "Lotus Pond," where beautiful pink and white lotuses were in full bloom.

On Sunday after breakfast several of us enjoyed a 4-mile hike to historic Indian Springs Village which adjoins the main entrance to Indian Springs State Park, the oldest state park in the nation. Numerous treats reward visitors there including a "whimsical botanical garden" a couple of general stores & ice cream shops, and the State Park's namesake spring where believers in the curative powers of the water line up for filling hundreds of jugs each day.

We look forward to our event participants sharing their online photo albums and verbal comments & anecdotes about the trip that I'll be glad to add below!

- Submitted by Charlie, Mon Apr 29th. Hope you can join us for our fall 2019 AOC retreat at this wonderful place.  Mark your calendars for the weekend of Sep 27-29, 2019 and look for the article to appear on the Club website in early summer.