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Greetings!  I have had...am having an absolutely 'Awesome August'!
It has been so amazing...God is sooo good!!! Let me share with you the highlights of my month, - I submitted on the last day my essay and video to the Huffington Post, for their collaborative initiative with The TODAY Show, in search of 50 Over 50 people who have reinvented themselves. I was selected...wow!I am in the 'Risk Takers' group.
A special Thank You to my friend, Joanne Simmons for believing in me enough to encourage me to submit. Check out my submission, the feature and my video here. - I traveled to Anchorage, Alaska for the first time. Yvonne Lloyd joined me on this adventurous excursion. As a result, I am now in the planning stages of a group trip there next year. If interested in more information, click here. We had a full agenda. We hiked 3 days. Went on an Iditarod dog sled ride (no snow,...the sled was on wheels). We had 2 days of train rides, both in the double deck, Upper Level Dome of the trains with the best panoramic views ever!And we took a Glacier cruise. The temperatures were primarily in the mid 60's. It was an awesome trip. Photos to follow in a later post.
A special Thank You to my friend and fellow hiker, Cheryl Prince, who relocated to Anchorage last year. She was a perfect host. - Direct from Anchorage, we flew into Las Vegas and drove to the Grand Canyon. Yvonne was still hanging with me. She had been unable to join us last year, so she took advantage of this opportunity. The weather was perfect, and the canyon was Spectacular! I was there for a special meeting of the newly formed Diversified Environmental Leaders (DEL) National Speakers Bureau, that my very good friend and comarade, Audrey Peterman, along with her husband Frank, who are considered true environmental leaders and advocates for increasing the numbers people of color in the national parks.
A special Thank You to Audrey and Frank Peterman for having the vision, and believing in me, my quest and abilities to invite me to be a member of DEL. I am honored to be among such a prestigious group of environmental leaders form all across the country. Check out the DEL web site to see the others. - After being home for a few days, off i went to Washington D.C. for the official launch and reception for the Diverse Environmental Leaders National Speakers Bureau. Both events were held at the National Press Club. Wow! I spoke from the podium of the National Press Club...how awesome is that?! We met movers and shakers of various Environmental organizations, government and academic affiliates, and of course media. I was able to visit the offices of some of the Congressional Black Caucus leaders and introduce them to DEL. I took a 'Hop on - Hop off' bus tour, and a special bonus...I was able to visit the Shanandoah National Park and go hiking. At the park, we had a special presentation about the black history of Lewis Mountain. And, had several of the original members there to give us first hand information. Photos to follow in future posts.
A Special Thank You to Audrey for inviting me, to Deidre King-Ross, DOI, NPS, Administrative Officer, for putting together this very special tour, and Rangers Michael, Georgette and Thomas for their professional, warm reception and assistance in enhancing our experience at Shanandoah. Ok, so much for my AWESOME August. Now off to training for ushering at the Fabulous Fox Theater. And, looking forward to my birthday next week, on the 5th. I will be 66, and boy, I am truly enjoying this new chapter of being seasoned, and savoring in the spices of life.
To kick off September in celebration of my birthday on the 5th. I am scheduling a Hang Gliding adventure to be followed by Sky Diving. If you are interested in helping me celebrate, click here, or check out the meetup sites where i will post the locations, dates and times. Join me...
I will send out an updated newsletter with photos and all the events planned for September and beyond. Too late to take the time needed to do it right now, gotta get this one out today. Living Life to the Fullest!!!  P.S.: Check out the links in the sidebar to some of my other sites, especially the meetup sites if you are interested in joining me and participating in a variety of fun activities and cultural events, with some great, fun-loving and friendly people. |
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SEPTEMBER HIKE
 Our rescheduled hike:
Gahuti Trail at Fort Mountain
Saturday, September 6
8:00a.m.
Meeting Location:
IHOP Parking Lot
2530 Cobb Parkway Smyrna, GA 30080 A brief overview about the Gahuti Trail follows. Read and take the month to ensure you are prepared for this strenuous, all day (5 - 6 hours) hike. When I scouted it earlier this month, I was not in full form and it was tough. So, prepare yourself and get ready for this 'real' back country hike! TRAIL SUMMARY: Distance: 8.2 miles (loop); Difficulty Rating: moderate to strenuous
Western Blue Ridge, Cohutta Mountains, Fort Mountain State Park
Gahuti is the Cherokee word for Cohutta Mountain in Murray County. The name comes from the Cherokee words for 'a shed roof supported on poles' and refers to a fancied resemblance to the summit of Cohutta Mountain. The Gahuti Back country loop often skirts the isolated border the park shares with the Chattahoochee National Forest. Away from the busy activity area, the trail winds along the ravines, spur ridges, and slopes of Fort and Cohutta Mountains. It follows the contours of this terrain up and down numerous grades, most easy or moderate. There are a few long, steep descents and a few short, very sharp climbs. There is a long, often steep descent, and much more on this great, adventurous trail. Up high across the valley, the Cohutta Wilderness preserves the pure wilderness of an unbroken mountain forest. The tallest peak in sight, Big Frog, at 4,200 feet, straddles the northern boundary of the Wilderness, across the state line in Tennessee. RSVP HereIt is approximately a 2-hour drive to the trail head. Weather Forecast: High 89 50% chance of rain* *I will monitor the weather and once you have RSVP'd I will send you the latest weather update on Friday. Usually with a 50% or more chance of rain we postpone the hikes. Wear lightweight, layered, comfortable clothing and sturdy shoes. Bring snacks, lunch and plenty of water! Eat a healthy breakfast and get plenty of rest to assure your endurance...this is a strenuous hike.
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