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Mason Mill Park Sunset Hike + optional Pizza Buffet & Stargazing!
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The Basics: |
| Event Type: |  | Urban Hike | |
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Event Location: | |
NE Atlanta near Clairmont Rd & I-85
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| Date(s) & Time: | | Sat, Aug 25 2012
6:00 pm >> Sat, Aug 25 2012 8:30 pm
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| Registration Opens:
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Thu, Aug 23 2012 4:00 pm
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| Registration Cut Off:
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Sat, Aug 25 2012 4:00 pm
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| Event Duration: | | 2 Hours 30 Minutes | |
| Difficulty Rating: | | D2: Easy to Moderate | |
| Distance: | | 4 Miles | |
| Pace: | | Moderate | |
Trip Leader(s):
| | Charlie Cottingham
 Email Trip Leader(s)
You must be logged in to get the Trip Leader contact information.
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| Member Cost: | | None |
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| Participant Info: |
| Who's Invited: | |
Members Only, 21 And Older Only
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| Maximum Group Size: | | 20 |
| Minimum Group Size: | | 2 |
| Number Registered So Far: | |
7 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)
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| Are Dogs Permitted: | |
No
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| Itinerary: |
EVENT PLAN: Beautiful weather is expected this Saturday evening with temperatures in the 70s and low 80s and virtually no chance of rain.
We'll meet at 6:00 in Mason Mill Park's free parking lot—see detailed directions below. After introductions we'll hike together via the pretty trail system to Medlock Park, stopping often to regroup and enjoy the scenery. Our total distance will be about 4 miles with just a few steep sections. By about 8:00 we should be back at Mason Mill Park.
After the hike all who are interested can caravan with me a couple of miles eastward on N. Druid Hills Road where we can enjoy the Pizza Buffet at Cici's (just $5 or so for their all-you-can-eat buffet that includes salad and dessert).
OPTIONAL DARK-SKY OBSERVING: After dinner, I encourage all who can stick around a little longer to return to the Park with me for some stargazing from a high dark-sky public boardwalk near the parking lot. Weather permitting, we can enjoy views of Saturn, Mars and Polaris, and I'll be glad to point out several of the brighter summer constellations with my green laser pointer.
MORE ON THE PARKS & TRAILS: Mason Mill and Medlock Parks are two adjoining DeKalb County parks just east of Clairmont Road that are connected via a network of scenic shady hiking/biking trails and boardwalks. The mile-long South Peachtree Creek Trail is the main trail linking the two parks. Much like the Silver Comet, it features a half-mile raised wooden deck through the forest canopy above the creek. Another high wooden walkway crosses the railroad tracks and gives hikers nice views of historic early-20th-Century waterworks ruins.
A group of my AOC hikers and I discovered last year that the highest point in the walkway is a great spot for urban summer stargazing, since there are no glaring streetlights visible nearby. |
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Required Items to Bring:
• Wear comfortable well-broken-in Athletic Shoes or Hiking Boots and comfortable Lightweight Clothing appropriate for the weather. If you have a pair of Trekking Poles, consider bringing them since part of our route will be a bit steep. A simple Hiking Stick works about as well.
• Hydrate in advance and carry in your Daypack or Fanny Pack a filled Water Bottle or your "Camelbak" or other hydration system.
| | Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.
- Consider bringing your Camera. Lots of nice photo-ops!
- If you'd like to join me for the Cici's Pizza Buffet after the hike bring your Credit Card or a few dollars Cash.
• If you'd like to observe with me after the pizza buffet, bring your Binoculars and/or small Telescope, and if any of you have i-Phones with the cool "pointable" GPS Sky Chart app, we've found that to be a great "tutorial tool" for learning the stars, constellations & planets while observing the night sky. | |
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| How to Get There: |
| Event Directions: | | FROM the "SPAGHETTI JUNCTION" I-85 / I-285 INTERCHANGE in NE METRO ATLANTA:
1) Take I-85 South toward Atlanta about 4 miles and get off at Exit #91 "Clairmont Road."
2) Turn Left onto Clairmont Road (US-23 southward toward Decatur) and go about 2.3 miles to the traffic light at McConnell Drive. (This is the first light south of the much busier junction and light at North Druid Hills Road).
3) Turn Left onto McConnell Drive, go 0.1 mile ahead and turn Right at the stop sign to stay on McConnell (following signs toward Mason Mill Park and DeKalb Tennis Center).
4) About another 0.1 mile ahead, look for the Mason Mill Park sign on your left and turn Left into the large free parking lot. We'll gather between 5:45 and 6:00 PM by the stone restroom building.
FOR A MAP or CUSTOM DIRECTIONS from your specific point of departure: Go to Google.com/maps and input as your destination the following "dummy address" of the Mason Mill Park parking lot:
1280 McConnell Drive, Decatur, GA 30033
Lat/Lon Coordinates of Mason Mill Park parking lot entrance: 33.8083,-84.3078
These may be useful as your entered destination for GPS navigation or for Google.com/maps.
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| Notes: |
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| Cost Includes: | | Free Event with Free Parking! |
Cancellation/Partial Attendance: Please review the AOC cancellation policy. |
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