Robert’s Trail

Those unexpected, little “ah ha” moments are everywhere. Too bad we miss so many because we’re thinking about what we’ve yet to accomplished and everything else we still need to do. I know you know the feeling. Who doesn’t? But something happened a few weeks ago I can’t seem to stop thinking about. My sister decided to try one of the many hiking trails around The Overlook Inn near Fort Mountain State Park. There are literally hundreds of hiking paths. Only, the one she chose, is called “Robert’s Trail.” It’s named after the owner of Ellijay Cabin Rentals, Robert Coleman. He built the trail several years ago during a time of personal transition when Robert decided to give up smoking, a grueling work schedule and a diet so unhealthy it would likely stymie the common badger, an animal known to eat just about anything.

He created the trail with a dual purpose: to get exercise and encourage guests to take in all the natural beauty of the property. Check and check: both objectives beautifully achieved. Without question, the trail isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s strenuous, and that’s being generous. But then, that’s also just the physicality. Emotionally, it’s a different kind of workout. My sister described her journey as a “zen-like” experience.

The trail starts with a pagoda and a Geisha bench where you can momentarily pause and reflect. The trail is wide and easy to walk My sister described the sound of the wind dancing through the trees. And soon, the burbling coo of water rushing over the rocks in an adjacent creek joined in harmony. She then reached the first of the trail’s five hallmarks; each a water feature more spectacular than the last. But as you progress, so do the obstacles, making it a little more challenging to get to the next treasure.

The same is true in life, isn’t it? There are obstacles and uphill climbs. But if you persevere, there are also rewards. In this case, a more brilliant water feature and the better the trail. There are stepping-stones. The trail dips into a valley and then demands an upward climb. At any point, you can go back. But if you do, you miss something truly special that is unique to where you are standings at that particular moment.

Every day, I get up looking for answers. I guess it’s nice to be reminded that sometimes in the peace and quiet, the answers are there. Sometimes it takes stepping away from the familiar hum of an everyday routine to gain perspective on navigating the trail.

Feeling Better: Relief You’ll Never Find In a Pill

Was it Punxsutawney Phil or General Beauregard who stuck his portly pointed nose out and decried six more weeks of winter? No doubt, one of them was reveling this week when Snowmageddon shut down most of North Georgia. At this point, you have to admit a treadmill looks pretty good next to a run on that slippery, ice-laden sidewalk. But the sidewalk has one advantage that a gym does not: numerous studies show a direct correlation to the positive effect exercising outdoors has your mental health. And it doesn’t even have to be that strenuous. It can be as simple as breathing in the fresh mountain air.

For example, think about how much time we all spend peering into our computers. Naturalnews.com just published a report on a study conducted by the Vision Council. The results show 70 percent of the adults surveyed experienced “digital eye strain,” which stems from too much time spent staring at TVs, tablets, laptop computers and cellphones. The answer? Step away from watching that two-day marathon of The Walking Dead and see if you can survive the walking trails around Fort Mountain.

Laugh if you must, but the last laugh may go to the researchers. Clinicians have logged countless hours studying this topic and the results tell a similar tale. How similar? A few years back, 2000 people took part in a Scottish Health Survey studying outdoor activity. Researchers concluded that outdoor physical activity had a 50 percent greater impact on a positive mental attitude than going to the gym. Fifty percent. The results took even the lead researcher by surprise. Richard Mitchell, Ph.D. is quoted in London’s revered newspaper, The Telegraph, as saying, “I wasn’t surprised by the findings that exercise in natural environments is good for your mental health, but I was surprised by just how much better it is for your mental health to exercise in a green place like a forest, than in other places like the gym. The message to doctors, planners and policy makers is that these places need protecting and promoting.”

About 90 minutes from Atlanta, less than an hour’s drive from Chattanooga