Buford Dam

The Birthplace of Lake Lanier Map

From Buford Dam

Recently, there has been a lot of talk about the dangers of the Chattahoochee River with outdoor enthusiasts being in need of rescue. In more extreme cases, drowning occurs. And it seems that all the blame for this goes to a little marvel of modern technology known as the Buford Dam.

Built in 1956, the Buford Dam does several things for us in Metro Atlanta besides try to kill us. It does a nice job of Flood Control with only two significant floods South of Dam since its inception. It provides power; it aids in wildlife management; and it helps with our water supply. In order to do these things, it has a continuous release Schedule that is irregular. Water is released from Lanier daily, but some days it’s a little and some days it’s a lot. The more water that is released the more dangerous the river becomes, so check at the phone number (770) 945-1466, so you will be adequately prepared.

Visiting the Dam is an interesting excursion in its own right. Some write this up as a trail, and so I will do the same, but I warn it is very short at only about a mile, if you park at the Lower Overlook Park to save on parking fees at the Dam itself. On the bright side, it is a very easy excursion for those who can do limited physical activity, the physically-challenged, or even small children.

In the one mile space, 3 things jump out at me of interest. The most obvious of which is the rocks and formations of the dam itself. There is a nice little steel frame bridge with great views of the dam or down the Chattahoochee. The second is the sheer clarity of the water. As the water released from Lanier comes from the bottom of the lake, it is crystal clear in spite of the heavy boat usage there. Finally, and probably the most odd, is the wildlife in the area. Of course there’s ducks and fish, and that’s to be expected. But there are also a fair number of goats living just inside the fences at the dam.
You can also watch the fisherman at work (or do they call it play) as it is popular for this activity.

So if you looking for an interesting side excursion on your trip to Lanier or a short jaunt off the LLaurel Ridge Trail Laurel Ridge Trail on your more extensive hike, the Buford Dam is a shouldn’t miss place just at the Forsyth-Gwinnett County Border. On a beautiful day, it is another option to get you outside. And the sirens you hear are announcing the release of water.

Trail Essentials
Approximate Time: ½ - 1 hr
Approximate Distance: 1 mi.
Features: Dam, River View, Wildlife

Overall Rating: C+

Scenic Quality: A-
Athleticism: C-
Solitude: C-
Value: B
Parking: Free (lower overlook park) Charge at Dam Parking
Hours of Operation: Daylight Hours
Facilities: At Lower Overlook Park
Maps: None, Follow Laurel Ridge Trail to Dam (marked trail), and return same way
County: Forsyth

Sweet Water Brewery

FREE BEER (4 days a week) Map

From Sweetwater Brewery

About two decades ago, I was really into beer. I did all the stuff you would think a guy who was into beer would. I even made my own, and got pretty good at it. But for the last decade of my life, I’ve steered away from beer first toward neutral and then less neutral spirits. But it doesn’t mean I don’t still appreciate a good beer. And I am glad that Atlanta has got a worthy craft brewery to represent us in the Sweetwater Brewing Company, just off the Peachtree Exit on I-85, located at 195 Ottley Drive in Atlanta.

From Sweetwater Brewery

Now this is not exactly a secret, as the crowds can attest, but it doesn’t mean it’s not worthwhile. Every Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday from 5:30p-7:30p (and Saturday from 2:30p-4:30p), these guys basically open their doors to the public to visit and taste some fine Georgia draft beers. They do two things: they operate a tasting room and they have a tour of the facilities. They are both technically free, though most patrons will opt to spend the $8 on a souvenir glass because you will get significantly larger “tastes” of the beers and they make nice keepsakes.
At the tasting room, you have a choice of their 5 Standard Brews: 420, IPA, Sch’wheat, Georgia Brown, and Blue, as well as one seasonal brew, they call “Catch and Release,” which was for us something called Motor Boat. As I knew before coming there, these guys know what they are doing and the beer is solid.
I would rank IPA & 420 as very good; Georgia Brown, Motor Boat, and Sch’wheat as good (though I’m not partial to wheat beers—I believe it’s done nicely); and Blue as just plain weird. Blue has an odor of Boo Berry cereal and that olfactory experience is so discordant that I can’t even tell you what it tastes like. That being said there’s a market for less beer-like beers and that’s apparently what they are going for. I do want to reiterate that the other beers were good to very good. Heck, I can honestly say that “I don’t often drink beer, but when I do I normally drink 420.”

The tour is a little underwhelming. After touring various whiskey distilleries, I probably expected a bit too much from this. With the large crowd it is hard to accomplish any kind of meaningfully informational tour, and I bet that most of the folks there didn’t really care that much. When they asked if anyone brewed beer at home only me and one other tour patron raised their hand. But considering the obstacles, it came off quite well. The impression I received was that this open house and tour was Sweetwater Brewery’s honest and sincere way to say thanks to its patrons. This type of heartfelt connection to a company’s customers is pretty rare, but nice to witness. It was also nice that the second half of the tour was held inside the huge walk-in cooler, allowing a nice way to beat the heat, if just for a few moments.

So if you like beer or know someone who does, and are over the age of 21 (this is important – no children are allowed), a trip to the Sweetwater Brewery is good way to spend a few hours of your day on the way to some Atlanta evening destination. Be prepared to drink, for crowds, and to walk a short distance from parking to the buildings. As I said, they seemed to thank me for my patronage, this article is my Thank You to them just for being there.

Harbins Park

Gwinnett’s Bike Park Map

From Harbins Park

Really nice places to Bicycle are hard to find. They can be too short or too easy or too long or too difficult. Especially, when you are talking offroad biking. I’ve seen fellow rider who barely bat an eye at 30 miles on paved surface quit after a couple of miles of singletrack dirt. And this is because Mountain Biking is pretty hard work. One of the better places I have found for the novice to intermediate mountain bicyclist is Harbins Park
near Dacula, GA.

The Park is relatively new being built late in 2009. And it appears to be constructed with the bicyclist as the primary focus, which makes it the first of its kind in Gwinnett County. There are trails marked for Equestrian and Hiking use, but only the 4.5 miles of paved trail are the usages combined, giving the Bicyclist the right of way on his path (Maps downloadable here).

The Bike Paths are a series of loops that are rated intermediate. Because Mountain Biking is difficult, I’m not always looking for the hardest thing I can find. I’m looking for a place I can have a bit of fun and work up a bit of sweat over an hour, or maybe two hour period. Harbins is probably the best I’ve seen fulfilling these requirements.

There’s also a pretty little stream, some form of runoff of the Alcovy River, which makes for a pleasant picture and calming sound of rushing water. It also makes a good place for a break in a pastoral setting. There is also a big hill near the telephone lines, which I’m simply not crazy enough to tackle, but had some fun watching others risk they’re necks. Another nice thing is that the longer paved trail intersects the bike trail in several spots which allows for an easier break of flatter Earth or to back out and quit if the feeling should present itself.

If want a really hard dirt trail, skip this one and go to the nearby Fort Yargo. If want pretty easy, skip this one, and head to the nearby trail at Tribble Mill Park. But, if you are like me, and looking for a medium challenge like me, somewhere in between, Harbins Park in Gwinnett is just right. There’s a nice video by Singletracks on YouTube here.