​After Chimney Stacks, it was difficult to think of going anywhere quite so cool. But that didn’t mean adventure wasn’t to be had. We had to get back to California, and since we were already in North Carolina, we figured we’d take the long way around to get home—up the eastern seaboard, back down and across.

While cruising up through Virginia, a friend called me and while we were chatting he said, “You should check out Natural Bridge. You’re pretty close to that.”

I looked down at the map, and sure enough I was headed almost straight for it. I had done this route many a time, but had never  heard of it.

It was 4th of July, but being a cloudy/sky-spitting sort of day, I didn’t expect too many tourists.

I was right.
​
While my friend had spoken of all the little shops and museums of oddity to check out, they for the most part seemed closed. And it’s really the natural world that Tucker enjoys most, so we headed for the namesake of the attraction: the Natural Bridge.

But the attraction didn't end there. The trail kept going, so of course, we had to follow it. ​

​A small stream came from the path’s wall and next to it was a plaque informing us that this was the “Lost River.” No one has ever figured out the source or destination of this water flow.  Tucker didn’t care what its origins were—just that it was tasty.

​Tucker gets the best of both the canine and the human world. He gets to meander into the middle of the stream…

​And he gets to sit on benches made for people.

​He even spent some time contemplating the Natural Bridge from the way-back seats of the empty theatre.

​It was a quick little stop on our northern journey, and well worth the effort. Despite the sprinkling rain, it was still quite hot.

​Tucker was happy to finish up the day, cruising on a luggage cart to our air-conditioned hotel room.

The rest of our ten day journey was both relaxing and eventful. We spent some time in Massachusetts with family, where Tucker enjoyed the nearly half an acre of newly fenced lawn from which to romp.

Don't let the lying down fool you; he romped thoroughly.

​In Pennsylvania, we visited friends and had a picnic at the park

​Walked in streams,

​Knocked on Fairie Doors,

​Went to a carnival,

​And Tucker won a little stuffed animal to carry around with him.

The fun never seemed to end, but we had to be on our way.

And Tucker needed a nap after all the days of excitement.

Tucker isn't impressed with the St. Louis Arch--whatever man can do, Nature does it better (see Natural Bridge above.)

We opted not to stop at this ill-named roadside attraction.

​At a nearby convenience store, I was able to step back in time to the 1990's. But I soon returned to Tucker who waited for me in the truck.

In Texas, I finally had the wherewithal to slow down in time to exit and visit Cadillac Ranch. I have passed it numerous times, usually at 75 mph, with never enough time to slow down and take the exit. I thought ahead this time and made it an actual stop. Tucker was pretty excited about it.

​We came with no spray cans, but Tucker left his own mark on a few bushes and dusty, painted sands around the area.

​That night, we settled in at the Hotel El Rancho in New Mexico, where many a Hollywood star and crew stayed while filming in the desert.

The room was interesting, although quite warm (there is still no air conditioning after all these years). But Tucker felt the bed was adequate enough to take up the whole thing.

The next morning, we arrived early to The Petrified Forest and Painted Desert. I always seem to miss it, so was thankful for the time zone change back to an hour earlier to give us a full day to visit and still make it back to Burbank without stopping for the night.

​While the Park is dog friendly, it is not overall really warm-blooded mammal friendly. Even in the morning, the temperatures were rising. The longest hike would have been sort of fun except that it wound its way on pavement through hot desert sands. Tucker and I took the efficient tourist-stop driving route, hopping out of our air-conditioned truck for only enough time to take a look, snap a photo and be on our way.

​By midnight, we were back at home. As I unpacked the truck and put away clothes, Tucker snoozed on the couch, taking a much needed rest so he could be ready for whatever adventure lay ahead. For it seems now matter where we go, we always opt for the scenic route home.

​Tucker and I spent our second day of our trip at the cabin in the woods, writing, relaxing, and reading. We even had an unexpected guest who liked the place as much as we did:

​To balance our day of solitude amongst the trees, we ventured back out to civilization in the evening to our favorite local hangout, The Bywater.

Tucker and I had a drink or two, socialized around the nightly bonfire, then retreated back our woodland paradise for a good night’s sleep before our next hiking adventure.

The Chimneys and Rock Table are at opposite ends of the same trailhead starting point in a picnic and camping area, and with our limited time here, I decided a two for one deal was needed. Only an hour and a half away in the Linville Gorge Wilderness, I planned for us to start hiking by 10am to avoid the excessive mid-day heat. That meant leaving at 8am—a stretch for us, but we could manage.

It wasn’t our leave time that took us on an extended drive—it as Apple maps. Thanks, Apple.

As we neared the trailhead, only three miles away according to Apple maps, we reached a fork in the dirt road. One way led to “PRIVATE PROPERTY - DEAD END” and the other to “NO ACCESS TO TABLE ROCK. PRIVATE DRIVE.” Well… that’s no good.

Apple didn’t give me another option, and looking at the map, it seemed I’d have to drive a couple hours around the base of the mountain to get to the top from the north. This couldn’t be right. So I headed back down the road to the few businesses along the roadside. I was going to ask the convenience store employee, but when I spotted three firefighters hanging outside their station right next to the store, I opted to ask their advice. If you want to know where something is in town, I suspect cabbies, police, and firefighters are your top three choices for obtaining accurate directions and the quickest route.

My hypothesis was correct. They knew exactly what I was talking about and told me that Apple’s route had taken me to the road that had been closed off seven years prior. They then proceeded to give me exact directions including mileage and landmarks. I needn’t drive around the mountain, but just further down the road—however the way up was rather long.

“It’s like thirteen miles up the mountain,” one of them said.

“Well I’m already here, might as well make a go of it.”

He was right: 13.1 miles. Firefighters certainly know their fire roads.

The long winding road up the mountain was well worth it. I couldn’t imagine people making weekly trips up this way just for a picnic. I only passed one person going downhill while we were going up—which was good because the road was narrow and its edge was a mere unprotected cliff.

Of course all this meant that rather than arriving by 10am, my trusty steed took her much needed break at high noon. Even though it was two miles out and back to the Chimneys and two miles out and back to Table Rock, in case we didn’t fare well in the heat and couldn’t manage both trails, I opted to go to the Chimneys first.
​
The rocky trail covered in tree roots make me feel at home. It was shaded when we began, so we trucked along at a decent pace despite the heat.

​Coming out of the woods, we found ourselves at an open vista:

​We walked a little further out onto a sloped cliff and there, my heart stopped.

​This wasn’t Yosemite, but this sight made my eyes water in awe. It was unexpected and majestic. I can only imagine what my reaction would be to El Capitan.

Although it didn’t seem hot, sweat poured off me. Tucker and I stood, me in awe and sweat, he, panting and drooling. I looked at alltrails and was surprised to see we had only gone about a half a mile. The heat had sucked our energy away.
​
A thru-hiker who was heading toward the trailhead from the Chimney Stacks stopped for a moment. He said according to his books (or app… I don’t now), this was Kodachrome Overlook. I thought it was fitting, and  a wonderful place to be reminded of Paul Simon music.

The thru-hiker had been traveling a day and a half and was headed back the way he had come. I told him Table Rock was less than two miles away, but he said, Nope, this was far enough.

About half an hour later, I understood his perspective.
​
He headed back the way he came, and Tucker and I followed shortly thereafter, making sure Tucker had an adequate break in the shade. We were both slow moving, not just because of the heat, but because the views were meant to be drunk slowly, to be savored, to be etched into your heart forever.

​While Nature is always beautiful to me, this is one of the most stunning places I have ever been. Unfortunately, any photo I took just didn’t do it justice. It was if it wanted to remain secret, and would only reveal its beauty to those who made the effort to experience it in person (or in dog.)

​Tucker and I climbed through rock crevices and along narrow paths, all the while feeling secure. The forest here and the land, seemed to protect us, as if they enjoyed our presence. We were welcome here to appreciate their beauty. I never felt like I could slip and fall off the mountain, even though looking at pictures and given my inferior motor skills, it seemed chances were high.

As we passed around one of the chimney stacks, I saw the thru-hiker’s pack shoved under a bush in an obscure trail that looked more like water run-off had created it, not a trailblazer. A little further down the way, I looked up and saw him high atop one of the chimneys.

I couldn’t figure out a safe way for Tucker and I to both make it up there, so we took in the view from our own path--which was glorious enough for me.

We continued along the trail until it seemed we were going downhill again. With the heat and the lack of optimism on finding anything as majestic as this, we turned around and headed back.
​
I always worry about Tucker suffering from heat exhaustion. He doesn’t take the heat well, and he’ll just keep going until he finally can’t. His panting seemed harsh, so it seemed best we take a break.

I found a little camping area tucked away in a shady spot and climbed up onto the natural platform. The rock acted like a cooler and Tucker lay down, absorbing it from the rock wall and hard earth.

​I wondered how many people throughout the ages had set a fire here and slept in the mountain’s loving embrace. 

We stayed for a good twenty minutes, us both resting and me finally accepting that we would not be making it to Table Rock. We had only walked a little over a mile, but the heat made it seem like five miles already.
​
On the way back, I marveled at the trail, an obstacle course for Tucker to navigate, up rocks and boulders and around trees.

​Although I prefer loops trails that keep us seeing something new around every bend, the best part of an out and back trails is turning around and experiencing where you’ve just been from a whole new perspective.

​The Linville Gorge Wilderness is a place Tucker and I are sure to return to many times. It’s a magical place in the Pisgah Forest, where rock and tree, water and sky meet to form majestic towers and stunning vistas. My feet are happy to traverse its unique landscapes and my eyes can’t get enough of the surrounding visuals. The sounds and scents—all of it—makes me want to lie down and curl up, gazing off into the distance of the mountains, feeling at home in this glorious wilderness.

​Thank you, Blue Mountains for always welcoming this girl born at the other end of your mountain range, whose manmade abode is thousands of miles from your western-most ridge. Tucker and I hope to return soon to appreciate your wonder and splendor, and will always carry a bit of your magic within our hearts wherever we go.

People should be careful when making a sweeping metaphor. For instance, stating that Panthertown Valley in North Carolina is the “Yosemite of the South” is pretty bold and should be backed up with some pretty solid evidence.

I did not find that evidence.

Not that I’ve ever been to Yosemite.

So perhaps I’ve set Yosemite standards too high. Or perhaps in the Ven diagram of the two, I simply hadn’t hiked far enough to reach the overlapping circles and was way off to the left, wondering what all the fuss was about.

Now please understand: Nature is always something to fuss about. I look forward to every footfall that doesn’t involve manmade pavement, and I appreciate the details of beauty that make up every glorious vista. But when you hear that something should be the likes of Yosemite…

I have been to the “Grand Canyon of the South” and having been to the western one, I can see the comparison. Certainly it was not miles upon miles of caverns etched through time and looking like a painting from the south rim, but it was a pretty cool canyon on a small scale in southeastern United States. I was impressed and entertained.

I will blame my disappointment of Panthertown Valley on my own expectations for Nature never disappoints, but I disappoint myself quite often. And I clearly had some pretty high expectations.

Tucker and I set ourselves up in a cabin in Fairview, North Carolina, just south of Asheville. On our first stop on our back-to-California-the-long-way-around trip, we had three full days to hike, write, explore, and rest. Panthertown Valley had gotten such excellent reviews, I chose that as our first hike. With concentric loop trails, we had the opportunity to go long or go short around the valley. We chose to start long, and ended up short.

The lower trailhead was located half way back to Georgia, but I didn’t mind the drive. The upper trailhead would take just as long to get to and it would involve having to get back up the hill once our explorations were done. I always like to start at the bottom so that the way home is downhill.

​This is a valley of waterfalls. We had plenty to choose to from, so I planned a route that would hit as many as possible.

​The first was Schoolhouse Falls. It reminded me of any other falls you’d see in Georgia or North Carolina. It was quiet with only a few people wading into the shallow, rocky waters.

Continuing along the trail, there were little sandy beaches.

And the canopy provided shade along the shale-lined trail.

​Near the pinnacle of the trail (the upper trailhead) was an overlook. Tucker and I managed up the steep incline and took a sit for a spell. Those rocky faces on the mountainside is what makes my heart melt for North Carolina. That dichotomy of soft mossy top and sheer hard, solid surface are beautiful to me.

​Even where we sat was ancient rock, accessorized here and there with a tuft of grass.

After enjoying the view, it as time to head back toward home on one of the loops that would take us downhill again. We would not go all the way to the upper trailhead.
​
I chose the almost-upper loop and down Tucker and I went back under the brambles.

The trail led to rocky slope and there… there I lost the trail. While Tucker often senses the right path, he sometimes does not. We tried my way then his way, then circled back. Here’s what ultimately happened:

The “trail” we had both missed was an almost straight down dirt path with tree roots as the only steps. There was a lot of holding onto trees (always asking their permission and requesting assistance.) If this is what Yosemite is like, then sure, it’s like Yosemite.
​
I prayed this was the right way because there was no way we would be able to get back up it. This was what it was once it leveled off:

​Much to my surprise, I finally heard the sound of water and the trail led us to a place we saw a waterfall below. There was a man fishing, along with a woman and her two dogs.

​We stopped for a moment to enjoy the spray from this tucked away tiny private waterfall. It was only big enough for a few people.

We bid them farewell and continued on, the trail following the stream. Although it was hard to find, we came across a few spurs that led us to the water.

The only thing better than seeing a river on a hike is being able to stand in the middle of it without getting wet.

After our precarious jaunt downhill to get to Wilderness Falls, and the steep slope we continued going down, I opted to not take the wide loop back to our trusty steed, but took a shorter route.

But once again, we missed a turnoff… or took a turnoff that wasn’t a trail. It’s hard to tell, but here’s what happened:

​Eight miles from the start, we arrived back at the parking lot, ready for a long nap. Maybe the view isn’t Yosemite but the backcountry challenge is. I can’t say. Tucker and I will just have to check out Yosemite for ourselves… although there’s not much for us to check out. Dogs are allowed on paved roads and on two hiking trails. That’s it. So I guess we’ll have to accept this as our Yosemite adventure.

For our last foray into the Georgian wilderness, I chose Blood Mountain, a rather dramatic title, but probably aptly named. The thing about the south is that there’s a lot of human history here; a lot of blood spilled in the soil. To offset the rather macabre mountain, our destination was a bit more optimistic: Preacher’s Rock.
​
The story goes that in the late 1800’s a preacher used to come up here to practice his sermons. Since I consider all of the wild to be my church, I felt that going to the practice pulpit of a like-minded soul seemed a fitting conclusion to our southern tour.

​The trail upwards was reminiscent of the next stop on our journey: North Carolina. The rocky footholds in the trail and peek-a-boo views always make me feel like I’m back in the Blue Ridge Mountains. But we were only eighty miles north of Atlanta in the Chattanooga National Forest, near the tail end of the Appalachian Trail.

​Although listed as heavily trafficked, the mile walk up to Preacher’s Rock had only a few people on it. It seemed like it might rain, so perhaps that kept this congregation to a minimum today.

Arriving at the top, we stepped through the canopy of trees and bushes flanking the trail to the open rock as if we had stepped through the curtains of the wings and were not center stage. Except it wasn't us who was the main event; it was the audience of mountains as far as we could see.

The preacher had found his pulpit.

As Tucker and I looked out across the rolling hills, the grey clouds started to roll in and hang low, ready to burst at any moment. A family we were sharing the rock with were off to our left, and I heard the father say, “We have about half hour to forty-five minutes before the rain starts. We should head back down.” He was looking out at the clouds.

“How do you know that?” I asked, expecting some Boy Scout meteorology.

“The app on my phone,” he said almost questioningly as if the only other option to the knowledge would be through psychic ability.

I smiled. “Sorry, I didn’t see you look at that. I just heard you.”

His wife and I laughed. “What did you think I did?”  He licked his finger and put to the wind. “Hmm… yeah, about thirty-seven minutes.”

​Despite his app’s warning, Tucker and I bid the family farewell so we could keep walking up into the mountains. I feel safer walking under the trees in a forest than driving on the interstate in my truck during a sudden Georgia downpour. This tree seems to feel safe walking through the forest too.

​Along the trail were offshoots that led to camping areas. One of my favorite places I deemed “Vicar’s Rock”—not quite as open of a view as Preacher’s Rock, it seemed the perfect spot for pastors in training to practice their own sermons.

Evidently it was also a great place to camp.

​Around the rock was soft, cool grass that Tucker took to lying on. It was a peaceful and quiet place.

​We continued on further down the trail, but with no real goal in sight, we eventually turned back to sit and enjoy Vicar’s Rock and then back to Preacher’s Rock.

Nature doesn’t adhere to state property lines—or any property lines for that matter. It didn’t matter that I was in northern Georgia and not North Carolina. This was still my church. It's the biggest church on earth, diverse and expansive, and these little known pulpits are worth every step to get to them to hear what Mother Nature has to say.

While our trusty steed had her own much-needed spa day,Tucker and I took to the woods. The auto detail place was nice enough to give us a lift—and even pick us up later—to a park I had wanted to explore for some time. Tribble Mill Park is in Lawrenceville, a town only a few block away from the town the auto detail place is in, and according to my research, had BSL. It wasn’t a full out ban, but it did deem that pit bull type  looking dogs had to wear a muzzle at all time in public.

When Qwinnett Humane Society was going to hold their annual fundraiser within Lawrenceville city limits, I contacted them about this ordinance. I was wondering if the ordinance was not applicable for that event, or if maybe it had been revoked and I just couldn’t find it.

No explanation was given, but I was told told that Lawrenceville had no BSL requiring that certain dogs where a muzzle.

Although they are not the animal control agency, I felt I had some backup in an email if approached and told I was violating a law. So I took the risk. If the local animal rescue agency didn’t know about the law, and the city didn’t know, it must be pretty obscure. And the penalty was simply a fine if it was enforced.
​
I’m so glad I took the risk. Tuck seems pretty happy with my decision too.

​We were dropped off at the entrance, (‘Your are Here”) and we walked only a matter of feet before hitting a path around a lake.

Unfortunately, the rest room I was in desperate need of was a mile walk away--on the other side of the lake. I now understood how Tucker feels when I don’t pick up his cue that he needs to go to the bathroom. We were ironically in the exact opposite situation. He, with his endless choices of places to defecate right now, and I, the human, on a uncomfortable walk through the forest to a man-made building to do my business. I was quite close to going in the woods, but I had no Kleenex, the forest cover wasn’t terribly thick, and I wasn’t familiar enough with the park to know sightline and where some child might just come bouncing through the woods off trail.

So while the first portion of our hike was not the least bit enjoyable for me, once I got relief, I began to enjoy my surroundings.

Being stuck in a office five or six days a week with no windows drains my soul. This day would fill it back up again.
​
The soft earth and shaded paths we walked along took us to a lake with a wide grassy area to walk along. If Tucker had perfect recall, I would have let him off the leash to see him bound a quarter mile down the lane.

​The journey on this path was diverse. 

​The trail veered south around the edge of the lake and returned to forest once more. The lake and woods was home to many who were enjoying this Friday afternoon. A family of turtles spotted us just as I spotted them and quickly dropped into the water like SCUBA divers off the edge of a boat. Two remained, and then just one as we passed in front of them on the trail.

It was hard to believe I was so close to the city. I couldn’t hear traffic. I couldn’t see car. It was just a lake in the woods, as remote as the lake in the Santa Cruz mountains Tucker and I had visited in March.

While we walked the secluded edge of the lake, a great heron (not sure if was an actual Great Heron, but it sure was great to me) made its graceful landing into the shallow end. We kept our distance so as not to disturb this beauty, but felt blessed to witness its descent and could have stood watching it all day long.

Someone had placed a swing in on little outcropping toward the lake. Here we stood for a moment, enjoying the peaceful serenity of the open, still lake. While we had encountered benches along the way, this was the first hanging seat.

When we were about to leave, a grand blue dragonfly alighted on a tree branch in front of me. I nodded a hello and asked if I could take his picture (after telling him how beautiful he was of course.) He obliged, but I could not capture his true glory with my piddly phone.

​We walked back to the trail and continued on our flora and fauna tour. The trail took Tucker and me out into the woods, and onto the perimeter of another lake. Since we were on the far side of the park away from boat launches and picnic pavilions and even children's’ park, we had the trails to ourselves except for a few runners. It was just us, the trees, and the creatures who call this place home.

​As the day grew to a close and we had circled back almost to our original drop off point, the path turned back to pavement. There, we sat on a bench, reading and being still.

Movement is good for the soul, letting your energy out to affect to the world around you. But being still and open gives the universe a chance to respond.

It is here, in the woods, that I not only speak to nature, but it talks back, and we engage in the grand conversation about life, love, and all the beauty the universe holds.

If there’s one thing Georgia has that California doesn’t, it’s water. Granted California has oceans. But Georgia has water in rivers, streams, lakes, and even the air itself. The amount of water I have dumped down outdoor drains from the dehumidifier in my apartment over the past month could have watered my Burbank lawn for the entire summer.

So needless to say, finding water features on a hike is usually pretty easy. For this one, I took a page out of the Atlas Obscura again—to a little known wildlife preserve on the outskirts of Atlanta just twenty minutes from downtown. Its claim to fame in the atlas is that although it is where the Battle of Utoy Creek took place and the water ran red with blood, the water now is considered to have healing powers. (So I guess it’s like a vampire creek.)

You do have to drive through some pretty sketchy areas to get there, but if you come out alive, you arrive in the promised land: big houses, expansive lawns, and the Cascade Springs Nature Preserve.
​
The main trail is a loop, beginning with a large amphitheater/picnic area. 

 And a cute little pump house that looks like a hobbit’s home.

To the left, the waterfall is only a short quarter mile away.

So we headed right.

There was a third trail in the middle, and in fact many offshoot trails along the way, which was a major turnoff for some folks on hiking reviews, but for me, I understood its purpose: this is a park. It’s not a one-road journey here and back. This is a place you hang out all day. It’s a place for eight year olds to have sword fights with branches in the woods, and to wade into the creek. It’s a place to find that super secret place to meet with your high school love. Or a simple place to sit and soak up all the stories in the birdsongs.

​Tucker and I began with a stroll along the creek's edge.

Tucker did his usual taste test, and gave the water five stars.

​We meandered down the trail, and took our time, going down short trails to the “beaches” and exploring around.

​The trail turned away from the creek after a spell and up into the forest. While the website had pointed out that we would be able to see some remnants of war, I did not spot them. We did find rocks to climb on, which for Tucker is better than any piece of human history.

And there were overturned trees to study with their roots exposed and all sorts of smells only Tucker could appreciate.

And then, as we came down the trail, we arrived at the main event:

​I really wanted to walk down the tunnel to where the water began its journey, but reviews spoke of the rocks being quite slippery. So we kept to the main area.

Tucker agreed with my assessment.

There was still plenty for him to climb around on without putting me in danger.

Despite taking my time and energy to be careful with my footing, ten minutes after this photo was taken, my ass was in those healing waters. Tucker's four-wheel drive always fares better than my silly two-wheel human design.

Oddly, I didn’t seem too wet after my fall. Or even muddy. Perhaps my water resistant backpack repelled it from even my pants. Or the healing waters are also magical. Tucker took no time in discussing it; he's used to my inferior coordination skills and all the consequences of that--and he loves me anyway.

​Cascade Springs was a nice little getaway that didn't take much get away to get there, a fun place for any kid to grow up, and for any adult to come and feel the peace of the water—even if you fall in it.

On a beautiful clear day that wasn’t looking to be as if we were walking on the surface of the sun, Tucker and I headed two hours north for my majestic mountain range fix.

Black Rock Mountain State park is Georgia’s highest state park (not the highest peak, but overall the land is farther from the ocean vertically-speaking than any other state park. And it was only 3640 feet.

Once you climb around Vancouver, British Columbia or even just the California Sierra mountains, 3640 feet is nothing—that’s just the usual elevation gain on an everyday hike and still nowhere near the summits that can be 10,000 or 12,000 feet up.

I found the trailhead rather easily and parked along the side of the road. I figured the visitor center couldn’t be too far as I watched some folks walk down the steep incline of the road that kept going uphill past the trailhead parking area.

I was wrong.

Half a mile later up the hill, we found the visitor center and the much needed restroom I had been looking for.
​
On a positive note, the view behind the visitor center was worth being there for.

Inside the center, I got the scoop about the trails I could have taken, rather than the road, to get there from the Tennessee Rock Trailhead parking area. They informed me of where to pick up the trail so we could walk back on soft earth instead of hard pavement.
​
Along the way, we stopped by Black Mountain Overlook.

​We had already gotten a few beautiful views in and we hadn’t even started the hike proper yet.

​Once on the trail, we were back in the woods. 

​But luckily for us, while meadows and wildflowers were beginning to bloom, Spring hadn’t quite finished filling in the trees yet, so we could still peer out over the valleys to the Blue Ridge Mountains and beyond.

Unlike our western mountain hiking, we only climbed about 500 feet over the course of our four miles around mountain tops. While the dramatic jagged rocky mountains of the western United States are breathtaking (sometimes literally), I also enjoy the soft rolling hills of the east coast.

There aren’t many hiking days left in Georgia until autumn, so I’m glad we got this one in. As the days get longer, they get hotter, more humid, and although it seems pleasant enough to stand around and enjoy a beer and barbecue, any kind of physical activity is just too much—for both Tucker and me.

​Even on this decent day in he 70’s and 80’s, many weeks after our last real hike, Tucker pooped out under a picnic table about twenty yards from the finish line—our truck. Any talk of walking a little further for air conditioning went unheard from his loud panting.

​While he didn’t want any water, he also didn’t want to move.

​I allowed him his five minute nap, then dragged him to the truck where we made the half a mile drive this time up to the visitor center for me to get in my last pee break. And since we already there, we took the time to just sit a spell—something Tucker appreciated after such a long walk in the woods.

​He needs to rest up. Cause there are a lot more mountains out there we have yet to hike.

Tucker and I have been to some pretty majestic places:sweeping vistas of mountain ranges, endless forests to traipse through; lakes and waterfalls abound. So this one was a little different. But I supposed that’s what you get when you take a tip not from a hiking website but from Atlas Obscura.
​
Now that we’re in the south in spring time, hiking times and days are limited. Either we’re rained out or we’re heated out. There’s very little in between. One night after work, figuring it would at least be in the lower 70’s rather than high 90’s with 90% humidity, Tucker and I took a short drive to a little-known trail in a little-known park just around the corner.

Although off a main thoroughfare of a road, Constitution Lakes is still hidden away, only available to those seeking it. Sharing a driveway with a business, you wouldn’t think to look over there to the sign, almost hidden in the trees you need to pass under to get to the super secret parking lot.

Once under the canopy of trees, civilization and the road seem miles away. There are two trailheads—each on on opposite ends of the parking lot. To the right, there is a sketchy hand-written sign “Dolls Head That Way <——“

That's right, we’re here for the Dolls Head Trail. Because sometimes Tucker and I don’t need to experience the art of Nature. Sometimes we just want to feel like we’re part of a 1980’s horror movie.

I followed the instructions, and took the left trail, which ultimately is just a big loop, but why not experience it as intended?
​
The first portion of the hike is just a simple walk in the woods. 

Although there was an occasional hint that this wasn't just a walk in the woods.

The wide path became some well-made boardwalks to go up and over the sometimes-marshy spots. 

​Although once a brick factory property, this is now a wildlife refuge. Those giant crevices and holes left by humans who excavated Mother Nature’s interior were filled out by Mother Nature with life-giving water once humans left. The rains came down, and lakes were formed.
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The boardwalks led us to the lakes.

Beautiful decks and piers were placed around the lake and a few people fished by the dying light of day. Tucker and I followed the path, careful of the poison ivy (the warnings are everywhere.) The closer we got, the more signs we spotted that we were headed in the right direction.

Abandoned properties tend to become human’s trash piles. But not bags of your household waste. The big things. The odd things. Like refrigerators, old tires, broke TV’s… and an alarming amount of dolls.
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One man saw this as an opportunity. 

​He asked parkgoers to collect any of these items of “trash” as they walked along, and then make them into a “treasure,” placing them along this found art gallery trail. The rules still apply:

Although only a small loop within this large refuge, Tucker and I took our time, appreciating the art and creativity. Some were cute:

And some were a little creepy...

Tucker seemed to enjoy them all. It was his first gallery attendance. Not often a dog gets to appreciate art.

Given the nature of the elements involved, I'm sure there was a whole olfactory experience I was missing out on that Tucker truly appreciated.

The visuals were plenty interesting enough for me. I looked for the creative over the creepy, although any time a doll's head is involved, you can't have one without the other.

​At the end of our tour, we carried on, back on the boardwalk across the lakes. 

​Then through the woods, where we found a second project: a tire pile. A sign requested that should we venture down to the stream, would we be so kind to take a tire up and place it here.

It seems many people were able to do that. Perhaps a Rubber Trail will be the next art gallery here.

The rest of the trail was on soft earth, and I appreciated the variety in such a small area.

​Even without the Dolls Head trail, it was a lovely after work walk a million miles away, and yet just around the corner. The south has a lot of unique hidden places—you just have to want to experience them to find them. Whether it’s a serene lake or some creepy art tucked away in the woods (or both), there’s something for everyone.

Working in film production is a lot like being part of a travelling carnival. You arrive in a town, find a place to set up shop, have all your eccentric friends (and some enemies) join you, and then a few months later you pack up, leaving no trace behind that you ever existed in the first place.
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Although Tucker has been through this process with me three to five times a year, every time I pack up, he still has to be right with the rest of my belongings, lest I forget to take him with me.

​I have been more concerned as of late that perhaps our nomadic lifestyle has made him hesitant to create lasting deep canine friendships. On this show, we were lucky to have frequent visitors, and my clerk never said a word about me turning our professional office into a doggie romp room.

There was the art director’s dog, who used to never come to work because his days were filled with dog parks and walks at Chrissy Fields with other dogs. And then he got kicked out for lunging at a dog in another pack. Tucker and I could sympathize. Sometimes you just say something when you shouldn’t, and your life is changed forever. Angus was always a fun playmate for Tucker.

​Tucker’s frequent friend Tulip wasn’t even a member of our carnival. Her dad worked downstairs in a cabinet-making business. But when she spotted Tucker one day walking by, she made it her mission to befriend him. And she did. Together they ran in the fenced-in area around the building, chasing one another and exploring the overgrown patches of weeds and skunk-trails.

​Just as wrap started, our best boy rigging electric came in with his dog, Shadow. Pit mixes always seem to really understand each other.  I think Tucker had a little crush on her. I sure did.

The point of working in San Francisco, besides just that I love the Bay area, is that I have friends here and could visit with them while not having to put them out by sleeping in their spare bedroom. Unfortunately I didn’t get to do enough visiting while working, and not enough housing reimbursement to just stay a few extra days in my own place. So Tucker and I packed up our rental property, drove two miles down the street, and unpacked at my friend Carolina’s house.

I had asked the universe for a San Francisco gig around this time not just because I always request it for any time, but because Carolina’s first child was due in January and I wanted to be there. Being a mom for the first time (and really anytime) is a tough thing and can be super lonely. Everyone focuses on the baby--including the mother—and the mom's needs mean nothing. I wanted to be there to remind Carolina was she was still a person and while this little child named Olivia was super awesome and she should be proud of creating her, Carolina was also a super awesome individual who deserved attention. Carolina has always been a mama bear. From her two beagles Saffie and Layla, to her whole host of friends, Carolina is always the first one to step up and help, to be there when you need something, to send you cards in the mail, to be the mom among our friends. Olivia is lucky kid to have Carolina as her actual, biological mom.

I wasn’t sure how Tucker would react to the little one as we have no experience with babies. And I wasn’t sure how the dogs would react to Tucker being near her. To Layla, Tucker has always been just another bit of furniture who came with a person who handed out treats. To Saffie, in the past, Tucker was annoying and must be told so at every instance. He must also stay away from her momma.

Surprisingly, I had nothing to worry about. Tucker accepted Olivia into the pack as a human, and took on nanny duties.

​Saffie appreciated the gesture (she had been doing it alone all this time), and even allowed him space to rest when off duty right next to her on the couch.

​Tucker also took a class in neighborhood watch from Layla.

​On our extended weekend, we walked along the cliffs of Half Moon Bay where we figured out that a baby in a Bjorn and two beagles is too precarious for anyone to try. I commend Carolina’s effort and feel horrible that she had such a terrible time.

The next day we left the girls at home, and Tucker, Olivia, Carolina and I headed north to Marin headlands.

Tucker’s face here is the physical representation of how my heart feels every time I’m in the Bay area:

Olivia got to experience the trek in her stroller along rocky terrain

​And grassy fields

​On our return trip home, rather than Tucker in the front seat and I in the back next to Olivia, as we did on the ride out (this is how he spent the whole ride)

​He sat in the back, content to use the baby seat as a chin rest.

​Back at home, sleep was a must. I really don’t know if Tucker could function in a non-human world lacking pillows and other luxuries.

​We got to visit with Krystal (who was part of the production for a short spell as well) and spend some time under the Bay bridge to give Carolina some time off from houseguests.

On our final day, we did our old standby: Fort Funston. The girls get to run off leash, eating gophers in the dunes, and Tucker gets a long lead to meet new friends.  

​It had a been a long weekend for Tucker, and by the time we got back to the truck, he would have preferred to be inside the stroller than next to it.

But I had to make one more stop: Alice’s Restaurant. My favorite cabin eatery, just around the corner from where we spent Christmas a few years back on our last San Francisco gig. The long picnic tables allow for for strangers to be seated next to one another. Two women were meeting for lunch at our shared table, and one of them said to the other, “I’ve been trying to get Jim to move up for years. But he just won’t. I love it though!”

​And I realized how lucky I am: to be free from anyone else determining where I live or travel. I would hope my human partner would love many of the same places I do, but for now I don’t have to worry about that. I’m blessed that my canine companion feels the same way about the Bay Area that I do: it’s home, where we may not get to often enough, but will always be welcome.

There are few places for Tucker to enjoy the redwoods in San Mateo County. Looking through the Mid Peninsula Open Space website this to recheck the areas my faithful companion could experience, a new one popped up that he could explore.

LaHonda Creek Open Space with the caveat “designated trails only” was suddenly on the webpage for Dogs! Lower LaHonda had not interested me as it was described as farmland and meadow, inhabited by cows so the fact that Tucker wasn’t allowed didn’t bother me. Stretching from ocean to foothills, near Pescadero it is rolling hills and flatland. But Upper LaHonda, where the "designated trails only" are, is in my heart’s neighborhood—right off Skyline Blvd in the redwood forest. I applied for a permit (first time I’ve had to do that for hike anywhere; it feels quite official), received my parking pass and Tucker and I were set for our weekend hike.

The trailhead wasn’t directly off Skyline Blvd. My trusty steed had to negotiate some bumpy and steep terrain on narrow dirt roads to find the entrance. Along the way, there were mansions, these massive abodes looking like they had been carried by a tornado from their Beverly Hills location and set down neatly in a small clearing in the forest. There was no traffic. There didn’t even seem to be any people in the houses.
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The final road in the directions ended abruptly with a gate.  I needed to unlock the gate, get in, then lock ourselves in and continue to the parking area. However, had we just hiked here, we could have just walked through the pedestrian gate unhindered... or just walked around both gates.

​The parking area was only a few cars wide and not a single soul looked to have been there recently. I was surprised to find that we had actually driven back out of the forest and was in a meadowland of sorts.

​There were no cows, but this was most definitely grasslands... Steep grasslands and rolling hills, but still grasslands.

We were headed to Vista Point, yet from just about anywhere on the trail, there was a vista to behold.

​Although the space was bovine-free, it still felt a little like we were on someone’s farm.

We travelled on, and after walking through a little redwood grove, we came to another open meadow with the sign:

We had reached the designated Vista Point.

I watched in awe a bald eagle soar overhead and dipped down to the valley below. It was hard to discern where ocean met sky. The clouds that had lingered from the morning mist and previous night’s rainfall created a canopy above the gently rolling hills and forests.

​Tucker and I stood in reverence, and I wished I had packed a blanket for us to sit in the damp meadow and look out over the hills for hours.

Instead we stood and took it all in, letting the air revive us and the view heal us before turning our tracks to head back to my trusty steed who stood alone in the parking area.

​The trail back went through another forest where we paid respect to the ancients.

When we returned to the truck, I didn’t want to leave this hidden little space, so beautiful not just for its views but for the space itself. Our tour in San Francisco was ending, and this would be our last weekend adventure in the wild. But it seemed a fitting place to bid farewell until next time, just around the corner from my heart’s home, now a part of it forever.