Triple Play-- August 11, 2012

It was a good turn-out for the ride over to Traveler's Rest, Bull Sluice and Tallulah Gorge, ten bikes and eleven riders. Regulars Dan, Frank, Steve, Bob K., Scott, the two Bob S's, Mark and Abbey were joined by Mike on his Goldwing and Robert L. on a gleaming new Harley.

The weatherman had promised a sunny but cool day. Cloudy and cool, then sunny and hot, was what they got, but no rain, if you don't count the "mist" that dotted wind screens with droplets. After a stop in Oakwood for morning coffee the group headed up north on 365 to Toccoa and the Traveler's Rest, to see what greeted the stagecoach riders on the Unicoi Turnpike. The Inn was built in 1815, expanded in 1833 and survives today with only a little restoration required. Truly a tribute to the craftsmanship that went into the building's construction and the furniture that survived all the years.

From the Traveler's Rest they headed over to South Carolina on back roads that include, for a change in pace, Unity Church Road, a well known up n down twisty, one of but a few traveled this day. On the border of South Carolina and Georgia, they stopped at the Chattooga River and walked the trail down to Bull Sluice to watch the kayakers and rafters negotiate the falls. Quite the show.

For lunch they headed back into Georgia and over to Clayton to dine at the Clayton Cafe, a locally popular restaurant, then headed south on 441 to take a look at the 1000 foot deep Tallulah Gorge in the state park there. A few of the riders who remember this area in the '70s were amazed at the changes that have taken place over the years. The multilevel visitor's center with exhibits along a descending spiral staircase, and rubberized pathways to the overlooks, were a long way from the cruder accommodations there years ago. The gorge however was unchanged, still spectacular. Access to the floor of the gorge and its many waterfalls and the favorite "sliding rock" used to be down dangerous rock strewn footpaths. Now access is by permit and the footpaths replaced with a steel stairway that leads to a suspension bridge across the gorge. The Bob S's, Mark, Abbey, Dan and Scott made it down the 300+ steps to the bridge while the others guarded the top to make sure no hungry bears followed them down.

The visit to Tallulah Gorge completed the day's triple play and the riders headed home through Clarkesville, Cleveland etc to be back, after 250 miles, at the Hickory Flat start point about 5:30 p.m.