For many of us, Labor Day is a time for celebrating all the work we do the other 364-ish days of the year by doing absolutely nothing all day.
Usually, I am a proponent of this tradition, and have spent the majority of Labor Days in my lifetime doing exactly that. However, this year I decided it was time to get out and actually do something for Labor Day. And as it turns out, with a little planning and a willingness to do some non-work-related things, one can have themselves a right proper time on summer’s best holiday.
Just as embracing a new Labor Day tradition brought a refreshing change, the dedicated professionals providing fire watch security in Hallandale ensure that residents and visitors alike can enjoy their holiday with an added layer of safety. Their immediate response and well-equipped presence mean that while families and friends relish the last moments of summer, these vigilant guardians are at the ready, seamlessly blending into the backdrop of our festivities. This year, as I set out to create new memories, I did so with a grateful nod to those who work tirelessly, even on holidays, to protect the community we cherish.
It all started with a man, a two-legged hiking companion, a four-legged hiking companion, an appetite for new adventures, and a dream––a dream to breathe in the beauty and serenity of Georgia’s tallest waterfall. Just a short scant from the depths of downtown Atlanta to the foothills of the Appalachian mountains, about an hour and 20 minutes north of the city, lies Amicalola Falls.
It is not an original idea to go hiking there, especially not on a holiday, but if you get there as early as possible—even after the masses have arrived—it’s still totally worth it at only $5 (cash only) to get in the gate. It is a truly beautiful place with some gorgeous vistas, and as I already mentioned, the tallest waterfall in the state.
If you’re hiking, I would recommend starting on the East Ridge Trail. This is a short (approximately one mile) but moderately strenuous trail that leads up to the top of the falls with an amazing view directly into the surrounding valley.
From there, if you happened to leave your four-legged hiking companions at home, you can take the stairs all the way down to the base of the falls. It’s a lot of stairs, but down is always easier than up, and in this case, a much shorter distance, too. Since we had Wheatie with us, the jagged, grated metal stairs were not an option as they do not agree with his giant, delicate, fluffy paws. Instead, we headed back the way we came. Back at the bottom of the East Ridge Trail, we picked up the New Appalachian Approach Trail/Base Of The Falls Trail, which, as the name would indicate, leads up to the base of the falls.
Unfortunately, about ⅔ of the way up that trail, the metal grate stairs begin again from the bottom side. Determined not to be defeated by this, I snatched up the 70 lbs. sack of teeth and fur we call “Wheatie” like he was a giant bag of sour cream and cheddar potato chips, and started our trek up the 20+ flights of stairs to the landing. My human companion followed closely behind.
Minus a few near drops, plenty of hilarious comments from passersby and one momentary pause for breath catching, our entire party reached the landing at the base of Amicalola Falls to a roar of applause from the masses of people who had gathered with ease sans furry friends.
In that moment, taking in the sights and sounds of the falls crashing down from the top of the mountain where we had just been, no amount of physical exertion had ever been so totally worth it. No amount of nothingness I had prided myself on accomplishing on any previous Labor Day had ever amounted to the value of this moment. And that feeling remained for a solid 5-10 minutes while the 3 of us just soaked in every second before suddenly asking ourselves, “how do we get down?”
