[RV8iator]

Kari and I decided last weekend to fly over the mountains of north Georgia just to take in the local scenery. It didn't hurt that it was the beginning of November and the leaves were really doing their thing. We mounted up:

and settled in to enjoy the scenery. Looking south and east from Dahlonega's Wimpy Airport (9A0) we knew we were in for a beautiful flight. The visibility was unrestricted and even to the south the colors seemed to be coming out.

We are lucky here in north Georgia to have several vineyards and wineries that actually produce good wines. It's a treat to be able to enjoy them from the air too!.. Not the wine, the views they provide.
This is Frogtown Vineyards.

located about 5 mile northeast of Dahlonega. We kept going north and the colors kept getting better. The elevation rises gradually towards Tennessee and western North Carolina and the colors were just about to peak.
We don't get the vivid reds of the northeast since we have fewer maple trees but they are still beautiful. It's "the ol', photo's don't do them justice."

(cont)

 

[RV8iator]

Evening over north Georgia 2

We made a big arc over eastern Tennessee/western North Carolina borders and headed back south. The sun was getting low enough and the visibility was high enough to get beautiful views up and down.

On the way back home we went by the lookout tower on Brasstown Bald, the highest point in Georgia at 4784 feet and waved to the leafwatchers.

.

We had to do the obligatory spin around town but before we got there we flew over Wolf Mountain Vineyards.

and headed for Dahlonega. The gold steeple is North Georgia College located just south of the square in Dahlonega. It's an old college that has a long list of military leaders that have graduated from there. It's real gold leaf that was provided from Dahlonega, which was actually the site of the first big gold discovery in America. There also was a US Mint in Dahlonega before the War between the States. The foundation of the red brick building just this side of the steeple is actually the old mint.

From there it is just a couple of minutes to base leg to 15 at Wimpy Field. It's a pretty little field that make some folks nervous to fly into, but it's just one of those places where you need to stay on your toes until you get to the hangar. Beautiful views as you wind your way through the valley to final..

this last photo is my view just over my left shoulder on about a 1/2 mile final. I never get tired of flying into my little home field.

Now all we have to do is wait for next fall and do it all over again.

Enjoy

 

[TSwezey]

Nice write up! Hopefully next year I can do the north Georgia leaf flight.

 

[gnuse]

Not much color this year....must be the drought!!

Sorry we missed you flying by.

 

[rv8guy]

Jeez Jerry, I flew the same day, but my pictures didn't do it justice like yours.

Seriously, we need to get an RV fall adventure up for next year!

 

[JDRhodes]

Must have passed you

You could have pulled these pictures from my camera becasue I did the same flight last Sunday morning! Really was quite nice. I followed the Etowah River up from Lake Allatoona. If it would just rain a little, it sure gave me canoe fever. The canoe tour is just as spectacular as the RV tour - only 180mph slower!

 

[Flyrod]

Is this the peak?

Would you guys say the leaves are just now peaking? Seems a little late this year.

 

[Rupester]

Spectacular color and photos, Jerry! Thanks for sharing.

 

[RV8iator]

Just missed it

They are mostly gone now. Peak was actually about the 1st or 2nd of November.

 

[TeaSea]

Wonderful pictorial.

I have to point out though, that you covered the Dahlonega area the easy way (in an RV!). As a U.S. Army Ranger student in 1992 I had to walk over a good chunk of that "beautiful" scenery and as I recall I became less enthusiastic about the beauty of the mountains every day.

However there was one morning when we walked out of the woods into a highland valley, with a little white church at the end, that was just fantastic...

Thanks for the photo's!!

 

[RV8iator]

Jeez Jerry, I flew the same day, but my pictures didn't do it justice like yours.

Seriously, we need to get an RV fall adventure up for next year!

That's a great idea. Some of us are already thinking a trip to New England next fall needs to be on the calender.

 

[JDRhodes]

I have to point out though, that you covered the Dahlonega area the easy way (in an RV!). As a U.S. Army Ranger student in 1992 I had to walk over a good chunk of that "beautiful" scenery and as I recall I became less enthusiastic about the beauty of the mountains every day.

Most people think the "real" mountains are only in the west. But the 4-5000 foot peaks on the East side of the continent can be pretty rugged.

... thanks for serving, by the way!!!

 

[DaX]

You could have pulled these pictures from my camera becasue I did the same flight last Sunday morning! Really was quite nice. I followed the Etowah River up from Lake Allatoona. If it would just rain a little, it sure gave me canoe fever. The canoe tour is just as spectacular as the RV tour - only 180mph slower!

I love the Etowah River - it's a great canoe trip! Especially that scary tunnel!

We did a leaf tour around Young Harris and Lake Chatuge about a month ago - right when the changes were first starting - not much color, but still beautiful!

 

[TeaSea]

Most people think the "real" mountains are only in the west. But the 4-5000 foot peaks on the East side of the continent can be pretty rugged.

... thanks for serving, by the way!!!

Oh to be sure, these are not the Rockies, but when you have to walk it, it's all sort of academic.

I would add that my father was an instructor at the Ranger School in the early 60's, and he once told me that he believed his survival in Viet Nam was directly related to his ability to navigate at night, developed in North Georgia. He told me the highlands in Viet Nam were very much like the hills around Dahlonega.

And you don't have to thank me for serving....I loved doing it.