Arabia Mountain! The Path foundation is responsible for all the lovely trails at Arabia Mountain, and for a total of 160 miles of trails in Georgia. Some of the trails make use of unused rail lines and if you click on that link above you will find a video that shows the Silver Comet Trail making use of an old railroad trestle. (That is what looks like a high bridge at the very beginning.)
If you don't believe that a very small group of individuals can make a difference, you will believe it after you watch that video. Towards the beginning, you will see a close up of white blossoms on a tree, those are dogwoods that are blooming and they are at their peak just now! Even though this is mostly of the Silver Comet Trail, at the end when the biker goes over the bridge, that trail over the South River is right here in Rockdale County! They are working on the trail now and it will follow the South River to the Monastery. This is wonderful news for us as we are only five miles from the Monastery.
Yesterday, on our drive to the baby shower that I attended, we drove past beautiful farmland and pastures and ... an unused railroad line with a very high railroad trestle! There was a big sign posted that said, "NO RAILS TO TRAILS" and my Daddy told me that the people who live there are fighting the idea of a trail coming to that part of the county (it is Newton county, the next county over from Rockdale.) I have read that the neighbors of Arabia also fought it at first, but were gradually convinced to allow it and now, it appears, that all are happy with the arrangement of having a nature trail almost in their back yards...
I still plan to do a post on the National Parks, I have so many wonderful notes that I have taken ...but since I can hardly read my own handwriting these days, it will have to wait... if you get the chance to watch that video, let me know what you think!
Living with nature next door is a good thing, says the person with a creek across the street and a swamp with nature trails a couple of miles up the road. They should at least keep an open mind.
ReplyDeleteMy Ol' Bessy computer doesn't like videos, they make her freeze up; if i can get to another one, i'll take a peek at this one.
Lucky you with a trails so close to you.
DeleteAnd I with you about computer freeze-up, I know just what you mean!
I'd love to have a nature trail at the bottom of my garden but in fairness I once saw a sign on a fence next to a trail that said 'Please do not throw your rubbish into our garden' which suggested there could be disadvantages as well.
ReplyDeleteWe are surprised at how much garbage we see on Arabia Mountain sometimes. Even in my neighborhood, I could put that same sign up in my yard, we pick up so much rubbish. (We don't have a thru road, we live in a cul-de-sac so these are the kids who live here who are littering.)
DeleteAnd I bet those who are so against the trail are the very same ones who get into their car even if it is just to cover the distance from their front door to the mail box, hardly ever making use of their legs and feet, having forgotten what they were originally intended for, and polluting the air with their car fumes.
ReplyDeleteDear Meike,
DeleteHow did you know that people do that? Do they do this in Germany too? (Driving to their mailbox, that is, and not walking to it.) We see it all the time and it amazes us every time. I wish we didn't have to use the car so much, but in the Atlanta area, you really have to...it is even unsafe to walk beside the street in many areas, hardly any sidewalks.
I didn't know that people really do that - it is a joke I always make about lazy people! Here in Germany, most people's places are a lot smaller in dimension than what you see in the US, the mailboxes often are integrated into the front door itself, or there is just a distance of a few metres between door and garden gate where the mailbox is, not enough room to maneuvre a car...
DeleteBut I'm not surprised you see people do that all the time, and then they complain they are all obese!!!
Hey! On some of these big properties that people own, the mailbox is at the end of their driveway and so may be a mile or more from their house!(We would love that, perfect way to get in a two mile walk!) We have to laugh though, in our little neighborhood to see people stop in their cars, get their mail, get back in their cars and then drive the 50 feet up the driveway!
DeleteObesity is a problem, a big problem in the USA and that is one reason the people behind PATH are heroes to me!
Hello Kay:
ReplyDeleteWith all developments there are positives and negatives but some people make it their life's work to oppose all change whatever and wherever it may be. Nature trails sound like a wonderful idea to us, especially when we all live more sedentary lives and encouragement to get outdoors and explore is, perhaps, more important than ever before.
Dear Jane & Lance,
DeleteThose unused rail lines are just sitting there, doing no good to anybody or anything. It's a wonderful idea to make something useful and beautiful out of them, some place that people can exercise and enjoy the beautiful countryside. As Americans, we really have no choice but to spend a lot of time driving our cars...we really need nature trails!
Nature is a wonderful thing to have around us. It helps soften some of the harsh and cold edges of the concrete jungles some of us live in.
ReplyDeleteDear Martha,
DeleteYou would not believe how much of the trees have been lost in the Atlanta area. You can look at aerial photos from just 15-20 years ago and it is really sad.
What we do have left of our woodlands, we need to preserve and enjoy it!
Kay those trails are wonderful. The opening scene is magnificent and scary! Trails are so useful to everyone - bikers, dog walkers, unicycle riders, lol! I love walking and we have numerous trails around our city, but the best trails are in southern Ontario where my mom lives. They are so diverse and the trees and scenery along them are very soothing - I can't wait to visit her again, the last time I was down late fall, we spent most of our time walking on the trails :)
ReplyDeleteDear Jane,
DeleteI knew you would notice the unicycle! I always wanted to try one when I saw it on the Monkees! :-)
I'll bet those trails in southern Ontario are beautiful...put some photos on your blog the next time you visit there, would love to see them!
The trail video shows what awesome trails you have in Georgia-- so beautiful!! I love those bridges and the trees look so claming. What a great thing to build!!It is hard for me to imagine people not wanting a trail.
ReplyDeleteThe trail system in my town (Fort Collins CO) is one of the big reasons our city is often in the top ten best places to live. You can hop on a trail, directly across from my house and ride all through the city one way or up into the foothills of the Rockies in the other direction. The trails are connected and several or more than 30 miles in length. I walk the spring creek trail everyday and my husband uses it to bike to his work, 7 miles away. I guess if littering is a problem that could make the idea of more people walking by an issue. Although our trail system gets lots of traffic, I almost never see any litter. I saw a candy wrapper in a stream last week and was so shocked by it that I forget it is not so surprising in other places which is sad. Perhaps part of this is most parents and schools really teach respect for the environment and everyone here recycles.Also groups voluteer to clean trails of debris or the unusual litter. I think people just have to keep at educating and changing attitudes for a while until it catcehs on so keep up the good work. Georgia looks like a beautiful place and I am glad people can get out on those trails and enjoy your green, leafy state!