Stone Mtn Commemorative 9/11 Hike + Yellow Daisy Festival - Sun, Sep 11 2011

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Stone Mtn Commemorative 9/11 Hike + Yellow Daisy Festival


The Basics:
Event Type:Urban Hike
Event Location: Red Caboose Welcome Ctr, OUTSIDE Park in Stone Mtn Village   Urban Hike: Stone Mtn Commemorative 9/11 Hike + Yellow Daisy Festival  National Weather Service Forecast
Date(s) & Time:Sun, Sep 11 2011  2:00 pm >> Sun, Sep 11 2011 6:00 pm
Registration Opens: Thu, Sep 8 2011 10:00 pm
Registration Cut Off: Sat, Sep 10 2011 10:00 pm
Event Duration:4 Hours
Difficulty Rating:D2: Easy to Moderate
Distance:6 Miles
Pace:Moderate
Trip Leader(s):
Charlie Cottingham
Warren Rudert
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Member Cost:None

Participant Info:
Who's Invited: Members Only, 21 And Older Only
Maximum Group Size:20
Minimum Group Size:4
Number Registered So Far: 13 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)
Are Dogs Permitted: No

Itinerary:

IN A NUTSHELL:  The weather is shaping up beautifully for Sunday afternoon with expected temps in the low-80s and less than a 20% chance of a shower.
  As we're all keenly aware, Sunday is the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and 2011 is also the 150th-anniversary year of the Civil War.  I thought it would be appropriate for the Atlanta Outdoor Club to honor the memory of our fallen Americans with an afternoon hike through the thousands of yellow daisies that bloom annually in September in the natural rocky outcrops on and around Stone Mountain and with a visit to the Park's giant Memorial Carving (the world's largest bas-relief stone sculpture) where we'll pause for a few moments of silent reflection.
  Toward the end of our hike we'll spend about an hour at the Park's famous Yellow Daisy Festival, one of America's top three annual arts and crafts festivals, with more than 400 top-notch artists and crafters exhibiting their works - the festival also features free live entertainment and a great selection of food and refreshments!
   Our expected total hike distance will be about 6 miles, predominantly in the less-steep areas on the north side of the mountain between Confederate Hall and the Carving.  Elevation gains in our uphill portions will total only perhaps 300 vertical feet. We'll take a moderate pace and stop often to regroup and enjoy the scenery - should arrive back at our cars outside the Park by about 6:00 PM.  Feel free to split from our AOC group early (or stay inside the Park later) if you like, but be sure to let the leader know.

WHERE & WHEN:  We’ll gather OUTSIDE THE PARK at 2:00 PM by the "Red Caboose" Welcome Center in the Village of Stone Mountain (detailed directions below).  We'll have FREE PARKING by the Caboose (or in its nearby village parking spaces) and FREE ENTRANCE into the Park via the paved quarter-mile "PATH" entrance Trail, similar to the Silver Comet.

MORE ON STONE MOUNTAIN: Here are three Internet links that might be useful, esp. if you're not too familiar with the Park:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_Mountain
http://www.stonemountainpark.com/faq/#Recreation
http://www.stonemountainpark.com/images/maps/hiking/smp_map_hiking_map.gif

 


Required Items to Bring:


1. Wear well-broken-in comfortable Athletic Shoes or Hiking Boots and preferably synthetic or wool-blend Socks.

2. Wear comfortable lightweight Clothing appropriate for the weather.

3. Hydrate well (in advance) and carry at least a Liter of Water in bottles, "Camelbak" hydration system, etc.

Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.


1. Consider bringing a light Daypack with a few Snack Items, non-alcoholic Beverages of your choice, and perhaps a compact Umbrella in case we get a shower. As mentioned above we can also enjoy the vendors' food & refreshments at the Yellow Daisy Festival.

2. Consider bringing your Camera!  We should have plenty of great photo-ops!


How to Get There:
Event Directions:

DIRECTIONS TO OUR 2:00 PM MEETING PLACE:
The "RED CABOOSE" WELCOME CENTER OUTSIDE the PARK in the Village of Stone Mountain.  SUGGESTION:  Rezero your odometer at each numbered direction and pay attention to mileages given and driven!

1) From "Spaghetti Junction" (the I-285/I-85 interchange in NE Atlanta) take "I-285 East" (actually southward) toward Augusta about 4.7 miles.

2) Take I-285 Exit #39B (bearing Right off I-285 in a clockwise loop)  which merges into Stone Mountain Pkwy/US-78 E and stay on the Parkway about 5.9 miles.

3) At Exit #5 of the Parkway bear Right onto the Memorial Drive/Stone Mountain Bypass, and go only about 0.6 mile—then bear Right again at your first opportunity up the E. Ponce de Leon Ave. access ramp.

4) Turn Left onto E. Ponce de Leon Ave. and go 0.5 mile to the first traffic light.

5) Go straight ahead at the light (Ponce de Leon becomes "Main Street" here) and continue about 0.5 mile (through the town square of Stone Mtn village) to the "Red Caboose" Welcome Center and parking lot on your Left. (The Caboose is just beyond the "Mimosa Drive" junction and RR crossing).
   
6)  Free parking is usually available by the Caboose, and if these spaces are filled there are more free spaces nearby along Main Street and in the MARTA lot in Stone Mtn village.  We'll gather on the sidewalk by the Caboose lot entrance.

NEED A MAP or CUSTOM DIRECTIONS from your point of departure? Go to Google.com/maps and in the "Search Maps" window enter the Caboose address:

   891 Main Street, Stone Mountain, GA 30083

Then click on "Search Maps," "Get Directions," then enter your personal "Start Address," and click on the grey "Get Directions" box.

As a Destination for your vehicle's GPS system use the above address or the following Lat/Lon Coordinates of our "Red Caboose" meeting point and trailhead:

33.8053,-84.1700


Notes:
* We encourage all members to follow our Etiquette Guidelines while participating in AOC events.

Cost Includes:

Free Event with Free "RED CABOOSE" vicinity Parking (see above) and Free Stone Mountain Park Entrance!


Cancellation/Partial Attendance:   Please review the AOC cancellation policy.