1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:12,500 [Music] 2 00:00:12,500 --> 00:00:15,500 Alright, finally back out on the trail. 3 00:00:15,500 --> 00:00:17,500 [Music] 4 00:00:17,500 --> 00:00:24,000 We are at the Montgomery Falls Trail. 5 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:38,000 And I've had to start picking just easy trails because Godfrey now has hip problems. 6 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:45,000 So we're taking trails that have inclines but nothing that where he's going to have to do any kind of scrambling. 7 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:49,000 That is his future. 8 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:54,000 So last time we scrambled all the way down there. 9 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:59,000 There's another, there's a river down there, there's another set of falls. 10 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:05,000 But we are going to forego that kind of scrambling. It's a little bit too steep I think. 11 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:11,000 Maybe if I could find a different way down we'll go that way. 12 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:18,000 So we're still, we're in mid-April. 13 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:26,000 It's a perfect spring day, it's like 60 degrees outside. It's about 10 o'clock in the morning right now. 14 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:35,000 And the vet assures me that I can still take Godfrey hiking. 15 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:41,000 He said inclines are fine, just not a whole lot of scrambling so we're going to see how that goes. 16 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:48,000 Because he does enjoy hiking out in the woods. 17 00:01:50,000 --> 00:02:01,000 Okay we're coming up to the first, I think if I remember right this is the only water crossing. 18 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:05,000 But it's a big one because it's hard to get across when the water is deep. 19 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:08,000 So I'm not even sure how we're going to do this. 20 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:12,000 So let me go take a look and see what we got here. 21 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:16,000 It's easy for him to get across. 22 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:19,000 Not me. 23 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:23,000 If I go a little bit further up there, let me see. 24 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:28,000 So I found a log that goes across the stream. I'm going to see if I can cross there. 25 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:30,000 This. 26 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:35,000 This could be some fun, we'll see. 27 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:38,000 I didn't tape it, but I did it. 28 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:46,000 Okay so taking the big log across means we're kind of stuck on a little island but it's much easier to get across here as you can see. 29 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:48,000 So we're going to keep going. 30 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:51,000 Alright back on track. 31 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:53,000 That wasn't too bad. 32 00:02:53,000 --> 00:03:00,000 On the all trails I have to repeat what's saying that they couldn't get across at all but... 33 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:08,000 I think if you've got any kind of balance you can make that one. If not you can always scooch across on your ass. 34 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:14,000 So I made a wrong turn and found what looked like a trail. 35 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:20,000 But that was definitely not the trail according to the all trails map. 36 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:25,000 So I'm coming up this way. This side's been washed out pretty badly. 37 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:29,000 Maybe it was from the hurricane that came by last year. 38 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:35,000 I don't know. This is a pretty good washout here. That's why I didn't think this was part of the trail. 39 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:39,000 What's funny is... 40 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:42,000 On these steep inclines... 41 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:47,000 While it's still terrible for me even with his arthritic hips... 42 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:53,000 He's still able to traverse them much easier than I am. 43 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:56,000 The advantage of four wheel drive. 44 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,000 Hey! 45 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:05,000 We're now beginning our descent down to where the falls are I believe. 46 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:10,000 That incline was one heck of a climb. I know this is the way back. 47 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:16,000 It's a gradual incline to get back up to the top. 48 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:18,000 At least that's what I remember. 49 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:23,000 But it's not so bad as the steep incline. 50 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:31,000 There's so much that I don't remember when I come back to a trail. 51 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:37,000 Of course we've only been here once. But still, I don't remember there being multiple water crossings. 52 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:41,000 Multiple is better than one or none. 53 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:44,000 I'll take it. 54 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:46,000 So we've reached the falls. 55 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:50,000 Sadly though we can't go down at the bottom anymore. 56 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:53,000 It's just too much of a scramble. 57 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:56,000 But we'll stay up here at the top. 58 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:59,000 Check it out and hang for a bit. 59 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:02,000 We've gone about another... 60 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:05,000 About a half an hour. 61 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:08,000 And we're back at the top. 62 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:15,000 Check it out and hang for a bit. We've gone about another quarter mile or so. 63 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:21,000 And here's a place I think Godfreak can easily get down to and take a water break. 64 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:29,000 It's fun to think that this leads to that large falls. 65 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:36,000 That was sort of the end of the big part of the trail. 66 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:42,000 I think I came this way the last time too because the hike to the falls is pretty short. 67 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:48,000 And there really doesn't seem to be too many people that continue on past the falls. 68 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:51,000 Because maybe there's not much to see back here. 69 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:55,000 And you can tell because the trail is really tiny. 70 00:05:55,000 --> 00:06:02,000 Well this is the end of the known trail. 71 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:05,000 Because this is just a bunch of downed trees. 72 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:11,000 And I don't know if it continues further but I can't be... 73 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:16,000 I can't take the chance of bushwhacking it through the forest with my Arthritic dog. 74 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:20,000 So we will turn back and head back to the Jeep. 75 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:23,000 He's actually taking a break. 76 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:28,000 And it's hard to believe he has never taken a break willingly on a hike. 77 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:34,000 I guess there's some advantages to the arthritis. 78 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:37,000 Not much but maybe this is it. 79 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:41,000 This really is such a beautiful morning. 80 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:49,000 There are more picture perfect days in north Georgia than there are in Chicago. 81 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:51,000 That much I will say. 82 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:53,000 I do miss the snow in the winters. 83 00:06:53,000 --> 00:07:01,000 But you know a perfect day where it's 60's and 70's low relatively low humidity. 84 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:06,000 And you know beautiful crystal clear skies. Those are kind of rare in Chicago. 85 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:08,000 You get them. 86 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:10,000 But you know maybe a few times a year really. 87 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:14,000 And you're really fortunate if you can string a couple days together. 88 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:16,000 Here it happens. 89 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:18,000 During the spring and the fall. 90 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:22,000 Sometimes you get solid weeks that are just perfect. 91 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:25,000 Alright we've made it back to the falls. 92 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:32,000 Now we're just going to head back to the Jeep. 93 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:43,000 So this trail is near a military base. Camp Merrill I think it's called. 94 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:45,000 I don't know what kind of military base it is. 95 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:47,000 I never bothered to look it up. 96 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:55,000 But they apparently do some munitions something or other because I heard a couple of explosions earlier. 97 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:57,000 Godfrey know. This way. 98 00:07:57,000 --> 00:07:59,000 You got to stay on the trail pal. Come on. 99 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:03,000 Alright my memory is starting to kick in. 100 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:10,000 This water crossing right after this is the long and steady incline back to the top. 101 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:22,000 You know Godfrey is getting old and tired when his footsteps and my footsteps are in the same frame. 102 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:25,000 Never used to be this way. 103 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:30,000 Age comes for us all. 104 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:33,000 Didn't start this video in time. 105 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:37,000 Because I just heard another little explosion. 106 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:42,000 Now we're done with the top. We're heading on the steep incline down. 107 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:44,000 The part that was sort of washed out. 108 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:47,000 Curious to see how Godfrey is going to do on the way down. 109 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:51,000 Because it's kind of steep but at least they're not stairs. 110 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:55,000 It's just a steeper incline or decline now. 111 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:57,000 He used to be doing okay with it. 112 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:06,000 He's just taking his sweet time and taking the parts that are on a decline rather than things that look like a step. 113 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:11,000 He's making do. 114 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:15,000 Alright we're coming to the end of that challenge. He did pretty well. 115 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:19,000 And he gets to take a water break at the bottom. 116 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:26,000 Okay we're coming back to the big water crossing. So I've got to bushwhack it through the woods just a bit. 117 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:29,000 To find my giant log. 118 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:32,000 Come on Godfrey let's go this way. 119 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:36,000 Alright I found my big fat log. 120 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:39,000 Now we must traverse it again. 121 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:43,000 Pray we don't end up in the drink. Last time I said that I ended up in the drink. 122 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:44,000 I ended up in the drink. 123 00:09:44,000 --> 00:10:07,000 I made it now I've got to get Godfrey across. 124 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:11,000 So we found a safe place for him to get in. Now we just got to walk upstream. 125 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:13,000 Come on Godfrey keep going. 126 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:15,000 Come on. 127 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:25,000 Well he got up another 20 yards and it would have been easy but he decided to scramble which I really didn't want him to do but he did it anyway. 128 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:32,000 Down there is the lower Black Falls. 129 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:37,000 Which of course you can't see through the trees much. 130 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:40,000 But we were down there before. 131 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:47,000 I think a lot of these hikes are going to be me lamenting I can't get to the falls because my dog is too old. 132 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:52,000 You know he's old when he rests. 133 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:59,000 Alright this is the final ascent to get to the Jeep. One last incline. 134 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:20,000 I'll give you my wisdom for life right now that for every decline meaning easy times going downhill you're going to have an equal and opposite incline on the way back or the way forward. 135 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:26,000 I guess if you're going uphill and you got the decline on the way back that's the glass half full. 136 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:31,000 If you've got the incline on the way back that's the glass half empty. 137 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:40,000 I look at it both ways which means I'm optimistic and pessimistic at the same time. 138 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:49,000 That was always a shocker is the last incline. 139 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:53,000 But we did it. We're done. We're back to the Jeep. 140 00:11:53,000 --> 00:12:14,000 [Music]