After weeks of hot weather the air felt pleasant. We had just finished lunch and the suggestion came up to visit Mills Creek Nature Center. The AJC had a story about it, and we had heard about this gem of a nature park before.
It seemed like a fine place for a “serene”, to use the word the AJC used, walk in the park.
I got out my phone for directions. Seems that Siri had no idea about this place. She provided directions to a park near Seattle, Washington. No doubt a nice place, but a 2678 mile trip was a bit too far for a Sunday afternoon drive.
Well, Google did better and gave us detailed directions. Only twenty minutes up hectic Interstate 85. Not a serene drive, but we got to the exit and and turned on Mall of Georgia Boulevard and came to Nature Parkway as instructed. We turned in but could not locate the entrance to the park. It was just a small shopping center. Drove all around. Finally saw an unpaved driveway. That had to be it. Drove in and to the end with a small parking area for maybe half a dozen cars. But no park entrance.
Maybe the entrance was a bit farther. So we drove to the next street but found only a gated residential community. No park entrance in sight.
Back to the shopping center, maybe a shop keeper can help us find our destination.
We were told that we were in the right place and the little parking area had an unpaved path back to the street. It was then just a little way up the street where we would find a stairway to the park.
Finally we found the “entrance”.
There, off to the right, across the grassy strip there was the “grand” entrance. Even a couple of tiny signs. A steep looking stairway lead into the trees.
More stairs.
And more stairs.
Some fisty stair steps down there was an information sign.
And finally the park trails.
Even a welcome sign!
By then we had pretty much used up the afternoon. The long stairways were just not the answer for a pleasant afternoon stroll for us octogenarians, so we called it a day. An interesting adventure. Maybe some other time we might brave those stairs and partake of the serene environment. Unless we decide to take a couple of weeks and follow Siri’s directions to the other side of the country …
.:. © 2019 Ludwig Keck