Wed, May 2 2012 - CHEROKEE TRAIL And/Or STONE MOUNTAIN SUNSET (View Original Event Details) Trip Leader(s): Ayo, Mark Participants: Mark, Lemmy, Jean, Laura V, Ayo, Eva

Write Up:
This was an overall, a very pleasant hike. We started our journey on the Connector trail and picked up the Cherokee trail a few minutes afterwards. It was a near 90 degrees day, but it felt like 50-60 degrees along the trail because of the low humidity, tree shades and gentle breeze. Our pace was moderate to fast, but the entire group was in close proximity throughout the 1st half of the hike.  Along the way, we stopped for water breaks and took some nice pictures, we encountered a variety of beautiful birds trying to settle into their nests for the evening, and ducks and turles swimming on the lake/pond. Mark also pointed out an unsual flower with no petals.  Another unsual encounter at an area slightly past the covered bridge was "very large" dead fish that appears have swam ashore and couldn't get back in the water. Someone was also riding a powered water craft, which was not something you see regularly in that body of water.  We ended the 1st half the of our hike by getting back on the Nature and Connector trails and taking the train tracks back to the Confederate hall.

For the 2nd half of the hike. Mark showed us the path less traveled - an alternate path to the walk up trail - which was very forgiving to our ankles and knees because we did not have to pound the granite to get to the top of stone mountain.  Unfortunately, we did not get to the sunset due to heavy cloud overcast, but we got a nice consolation with a bright and beautiful moon. We descended down the mountain after an half hour to an hour of relaxation on top of the mountain.  We were also beneficiaries of prayers by a religious group congregating near our rest spot.

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