For years I’ve wanted to go to a place called the “Hike Inn.” It’s a lodge of sorts, perched high atop a mountain in North Georgia. The reason I’ve wanted to go is the same reason I’ve never been: the only way to get to the Hike Inn is to hike in. Yes, one must hike through the woods for five “moderate” miles to get there.
I’m all show and no go when it comes to being woodsy or outdoorsy. I read about it and dream about it and think about it, but that’s as far as it goes. Hubby is exactly the same way. Except he doesn’t do the reading, dreaming or thinking.
I love it! I’m so jealous, too. I wish, wish, wish I could do this kind of thing. We used to walk and hike all the time, but health issues have kept my husband from walking much lately. Every time we think we’ve got it beat, another symptom pops up. But we keep trying. This was so encouraging!
Congratulations!! You did it. I love reading your articles. I have always been more of the outdoors type so reading your side of the story is very interesting. You are so funny!! Keep up the adventures though. Look at the new world you are exposing your daughter to. And remember – "You’ll be fine."
Hi, the trip sounds like a blast! I want to know what the bear was doing when the "other" group saw it!
Rebecca,This is completely cool,I am glad that you had fun.It is too hot here,106 degees yesterday.There is a place at Branson Mo.kind of like this,I hope to go to in late Aug.or the first of Sept.They have horse back riding,at the" Lodge of the Ozarks".I told my friend, I wanted to go more in the fall when it was cooler,but,then we can,t take in White Water.Her answer was "So,lets just go twice!"So,I have been working on the bank account.It is so expensive,her answer was to" ask another friend to share"she always,has the answer.Its nice when you have friends of the same intrest,all of my friends are cool like that too,and its great!Have a safe summer,Carol Branum,Lamar MO.
Is your friend available to rent out? I need someone like her to get me off the sofa. Enjoyed your adventure! Aren’t you proud of yourself? I would be! Great post.
I too am very jealous of your experience. I would absolutely love to visit Hike Inn. Unfortunately I am too far away to just drive over to the trail and give it a go. Maybe it’s something I can do in the future as part of a vacation down south to visit family? I will keep this in mind and my dreams.
I really enjoyed this post!
This is very inspirational. I at age 62 have almost given up on these types of adventures but after reading this, maybe not. There is hope.
Rebecca:
What a wonderful experience for you and your daughter. I truly enjoyed reading your story and what a great sense of humor you have. Please post more stories that we can all read and enjoy (and maybe be a little envious at the same time).
Love-
Rusty
!!!LOL!!!
Oh, so envious! I’ve always wanted to do something like that! I would wear mascara too btw….no reason not to look pretty when running from a copperhead!! How fun, glad you did it. I’m inspired now to take the plunge…or, rather, the hike. 🙂
What a trip! I agree, your daughter will remember forever the time when Mom got out of her comfort zone. Would you do it again?I’m printing out that recipe. It sounds wonderful, even if I’m not hiking off any calories.
Great story! Sounds like a blast. I am not sure if I have ever walked that far at once. I am doubting it. I grew up in Indiana and there are to parks there that are mostly covered with hiking trails. They are in Brown county and we went there a few times as children. There is also campgrounds. The trails are easy to extremely hard. I do not remember any being this long though. The cookies list 1 lb of brown sugar. How many does it make? Sounds yummy!
I’m proud of you! I wouldn’t think you would have had any trouble walking the 5 miles in after training for the marathon. Of course the snake thing is a different story! But you did it and had a great time it sounds like. Thanks for the cookie recipe. My granddaughter was here yesterday and we made them and everyone who tasted them loved them! It was a great project for an eleven year old and a rainy day.
Bonnie
good for you to have lived one of your dreams. it looks like y’all had awesome fun. and how lucky for you to have such a great friend; those aren’t easy to come by. i am doing my own ‘living in the city but am really a county girl’ lifestyle. i grew up in the kind of county you hiked in and can say i miss the peaceful beauty of home all the time. but i do try and keep a little of my county self alive; i have a huge vegetable garden growing in our front yard (the sun is best there:). i can also say i feel you on the snake issue; am NOT a fan. thanks for sharing and hope you have many more countygirl adventures in the future.
mellee
Woo Hoo! You go girl! See, you WERE fine! Don’t you just love friends who bring out the best in you? I have one such friend too…My Dancer friend that gave me the courage to take tap dancing lessons at 37… And then more courage to perform in her annual recital with the rest of my class which consisted of two other late blooming tap dancers in the late 30’s age range,2 years in a row!
I loved the classes but the stage fright before the performance had my stomach in knots! Once it was over, I was fine too!
Every once in a while, my hubby drags out the video to remind me of how much fun it was to tap dance and be center stage if only for a minute… I think that’s how long our song was…Just about a minute!
Your hike sounds like the perfect one for someone who didn’t fashion themselves as " outdoorsy at all " . So sweet for a mother/daughter get away…What a sweet mother daughter memory you made too!
Congrats!
Deb~
Hey, I’m with you, mascara and lipstick……good times!
It looks like you guys had a great time. I would love to go to the Hike Inn. What an incredible experience to have!! PS I’m not too fond of snakes myself.
Made the cookies, I only had peanut M&M’s so put a bunch in
the little oscar and munched them up……way good cookies!
Hi Rebecca,
Sounds like you and your daughter had a great learning experience. You should keep doing these types of trips…see if you can get hubby to go too. My O/H and I have hiked in Maine…one trip he showed me bear tracks in the sandy beach near the stream we were on….since we were 20 miles from nowhere…I was not happy he did…no one else around. I’m usually one curled up with a quilt I’m working on, so these adventures are exhausting, exhilerating, etc…but I’m glad we’ve done them. I’m now, at 57, having some major medical problems (looks like I have Parkinson’s disease), so I don’t know how many more years I’ll be able to do these things…but I have a trip to England in the plans, with my grown daughter,nieces, plus I am hoping to go SKYDIVING! for my 65th birthday…
hope you just keep doing, while you’re young, and healthy!
have a great summer!
nonnameme
Wow, Great fun, the photos gave me a good ‘feel like I’m there’. Beautiful place. I saved the cookie recipe too. Thank you. Hike Inn…what a perfect name.
Thanks so much for the recipe. We have been to Hike Inn 3 times and love it! Plan on going again soon. But always wanted the cookie recipe! My husband and his buddies are doing a section of the Appalation Trail and I plan on making these for them. Thanks again.