One of my FAVORITE Atlanta events.

Come watch bands, drink beer, eat chili and shop in the artist market.

Head on over to their officical website for deets. 

See you there!

Here are general directions and some information, my friends.

Allatoona Pass Trail
2.5 miles, 2-3 hours; compacted soil and gravel; rated easy-moderate; maintained by Red Top Mountain State Park
The Allatoona Pass consists of the Western & Atlantic Railroad bed, two earth forts, trenches and outworks dug by Union troops during the Civil War, and the old Tennessee Wagon Road. The level railroad pass is 360 feet long and 180 feet deep through solid rock, and if you look closely you can see where dynamite blasted through the mountain. Interpretive signs guide your way as you journey back through the battlefield, much of which remains as it was during the Battle of Allatoona Pass on October 5,1864. Directions: I-75 Exit 283, east on Old Allatoona Road, cross railroad and continue one mile to parking area on left.

Hello fellow adventurers!

If you are in Georgia, this is a must-go.

I personally have never had much of a supernatural encounter. Aside from the possibility of my eyes playing tricks on me, I have never known FOR SURE about spirits and the paranormal. All of this has changed (if only a little bit).

So on Saturday night, we grabbed a car full of friends and drove up to Allatoona Pass. It’s about an hour or so north of Atlanta (E-mail us for directions, I don’t have them handy at the moment). We got to the parking lot right after sundown. Since the weekend marked the anniversary of the battle, there was still activity. Along the paths of THE PASS there were people in tents. Old-timey tents. And I’m sure they were reenactors but they were still all in their Civil War garb. Just a little creepy.

*Side note: One dude came out of a porta-potty and nearly gave my friend a heart attack. Remember, it’s pitch black. And we’re all a little over-sensitive given the situation.

We meet two other friends at THE PASS. There are 7 of us total. I make sure to get a head count. I don’t want anyone snatched up. Or lost. We make our way up the mountain trail. We can see more camping sites (more old-timey tents) through the woods. But aside from our faint flashlights, it’s almost impossible to see anything in front of you. So imagine our surprise when we see two bodies walking toward us. They are in their civil war gear but they have NO FLASHLIGHT. And as they pass, I say hello. They say nothing. NOTHING. Walking in the dark PASS with no light and not acknowledging us? PRETTY FUCKIN’ FREAKY. But I’m pretty convinced it was not a ghost and just some old reenactors who don’t want to change clothes and would rather hike the trails in the dark and scare the pants off me and my friends.

*Side note 2. We passed them again at one point and my same friend who was scared at the porta-potty was pretty convinced that she had shined her flashlight on them and that they had no faces. That has yet to be determined.

So we continue to walk. Out and away we go, past the folks in their old garb and past the camp fires and tents. Still, we hear something and my friend and I turn around to see a Civil War dude behind us. As soon as we piss our pants and pick up the pace. He disappears. Hmmmmm…. No more walking in the back of the line for me!

Throughout the course of the evening, we take numerous photos. Some have orbs of light, then the same picture taken seconds later will show nothing. It was all quite interesting. As far as actual ghosts, I’m trying to convince myself that the people we saw were IN FACT real people. And since there were obviously more people around, it seems logical. But I still want to go back when we are completely alone and see who we run across.

I definitely recommend this excursion, especially around this time of year. I DO NOT recommend taking anyone with athsma, though.

Ok folks, time for a quick history lesson. Don’t worry, it’ll be exciting.

This Sunday, Oct. 5th, marks the 144th anniversary of the Battle of Allatoona Pass. For those of you who don’t know, this battle was one of the bloodiest battles in the civil war with over 1,500 casualties and countless others wounded. Basically, General Sherman feared that the confederates were planning to attack the poorly guarded Allatoona Railway Pass which held the much needed replenishments for the Union soldiers. Sherman sent General Corse to defend the station and keep the supplies out of Confederate hands. While the story is pretty interesting, I’m not going to go through all that. You can read it here or wiki it.

Alls you needs to know is that 1500 fallen soldiers equals unmarked, mass graves, and that General Corse was a badass. After losing over a third of his soldiers, that dude was SHOT IN THE FACE and still held down the fort. After this excitement, its no surprise that Allatoona Pass has been called one of the most haunted battle sites in Georgia.

Redtop Mountain State Park has rights to “The Pass” now, and will be holding some anniversary festivities this weekend for those of you who enjoy bluegrass and the such, however, we will be going for a little after-hours activities (of the paranormal variety) (ghosties).  More to come, including pictures.

I had the joy of going to college for two years up at Young Harris College in Young Harris, Georgia. It’s a quaint town equally distanced between Blairsville, Georgia and Hiawassee, Georgia. There wasn’t much else to do around accept for hiking, camping, and other outdoor related activities.

My first year there, friends and I were introduced to Bell Mountain. It’s easily spotted as you drive through Hiawassee. It’s an old granite quarry. Previous blasts and mining left it with a distinguished shape. Some locals call it Butt-Crack Mountain. I prefer to call it Camel Toe Mountain. On one end, you can view the town of Hiawassee and on the other end, there is nothing but green as far as the eye can see. Gorgeous! Just don’t go falling off…

Back in the college years, if you had a good 4 wheel drive vehicle and rhino sized balls, you could make it to the top. Since then, it’s been gated. You can drive up about 3/4 of the way (even without 4 week drive) and park off the path and hike the rest of the way. It’s not a far hike, but it’s tough. It’s all gravel and leads to some sliding. You’ll come to the gate, and you’ll want to take the path to the left. If you do have a 4 wheel drive, you should be able to make it all the way to the gate, then hike the remainder of the way.

As far as camping, it’s not ideal for group camping but singularly or coupled it’s perfect. Remember, it’s all granite. There is one small patch of wooded/grassy area but it is really only big enough for one tent. It is also kind of a local hot spot, and the perfect place to watch a sunset. The last time we camped, a few locals rode up on 4-wheelers. Also remember this is a college town and unfortunately, there is a lot of graffiti. For me though, it kind of adds character and definitely does not take away from the amazing views.

It also gets colder at night, especially in the fall and is very windy. So dress accordingly!

You can get directions here or if that link doesn’t work, e-mail us at geosquadgo@gmail.com and we’ll be happy to provide them for you. Also, the locals will give you a helping hand.

Now is the perfect time of year. Go, go, go!!

xoxo and a bottle of whisky,
elisabeth

Unfortunately, this adventure has ended until next year. But I think it’s worth the drive. You get to see giant rats. And giant snakes. And people wearing air brushed t-shirts that say “Timmy loves Tammy”.

Admission is $5 per adult. Students (up to 18) are $2.
Parking is $3
You can buy 22 ride tickets for $20.

We didn’t ride anything. God knows who put those together. But the eats were hearty (stay away from the polish sausage, a friend got food poisoning) and the drinks were aplenty. Lots to do and see without riding any rides. Chainsaw carving shows, pig races, alligator wrestling and a high dive show.

So ya’ll come on out next year, ya hear?

Prices may change.

Cotton candy dreams and Tilt-A-Whirl wishes,
elisabeth