Amicalola Falls Hike (Sunday 9/16)

Loading up Lindsay in her new ride!
Nothing cuter than a baby in a backpack!
She totally loves it!
Off we go!

We started at the Visitor center and hiked up the East Ridge Trail (one mile up to Falls over look) here are some flowers that we don't know the name of...anyone?
This is Kudzu and I had no idea Kudzu had flowers. Mike had me smell this and it's the most overwhelming GRAPE smell you've ever known. It smelled SO good!
Almost to the top and taking a break for a family photo!
What a happy girl. She loved hiking with us. I love this pic of her!
A little closer to the top we found someone to take our picture so we didn't have to do another self portrait shot. Ha!Ha!

We finally made it to the top. It took us a little over an hour to hike that mile. It was very steep. Little did I know I was starting to come down with the flu bug. I thought I was just being wimpy needing to stop and rest. I was really bummed out that it seemed so hard for me. I want to go back next month and do it again when the leaves are changing.
Once at the top we stopped in at the Lodge and checked out the gift shop and had dinner. The restaurant was not very good. I highly recommend bringing your own picnic. We will next time. Here are Mike and Lindsay as we head to find the route back down to the Visitor center.
For the trip down we decided to take the 425 step stair case. SO glad we didn't come up this way. It seems like it would have been much harder on the legs than the trail.
Photo of the staircase built pretty recently I believe. This staircase takes you to the base of the Falls and then it's trail hike back down to the Visitor Center.
Mike had me take a pic of this sign. He was happy to know that prisoners were used in the building of the staircase. A good use of our tax dollars at work!

Me going down the stairs. If you're afraid of heights I recommend taking the trail back down. The stairs are made of metal and they are open so you can see beneath you as you are going down. It seriously freaked me out a couple of times. I had to stop looking down as it was starting to make me queasy and that was NOT the flu bug coming on. UGH!
WOOHOO...made it!
Base of the Falls...
Boy, take a look at her...you'd think she actually walked those stairs wouldn't ya?

Lindsay was a real trooper. She rode over an hour up and an hour back with only a high chair visit for dinner in between. She was so good. She never got fussy. She is humming, baby talk singing "Twinkle Twinkle" now. That is her new thing. She can make it through the whole song now. We listened to her singing in her own little way Twinkle Little Star all the way up and back. SO CUTE!

Ok, I know it was a lot of pics. Hope you enjoyed the viewing!

Have a great weekend all!