Berry College House of Dreams Part 1

This is, by far, my favorite trail. I've written this trail in parts, because there are several different ways you can get there. Part 1 is the easiest and least stressful on your joints. While still uphill, the trail is actually a gravel road and contains very few obstacles for people with RA. There is no climbing or jumping needed for this trail, so I would rate this one as a moderate trail because of the incline and distance.





Distance from trail head: 2.52
Rating: Moderate (incline and distance)
Berry College Trail Map

Parking

Berry College asks that you park at the Frost Chapel parking lot. This adds an additional .35 miles onto your hike. It's pavement, and is a great warm up as the hill is pretty steep. Parking at the trail head is for Friendship Hall residents only.

The First Mile

The first mile is magical. It's as if you have entered a faerie dun. The smell of moss, earth, and water will ensnare your senses.

 Take it all in quickly, because this is usually where my legs and knees begin their protests. The trail will be a bit more difficult if they have laid new gravel on the trail. This will add additional resistance and stress on your joints on the way up.

Mostly, I just take short breaks, but there have often been times when I've had to sit or even lie down. Hiking is not about speed. You aren't being timed.

Listen to your body. If you are in pain, stop. Take a break. Stretch. Enjoy the view. Most of the time, my pain is gone after the first mile, but it will be different for everyone. I know that If I prepare and take it easy, then I will make it.

Another benefit of taking a rest is that you get to see the abundant wildlife Berry College has to offer. You may see deer, squirrels, skunks (which we may have concluded resides withing the first mile), and even bald eagles.

The Second Mile

At the end of your first mile, you will see a trail to your left and these two signs. The trail to your left is the Mountain Goat Trail. I will talk about that one in my next post. Keep straight on the gravel road to the House of Dreams.

The next mile is much like the first. You will continue up the mountain.

The Last Stretch

You will hit mile two when you come to the stone gate. There is an area off to the left here with benches. Take a break if you wish. There will be several steep inclines ahead. You are almost there! Only half a mile to go. When you are coming down the mountain, you will notice a trail that goes straight here. That is the Hurtin' Gator trail. I will speak about that trail in another post



 


Enjoy the beautiful flora through here. It's breath taking

Top of the Mountain

You made it! Enjoy the view. Walk around the gardens. Read about the history of this beautiful retreat. Alumni and Students of Berry College can make a reservation and get a key to go inside and up the tower, but visitors can only go during regularly scheduled campus tours.

The hike is very much worth it. Take a picnic or a snack with you, and enjoy your time at the top. Take a nap in the fluffy grass or in the hammock. The rest will invigorate you for the trip down, which is much, much easier. 

View from the south side looking over Rome

Don't get discouraged. You can do it. I hope you enjoy the hike. Its my favorite.

This was a Map My Walk screenshot of the round trip from the Frost Chapel parking lot

Getting Started

Simms Mountain Trail

1. Before beginning an exercise routine, please consult your doctor

If you do have RA or any other medical condition, please speak with your doctor first. my RA specialist was extremely happy that I decided to begin exercising regularly, and offered helpful tips to prepare me for each hike.

2. Get a good pair of shoes

I love my Tevas and Chacos and the tan line they give me in the summer, but these aren't the shoes I want to wear for any span over half a mile. Because my ankles and knees cause me to suffer after a short walk, I decided to get my feet analyzed professionally to find a proper fitting shoe. I went to GoGo Running in Rome for a cool video analysis, and I've been happy with every shoe They've recommended to me. I've put over 400 miles on my most recent pair of Adidas, and they still feel great!

3. Invest in a pole

Not that type of pole! Get a walking stick. You can pick one up in the woods or get a more modern one. I don't like my sweaty hands rubbing on bark, so I purchased (very inexpensive) a set of poles from Amazon that have shock absorbers and a compass so tiny, that I cannot see it. I also saw very nice wooden walking sticks at Lavender Mountain Hardware. 

The point of the pole is that it keeps you stable. I've taken a few comical, but painful falls in the past, and I felt like this was a necessity for myself. I don't use it on the cleaner trails like the Berry College House of Dreams or Simms Mountain trails, but some of the other trails are narrow and wash out easily. The pole will also reduce impact on your joints, and let's face it, we need as much impact reduction on our joints as we can get.

4. Take a friend

I don't recommend hiking alone, especially on the less traveled trails but if you do choose to hike alone, choose a trail that has a lot of hikers, have your phone with you, and do it during daylight hours.

5.  S  T  R  E  T  C  H 

I cannot stress enough how important stretching is. You won't feel the hike that day, but the next day when you can't sit down or get off the toilet without excruciating pain, you'll wish you would've stretched more. Make sure to get a good stretch on your ankles, legs, back, arms and neck before your hike. Take breaks during your hike to stretch. You'll work different muscles going uphill than you will going downhill, so stretch at the midpoint of your hike. When you are done, take another opportunity to stretch your muscles.

6. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Drink plenty of fluids during your hike. Take a bottle of water or something that won't dehydrate you. That's all I have to say about that.

7. Pick your trail wisely

I will be posting trails that I believe to be better trails for people, like myself, who are challenged by walking on flat ground. I will include maps and websites if possible. Do research before you go on any trail. I can get rather annoying, but I like to carry both a map, and a GPS when on a new trail. Waze, a navigation app for vehicles, actually shows trails! You will soon read about my hike on the Red Trail at Sweetwater Creek, and understand what I mean. You don't want to get lost in the woods or end up scaling boulders up a cliff to get back on a trail.

Introduction to the Author

About a year ago, I began hiking as a part of earning activity points on my weight loss journey. What I learned from hiking with other people is that my Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) limited me in ways that other people aren't, and by seeking a way to lose weight, I actually found a way to manage my RA.  These posts aren't about my weight loss journey. They are a record of trails in Northwest Georgia that I have been able to successfully navigate despite having RA.

About Me

My name is Lacy Clack. I have Type I Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and I had a heart attack in May 2012. This massive vortex of maladies were genetically bestowed upon me by a combination of both birth mother and father, but I should thank my maternal grandfather for the worst of these autoimmune diseases - Diabetes AND RA. Research suggests that these two awful diseases are like peas and carrots and travel in the same pack. Lucky me.

I was diagnosed with TID in 1980, and was diagnosed with RA in 2011. I have suffered with symptoms of RA for as long as I can remember. When I was five, I remember telling my aunt Dot that my legs hurt. Over the years, I blamed joint flares on a myriad of things, but my GP would never test me for RA, stating that I had no reason to be tested. After a shark fishing trip in 2011, I thought I had broken my wrist, and sought the opinion of an Orthopedic Specialist. He knew immediately what my problem was. Six blood tests proved, beyond a reasonable doubt, that I had Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis. Here are the worst:

Sedimentation Rate 56 (Normal is 0-20)
Rheumatoid factor 194 (Normal is 0-30)
CRP 42.6 (Normal is 0-5)
Anti CCP Antibody 412.5 (Normal is 0-4.9) You are reading this one correctly

I take a bunch of medication to keep the flares away:
Enbrel, methotrexate, sulfasalazine, Aleve, and hydrocodone

Although I take all of these, I still hurt. I hurt when I sit, walk, run, sleep. Basically I hurt all the time, but I must keep the momentum going. If I've learned anything in the past year, It's that the exercise, hikes, walks, jogs, all keep me in less pain than if I didn't do anything at all.

I hope this gives inspiration to people who think RA limits them because If I can do it, anyone can.