We have not yet found our rhythm. For six months we have been setting up our campsite, and making it home for a week or so.  We play, eat, sleep, visit, then we pack up and head off towards what could be our next (non-virtual) PlayStation. New day, new campground, new surroundings, sometime the NEW surprises us. The surprises may range from, “Sorry there are no sites available, surprise!”  Or maybe, “Oh man, how did we luck out and get the most primo site ever!!!”  When it comes to traveling, having an itinerary and knowing the where and when, has its advantages.  Butt for now, we are flying by the seat of our pants. I guess maybe we do have a rhythm, the “Herky Jerky.”

Red Top Mountain State Park provided one of those primo sites.  Deb and I debated if it was the best site ever, after thirty-five years of camping it’s hard to keep track.  Red Top Mountain definitely has to be in the top five.  The campground offered very dispersed campsites, tall mature trees, super nice trails, and a good size town eight miles to the north.  Living in 238 square feet, with a 9.5 cubic foot fridge, brings on a whole new level of importance to having a close proximity to provisions.

“Come on honey, it’s a play day.”

It was an incredibly beautiful day when we seen Jacob and Ashley on shore with their kayaks.  We four came into agreement and approved that it was appropriate they play hooky from work.  “Yeah, play days.”

Jacob and Ashley gave us a quick history of “Allatoona Lake.”  The conversation started with a  recap of the movie “Deliverance.” The premise is of a gorge being flooded by the construction of a dam resulting in a town being sacrificed.  The town of Allatonna is now many feet under water.  Damming the Etowah River by the Corp of Engineers in 1941 created Allatoona Lake.  That all happened back in 1946.

After the “Deliverance” story we learned how Georgia is home to some Hollywood production companies.  I did not know the “Living Dead” series was filmed in Atlanta. Now it turns out some of the Hollywood players are hot under the collar because of the, “Baby Heartbeat” bill about to be signed into law by the governor.  The local thinking is, “If you live here and vote here fine, otherwise you can take a hike.”  Speaking of hiking, it was awesome.

During our visit with Jacob and Ashley a water snake moved along the opposite shore.  We watched as it serpentiened over the water.  Thirty minutes later another smaller water snake came ashore by our feet.  “Oh,,,,  jump back momma.”

This prompted me to get my snake learn on.  Here is what I found.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only about 5 people die annually from bites by venomous snakes in the entire US.  Many fatalities are from venomous snakes kept as pets where the handler got careless.  About 3-4 people die on Georgia’s highways each day. The large majority of those bitten by venomous snakes (5,000-8,000 annually in the US per the CDC) are actually handling or harassing the snake.  Being bitten by a snake as you are hiking on a trail or playing out in your yard is very rare.

Click here for more Georgia snake information

Click here for Deliverance movie information

At the Visitor Center you will find: