Tue, Mar 19 2013 - "OGIM!" (Oh Gosh It’s Monday!) Medlock Bridge Hike - Reschedule to Tues (View Original Event Details) Trip Leader(s): Mike Pawloski Participants: Mike Pawloski, Denise, Elsie Santway, Stan, Kathryn B

What a difference a day makes.

Monday's storms had passed and on this late afternoon clouds in the sky were as abundant as consensus in the U.S. Congress...

On the eve of the 2013 Vernal Equinox four hearty souls and one Lab set out on a hike along the Medlock Bridge Park trails in Norcross, GA.  Medlock Bridge is a part of the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area.

This popular scenic park is easily accessible from SR 141. Whether you want to be active or enjoy a leisurely day, the park has a variety of offerings, including walking trails, a small picnic area and a ramp for boats, canoes and kayaks that gives you access to the Chattahoochee River.

Beginning at the boat ramp, we checked how the river was flowing.  Surprisingly, it wasn't as fast nor as high as we expected given the previous day's deluge.

Following the trail north along the river we skipped over a few puddles and side-stepped a mud hole or two.  A few breaks in the shoreline vegetation provided clearings to the rivers edge.  We took advantage of these spots to toss sticks out into the river where Cedar, the Lab, eagerly retrieved them.  We proceeded over a short bridge and up a few stairs to a bluff overlooking the river.  Since the trees have yet to don their spring and summer leaves, the view up and down the river was clear and we could see the gradual curvature of the waters path from this vantage point.

From here it's a short walk down a hill and back up then relatively flat to the end of the trail.  Several homes sit along the park boundary and there's a short spur trail that parallels the border for approximately two hundred yards.

We backtracked and shortly after crossing back over the bridge we turned left on a side trail and proceeded slightly uphill into the woods.  This trail was lined with fallen limbs and trees, but nothing impeded our progress.  It seems as if the Forest Service staff does a good job here moving obstructions off to the side of the path.  After a short break we continued and followed the trail down to where it meets the entrance road.  We veered right here and proceeded back into the woods.  After a short walk, we decided to hike up a short but steep spur trail.  Once at the top, we were surprised to find that someone had constructed what's best described as a two sided lean-to structure!  Given the fit and spacing between the logs, it was evident that whoever built this had spent considerable time gathering similar sized timbers.  It looked quite sturdy and we all agreed it was impressive.  After a couple of "photo ops" in front of the structure, we followed this trail back to the main trail.  (See below for a pic of Denise in front of the structure.)  This brought us again parallel with the river and we proceeded south back to the lot.  Along the way, we tossed a few sticks into the 'hooche.  This allowed Cedar to rinse off some mud he had earlier decided to bring along...

Back at the parking lot we chatted briefly and said our good-bye's.  It was a really great way to spend an evening and I want to thank Elsie, Denise, and Kathryn for a wonderful time.