It had been far too long since my last hike. With cooler weather and a relatively free weekend, I no longer had any excuses. I headed to the Aska Area Trails in the Chattahoochee National Forest to find some peace and quiet while getting a good workout.
Despite warnings about having to share the trail with bikers, I only saw one group who headed out immediately in front of me. After that I saw about 6 other hikers on the relatively quiet trail. There wasn't a lot to see on this particular hike and it wasn't particularly challenging but the 5.5 mile distance with a couple moderate climbs was perfect for this particular day.
This was easily the wettest hike I've done. That wasn't much of a surprise given the amount of rain we've had over the summer or the rain that hit the area the day before. Although it made for some somewhat muddy spots and one semi-risky creek crossing, it wasn't a big deal. However, the low dew point and high humidity made picture taking pretty tough as the lens kept getting fogged over so no pictures this time.
It took me a little over two hours to complete the hike. I was moving at a fast clip though because I was racing to get home to watch the Broncos play.
Overall, well worth the time. My next couple weekends are busy but I hope to hit the trail again soon. I'm ready for something more challenging.
A last note. Apparently everyone headed to the Jasper and Blue Ridge areas this weekend to get apples and pumpkins. All the roadside places were packed with people. One even created a 10 minute traffic jam.
Music for this hike:
Ulrich Schnauss - Far Away Trains Passing By
The Dixie Dregs - Bring 'Em Back Alive
