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Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Climbing the mountain (and other highs, lows)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’ve often thought that we who live in the shadow of Stone Mountain take it for granted.
(Or, “for granite” as my kids teased when they were younger.)
I don’t usually come to this conclusion while passing by the towering rock, maneuvering through traffic on the way downtown. It’s amazing how easily you can ignore something that looms 825 feet above you.
Instead, the thought comes when the mountain’s appearance is unexpected, sudden and surprising. (This happens in assorted spots, such as when you top Brook Hollow Parkway in Norcross).
The thought also arises when I am up close and personal with the mountain, as I was this past weekend. Perhaps you’ve been there, too — climbing to the top (in this case, twice), impersonating someone who is fit and pretending to wait on stragglers, just so you can rest a minute.
It’s not just the physical challenge the mountain imposes that impresses me, although my calves admit to being duly affected.
It is the unlikely assemblage of human beings lured by the hike. There are the athletes sprinting up and down the slope, making everyone else look bad and feel worse. There are the folks who are out for the exercise or to prepare (by carrying 40-pound backpacks) for strenuous hiking trips. There are the tourists, some of whom are in regular street shoes and dress clothes. (The variety of languages spoken on the trail is astounding.) There are young couples, teenagers, dads with toddlers on their shoulders, senior citizens, guitarists and singers. This past weekend, there was a blind woman who, though in the company of friends, was making it on her own, cane in hand.
“We have one person who climbs it barefoot because they say that is the only way to truly commune with the mountain,” said Curtis Branscome, chief executive officer for the Stone Mountain Memorial Association. “There is one gentleman who comes up the side of the mountain to do his chanting. There is a nice lady who composes poetry and climbs up to read poetry.”
And of course, there are the people who climb early Easter morning for the sunrise service, an act that Branscome says is as much a part of the service as the service itself.
Whatever the reason that climbers come, the mile-plus (one-way) hike is nothing new. Graffiti carved into the mountain dates back to 1898, and there were surely climbers before then, Branscome said.
There’s no definite data on how many people make the trek. Of the 4 million who visit the park annually, Branscome estimates 1 million come for the attractions and 1 million come for special events. The remaining 2 million come for walking and hiking, but how that breaks down among the 15 various trails and courses, he’s not sure. His best guess is that 500,000 climb the mountain each year.
He is sure of one thing: ““If people could not walk up the mountain, there would be no Stone Mountain Park,” said Branscome, who climbs twice a month. “It is the essential feature, the core feature.”
Most years, my family makes the outing a couple or three times. This year, it’s a regular ritual for my husband and son, who are preparing for an intense hike this summer. Less so for me, who took the trail last weekend like a grumbling bear coming out of winter hibernation.
The high point of the experience, of course, is the high point — making it to the top, feeling the satisfaction (and relief) and taking in the view, which — when clear — features the skyline of Downtown, Midtown, Buckhead, the top of the Perimeter and Kennesaw Mountain. There’s nothing quite like it.
We shouldn’t take it for granite.
Around town
A few highs and lows around Snellville:
- The 21-year-old Chick-fil-A store on Main Street, the third free-standing restaurant opened by Chick-fil-A, closed temporarily Feb. 23 for renovations. It is expected to reopen March 22. “It will be dramatically different from what it was before,” said Brad Spratte, who has operated the franchise store since October. Seating and tables, counters, rest rooms and the kitchen will all be updated. Outside, there will be new landscaping, as well as a renovated playground and drive-through. Employees of the store are working at other Chick-fil-A restaurants during the work.
- Belk’s on Ga. 124 is taking over the space vacated by Goody’s clothing store in part of a $2.7 million capital improvement project in Snellville. Belk’s has gutted and renovated the 32,000 square feet of Goody’s and will be moving it’s men’s, home and children’s departments into that area. The department store will renovate its current 58,000 square feet and expand offerings in all areas. Among new offerings will be a men’s fine jewelry department and a children’s shoe department. Opening of the new Belk’s area (which is near but not physically connected to the existing store) will be March 26, with a grand opening set for May.
- Speaking of Goody’s, the clothing store on Ga. 124, closed Oct. 16. Kristin Alm of Goody’s said the closing was the result of a “normal business practice” of reviewing each store’s performance when a lease is up for renewal and closing stores that are under-performing.
- Speaking of “under-performing,” Ryan’s Grill Buffet and Bakery on Wisteria Drive closed Feb. 12 following the Jan. 22 filing of its parent company, Buffets Holdings Inc., for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization. The Snellville Ryan’s was one of 50 “under-performing” stores (out of Buffets’ more than 600 restaurants throughout the country) that were closed. Michael Freitag of Kekst and Company, a public relations firm speaking on behalf of Buffets, said he is not aware of any plans for the Snellville property. The 50 employees who worked there were placed at other restaurants or given severance packages, he said.
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