Nestled in the picturesque town of Evergreen, Colorado, the Alderfer Three sister Park is a hidden gem for outdoor enthusiasts seeking breathtaking natural beauty and exhilarating hiking opportunities.

The Elephant Butte Trail, named after a distinctive rock formation resembling an elephant’s head, offers a perfect blend of captivating views and a moderately challenging hike. With a distance of about 5.2 miles (round trip from parking area) and an evaluation gain of about 1,200 feet to an altitude of about 8,600 ft. This trail offered Greta and I the perfect opportunity to immerse ourselves in this beautiful park with out overwhelming this old guy.

As you begin your journey along the Elephant Butte Trail, you will find yourself surrounded by a rich tapestry of diverse landscapes. The trail winds through towering pine forests, lush meadows adorned with wildflowers and rocky outcrops that provide panoramic views of the surrounding mountain ranges.

As you ascend to higher elevations, the trail rewards you with breathtaking vistas. From the vantage point of the top of Elephant Butte you can catch glimpses of snow-covered peaks, rolling hills, and the shimmering waters of Evergreen Lake.

Before embarking on your hike, it’s essential to come prepared, Dress in layers to adapt to changing weather conditions, wear sturdy hiking boots, (lots of rocks) and don’t forget plenty of water and snacks to stay hydrated and energized throughout your trek. Greta made sure I stayed hydrated, reminding me every 15 minutes to take a sip from my camelback water container.

The Elephant Butte Trail in the Alderfer Three Sisters Park was the perfect choice for my first hike in Colorado. It’s scenic beauty, diverse landscape and manageable distance made it possible for me to reconnect with nature – I highly recommend this trail.

Dates: March 15-19, 2023
Distance: 279 miles – Travel time: 5 hours and 45 minutes.

It started with a dangerous combination; Greta on spring break, with an unused flying voucher and flying points. They were burning a hole – so she decided to fly to Jacksonville to celebrate Robin’s birthday a week early in St. Marys. I of course couldn’t be left out, so I drove down from Athens with Cleo and Aspen. My departure from Athens wasn’t as early as I had hoped because of a last minute phone call from my accountant about our corporate tax return which was due, today, the 15th. I was on the road by 10:30AM. Since I was traveling with the girls I decided to pack a lunch to eat on the way. We had been driving for about an hour and a half and were just leaving the city of Sparta when I started getting hungry. I noticed a road sign for the Hamburg State Park and on a whim, I decided to head for the state park.

The beautiful Hamburg State Park comprises 741 acres of land between Sparta and Sandersville. There is a 225 acre lake in the park that has large mouth bass, bream and crappie. There are 32 tent and RV campsites within this park. It was a great place to stop, walk and eat lunch. I hope to come back camping some time soon.

Robin and Andrea have a lovely house on Point Peter Place in St. Marys. The neighborhood is quiet and loaded with many old Live Oak trees that are dripping with Spanish Moss. They’re house is only a few minutes drive to the downtown area and neither Robin or Andrea have much more than a 5 minute commute to work.

Robin had sent out a few emails telling some folks that we were going to be at the Silver Bluff Brewery celebrating his birthday on Thursday, and they should stop by. We had no idea who or how many people might show up. We ended up putting 3 big picnic tables together with close to 30 people showing up. These folks were co-workers, past and present, Interns past and present, Fort Frederica staff, and Greta’s co-worker, Stevo, from the Last Resort. There was a Mexican food truck providing plenty of yummy food to go with the excellent beer selections. What an extremely fun night with plenty of interesting conversations.

No visit to St Marys is complete without a trip to Jekyll Island. So on Friday morning we all loaded into my car, 4 adults and 3 dogs, and headed to Driftwood beach on Jekyll Island. Even though the temperature was cool, Greta was not going to miss the opportunity to get into the water – Brrrr! We walked a longtime on the beach and then headed over to Zachery’s Riverside Café for lunch. The girls and Banjo did great – laid by our feet the whole time.

You can not make a trip to the Lego capital of the world without getting a little Lego grease on your hands. Our group project for Friday night was to put together a Jazz Quartet Lego set. I got a little worried when I saw the 18+ age recommendation and there were 1,600 pieces. We each took a person: Andrea the drummer, Greta the piano player, Robin the bass player and me the trumpet player (with some help from Rob). We got an energy boost part way though our build from Andrea’s delicious Carrot Cake she made for Robin’s Birthday.

Saturday was rainy and cool and we were glad to have a rest day. That evening Robin had planned a small party for the volunteers, who help out on Cumberland Island, at one of the covered pavilions at the Crooked River State Park. Even though the weather was less than perfect the turn out was great.

Sunday was departure day Greta and myself. What a great trip – our family rocks!

It was cool and barely light outside when I took the girls for their morning walk. It was earlier than usual but I was trying to get on the road to St. Marks, Florida as early as possible. I pulled out of the driveway at 8:15 AM on Saturday morning February 5 and arrived in St. Marks at 2:30 PM. It was an easy drive and an interesting route that I have taken many times from Athens. Not sure if it’s the fastest route but it’s my favorite. Athens to Madison on 441, then Hwy 83 to Forsyth, then I-75 to Cordelle, then 300 the Georgia / Florida Parkway to Albany then 300/19 down to Capps. At the only intersection in Capps take a right on to 27, then a few miles down the road in Waukeenah make a short left, left, right jog down to Hwy 98. Then right onto Hwy 98 for a short to Hwy 59 (Lighthouse road) where you take a left to St. Marks. 

I had booked a room in the Sweet Magnolia Inn, the only place I know of to stay in St. Marks. It’s a small 6 room bed and breakfast that requires advanced reservations and does not offer Sunday check-ins – so plan your trip accordingly. More about this fabulous inn in a separate post.

St. Marks is a city in Wakulla County, Florida and is part of the Tallahassee metropolitan area. The city is located on the banks of the St. Marks river just before the river merges with the Wakulla River then flows to the Apalachee Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. If you want to see birds or wildlife this is the place to be, St. Marks is flanked on the eastside with the Flint Rock Wildlife Management Area and the St Marks National Wildlife Refuge on the westside. St. Marks is also the location of the San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park.

There are a couple of good restaurants in St. Marks – The Riverside Café and Cooter Stew’s burger and wraps. I had good meals at both of them. A short drive down the road on Hwy 98 there is the famous Ouzts Too Seafood and Oyster Bar that always has live music on Sunday’s.