October 28, 2003
| HIKERS – John Bellamy, Jack Jacobi, Steve Jordan, Wayne Miller, Bob Presley,Tony Presley, Dan Ross, Gerald Shedd,Bob Slack, Jack Slaton, Bob Thompson, and David Whitaker.
TRAIL INFO. – Our hike today began at the Byron Herbert Reese parking lot just past Neel’s Gap on Hwy 129 / 19 North of Cleveland, GA. We hiked a loop from Byron Reese to the Freeman Trail to Bird Gap on up to Slaughter Gap and Blood Mountain and back down to Herbert Reese. Distance about 8 mi. Another beautiful hiking day! Partly to mostly cloudy 45-62 degrees F. Great views from the highest peak on the GA portion of the Appalachian Trail (Blood Mtn.)! Wildflowers viewed – Closed Gentian, White Snakeroot, Wood Asters, Phlox, Heal-All, Yellow Cone-Flower. Fauna identified – Pileated Woodpecker, Carolina Wren, Winter Wren, Raven, Black Shinned Salamander. |
 The view from the trail junction of the Freeman Trail and The Appalachian Trail. |
 The Freeman Loop Trail to Bird Gap. |
 The clouds were settled into the valleys for some awesome views! |
 The Blood Mtn. Shelter (built in the 1930’s by the Civilian Conservation Corps). |
 Every direction gave magnificent views (even on a cloudy day). |
 Another nice view! |
 We met a nice group of 5th graders from Woodward Academy (51 hiked to the summit of Blood Mtn.!) |
 This portion of the A.T. features very large boulders all along the trail. |
 The OFHC gang at the top of Blood Mtn. (front kneeling) David Whitaker, and Gerald Shedd. (back l-r) Bob Slack, Jack Slaton, John Bellamy, Bob Thompson, Dan Ross, Steve Jordan, Wayne Miller, Bob Presley, Jack Jacobi, and Tony Presley. |