GA Mountains

Ryan and I had a trip planned for several weeks go to Dahlonega, GA Sunday through Monday.  It just happened to fall two days after spending 3-4 days in Birmingham together. 

Dahlonega was having their Gold Rush Festival on Saturday and Sunday.  We figured we'd go up early Sunday morning, stay the night, and do things there all day Monday. We attempted to leave Sunday at 11:00am.  Two pit stops within 5 miles of leaving Ryan's house caused us to turn around and go back to his place.  My stomach was NOT happy with me.  So we ate, (I) took a bunch of Tums, and took a nap before we re-grouped and headed out again. 

We ended up arriving in Dahlonega around 5:00pm.  The festival ended at 6:00pm, which actually worked out quite nicely since the traffic was a breeze, the crowd was minimal, and it was later in the day so the temperature was a bit cooler. 

 Ryan often came to Dahlonega with his parents while growing up, so he said we MUST eat at the Smith House. 

The Smith House is similar to Das Essenhaus in Middlebury, or  the Blue Gate in Shipshewana, minus all the Amish folk.  It's good home cooking with refills on whatever is needed.  Two main differences:  It does NOT have a million pies for sale or any desserts for that matter, and you sit at tables of 10 making strangers into friends over the course of your meal.  This is Ryan and I with full bellies at the end of dinner =)

After dinner I got a teeny tiny little pumpkin and we got two big ones for carving later.  Then we went to our Bed and Breakfast called the Cedar House Inn and Yurts.  What is a yurt?  It's kind of like a big tent, except there is electricity that runs though it, but no running water.  It's glamping.  We did not stay in a yurt, but we got our picture taken like we did!

This B&B prides itself on being GREEN.  It recycles everything, all left over food goes into a compost pile, lights and water are discouraged from being wasted, and there are no TVs or hairdryers.  They even created some lawn art out of wine and beer bottles their guests have left behind:

Monday morning we had a delicious breakfast with the hosts, Fred and Mary Ann, and two older female guests from Florida.  Then we went up to another of Ryan's old stomping grounds called Blood Mountain.  There is a little store at the top where the view is gorgeous.

We had a picture taken of the both of us here, but that must be on Ryan's camera.  This location also marks the spot of the beginning of the Appalachian Trail. I though the AT logo was pretty cool.

After we left Blood Mountain we went into down town Dahlonega and explored the little shops on the square.  I don't want to brag, but I now have 3 out of 5 little one's Christmas presents done!  Next I wanted to go panning for gold.  There was a Gold Museum on the square but I wanted to actually do the panning, not read about it!

So we left the square and actually went panning for gold.  Not only did I find gold, but I also found some gems that were the neatest shades of purple, green, and pink ever. They put it all into a little vial for you take home as a souvenir. Ryan has pictures of us actually panning, but this is the only one I took:

The next stop on our journey was to Amicalola Falls.  Unfortunately you couldn't really see the waterfall in all it's glory, but here is the view from the top of it, looking down.  It's so steep you can't even see it.

THE END =)