Georgia | Hole In The Donut Cultural Travel

What Do You Get When You Cross a Donkey With a Zebra?

Published August 23, 2010 | By Barbara Weibel

What do you get when you cross a donkey with a zebra? A zedonk, of course! The owners of the non-profit Chestatee Wildlife Preserve near Dahlonega, Georgia got a big surprise recently when their mama donkey gave birth to her mixed breed foal. Since she was born with striped legs and a solid body, they named the baby Pippi Longstockings. The foal has attributes of both donkey and zebra. Though she sports stripes, she is much less skittish than a zebra and seems not to mind all the attention she is getting.

Can’t see the video above? Click HERE to view on YouTube.

Chestatee Wildlife Preserve is a non-profit wildlife animal rescue operation that is set up like a zoo so that visitors can enjoy their residents. The facility is open to the public 7 days a week Continue reading →

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Traveling The Silver Comet Trail in Smyrna, Georgia

Concord Woolen Mill in Atlanta's Heritage Park Oozes History

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Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama’s Refreshing Commitment to Tell the Truth About the Oil Spill

Posted in Gulf States US travel |

Tagged animal rescue, blogsherpa, Chestatee Wildlife Preserve, cultural travel, culture, Dahlonega, donkey, Georgia, non-profit, the south, Travel, USA, zebra, zedonk, zoo |

24 Comments

Mesmerized by Monet’s Water Lilies At The High Museum of Art In Atlanta, Georgia

Published August 14, 2009 | By Barbara Weibel

Mesmerizing. From across the gallery, Monet’s 42-foot painting undulated. Soft pink blossoms reflected on the indigo pond, rippling where blue-green lily pads broke the surface. Closer, the illusion of movement was replaced by one of depth. Rosy red lilies floated on water so crystalline it seemed I could see clear to the bottom.

Monet's 42-foot long painting of Water Lilies

Continue reading →

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Posted in Gulf States US travel |

Tagged Atlanta, blogsherpa, Georgia, High Museum of Art, Lichtenstein House, Monet, Museum of Modern Art, photos, Travel, USA, water lilies |

7 Comments

Concord Woolen Mill in Atlanta’s Heritage Park Oozes History

Published July 25, 2009 | By Barbara Weibel

“I wonder where that road goes?”

Some insatiable curiosity has always compelled me to take the path less traveled, searching for little known landmarks, attractions, or beautiful vistas that I am certain lie along its route. I simply cannot resist the allure of the unknown. So when I returned from my westbound trek on the Silver Comet Trail the other day and learned that the ruins of an old mill could be seen on the eastern portion of the trail, I knew I could not leave Smyrna, Georgia without investigating further.

The following day I walked east on the Silver Comet, looking for the side path I had been told would lead to the ruins. Perhaps a third of a mile from the Concord Road access I came upon an unmarked narrow asphalt path that descended steeply, snaking through the forest in a series of loop-de-loops that must have been mapped out by a drunken surveyor. At the bottom of the hill the old mill leaned precariously toward Nickajack creek despite steel I-beams bracing what remained of its two-foot thick brick walls.

Concord Woolen Mills Ruin

When Concord Woolen Mills opened in 1847 it was one of the first industrial employers in the county. During the Civil War the mill made Confederate uniforms until it was burned by Sherman’s troops on July 4, 1864. After the war the mill was rebuilt and prospered until 1889, when fire again Continue reading →

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Traveling The Silver Comet Trail in Smyrna, Georgia

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Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama’s Refreshing Commitment to Tell the Truth About the Oil Spill

Posted in Gulf States US travel |

Tagged Atlanta, blogsherpa, Civil War, Concord Woolen Mill, General Sherman, Georgia, Heritage Park, hiking, photos, Silver Comet Trail, Smyrna, Travel, USA |

9 Comments

Traveling The Silver Comet Trail in Smyrna, Georgia

Published July 23, 2009 | By Barbara Weibel

Seems I have a hard time staying in one place for very long. I am on the road again, headed for Chicago to attend two blogging conferences: BlogHer and TravelBlogExchange. As usual, I am wandering a bit. In Smyrna, Georgia (a suburb of Atlanta) I stopped to check out the Silver Comet Trail, the longest paved trail in the U.S. and one that is extremely popular with walkers, bikers, joggers, and roller bladers.

Portion of the trail west of the Concord Road access in Smyrna

The vision for this trail began in 1991, when a group of cycling buddies envisioned a network of off-road trails in and around Atlanta. Each of them had biked off-road trails in other cities and understood how they connected neighborhoods and encouraged healthier lifestyles. Determined to develop this same type of amenity for the Atlanta area, they convinced the Georgia Department of Transportation to purchase miles of abandoned railroad right-of-way for a potential commuter rail corridor and allow interim use as a trail. It was named the Silver Comet Trail in honor of the Silver Comet train, which had carried passengers along this route from 1947 to 1969. Continue reading →

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Posted in Gulf States US travel |

Tagged Atlanta, biking, blogsherpa, Chief Ladiga Trail, Georgia, hiking, jogging, photos, railroad, Silver Comet Trail, Smyrna, Travel, USA, walking |

5 Comments

Chatting With President Franklin D. Roosevelt At The Little White House In Georgia

Published June 23, 2009 | By Barbara Weibel

President Franklin D. Roosevelt nodded at me from his wheelchair on the porch of his favorite retreat in Warm Springs, Georgia.

“Good afternoon, Mr. President,” I said.

“May I inquire where you are from?” he asked.

“Sarasota, Florida.”

“Ah, yes. I have traveled to your part of the country to inspect military installations and harbors to make sure they are ready in the event of war.”

The conversation was surreal. The distinguished, soft-spoken man in the wheelchair looked like every photo of FDR I have ever seen. It felt like I’d stepped into a time machine and been transported back to 1938. He went on to explain that he first came to Warm Springs in 1924 to swim in nearby mineral springs, searching for relief from polio.

Bob Prater portrays FDR on the rear porch of the Little White House

FDR became so enchanted with the area that he built a small vacation home on the side of Pine Mountain while running for president in 1932. Throughout his terms he made many trips to the cottage, which by then had been dubbed the “Little White House.” During these visits he spoke with neighbors to learn about their difficulties, especially during the Great Depression. New Deal policies such as the Rural Electrification Administration, Civilian Conservation Corps, and Tennessee Valley Authority grew out of these conversations. Today the Little White House is one of Georgia’s most popular historic sites. Guests can tour Continue reading →

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Posted in Southeast US travel |

Tagged blogsherpa, central georgia, Georgia, healing, history, little white house, photos, polio, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the south, Travel, USA, Warm Springs, woman |

8 Comments

Chasing Butterflies At Callaway Gardens In Pine Mountain, Georgia

Published June 20, 2009 | By Barbara Weibel

It was gray and drizzly on the afternoon I arrived at the Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center in Pine Mountain Georgia. I stepped inside the octagonal glass Conservatory, prepared to be wowed by more than 1,000 butterflies of 50 different species flying freely throughout the enclosed rain forest environment. But nothing was happening; hardly a butterfly was in sight. Staff members explained that butterflies rest in overcast weather.

Glassed-in Conservatory houses Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center at Callaway Gardens

I wandered through the facility, enjoying its tropical plants and waterfalls as I kept one eye peeled for the occasional lethargic butterfly and the other on the leaden sky. As usual, luck was with me. A short time later clouds began to break up and the sun peeked out. Sensing sun-warmed air, the butterflies and moths emerged from hiding. At first just a few fluttered around, then hundreds more rose into the air and began flitting from flower to flower.