Zip-Lining In Lula--September 13, 2014

This month we decided to do something different, combine a motorcycle ride with a destination activity, in this case zip-lining at North Georgia Canopy Tours near Lula.

Five riders, Bob K., Steve, Dennis, Richard and Bob S. took advantage of special September-only pricing and signed up for the 9:40 a.m. Saturday tour. The weather forecast for the Gainesville area had deteriorated in the week running up to the event, from good to iffy, leaving to Saturday morning the decision to ride or drive (tickets were non-refundable rain or shine). As it turned out four chose to ride, one drive.

They left Hickory Flat soon after dawn heading up the boring, but most direct route, SR 369. After a brief stop in Gainesville they arrived at the tour site at 9:30. Once safety gear was fitted they got brief instruction in the basics of zip-lining, then off to the wires. The runs started short and easy but progressively got longer and faster culminating in a two wire race track over a pond.Two guides were shepherded the nine person group providing safety tips and humorous zip-lining banter. At the finish they awarded the five their Certificates Of Completion.

 A look around the horizon was not to promising, as thunderheads were building up to the south and west. They took off down the dirt road and picked up Old Cornelia highway into Gainesville where they stopped for lunch at the 2 Dog restaurant, a small place on Spring Street. No hot dogs here but a full menu and good food. After lunch they saddled up and headed toward Dahlonega on Thompson Bridge Road. They didn't get far before rain drops started pinging on their face shields. They were lucky though as it never got bad enough to warrant putting on rain gear. This was not the case for Richard however. He was following the bikes at a distance and reported later that he ran through a deluge from the same clouds that sprinkled the riders.

The riders pulled off of Thompson Bridge Road (SR60) onto Price Road (SR136) and cut a path westerly into Dawson then Pickens counties. After a short stop at the Foothills Chevron they road home by various routes.

By all accounts it was a great day and a harbinger of combo rides to come.