Trip to GA, part 2

On our third day in Georgia, we woke up to more rain.  The forecast did call for the weather to clear up, though, so we decided to put off climbing Stone Mountain until later in the day.

My dad, Susanna, and Jim all wanted to go see the Georgia Guidestones.  This is SO not my cup of tea, but we needed both vehicles to get everyone there, and I was the only adult who didn't want to go so I agreed (with admittedly bad grace---I'm not really one who is good at hiding emotions at all).  Almost two and a half hours later, we arrived in Elberton, GA to see the guidestones.

They were much smaller than I expected.

Everyone else was thrilled. 

A photo of the kids, for posterity's sake.

I will say, the guidestones are in the middle of some beautiful countryside.  Just a gorgeous area.

Eli, reading a giant plaque that explains the stones.

Patience with Emma.

Great picture of Micah and his little sister.

After another 2 + hours in the car to get back to the house, we had a quick bite to eat, and then headed to Stone Mountain.  I hadn't realized that it's a whole recreation area--seems like there is a ton to do there.  We were there to climb, though, so that's what we did.

Waiting for everyone to be ready to go.

5 of the 6 kids.

Snapping a photo before we got too tired. :)

A mountain in the distance

Dad, making his way up the mountain.

Taking a break--it doesn't actually take that long to get up the mountain, but it is steep!

The view of Atlanta

Here we go--the climb started getting a bit more difficult here.

Ahh, what a view.

We were actually climbing Stone Mountain on the day that the transit of Venus across the sun was visible.  We didn't see anything, but I was amazed at the large crowd gathered at the top--many people with telescopes and such.

Scary steep part--hold onto that railing!!

Don't look down, don't look down....

Perfect boy-sized branch.

View from the top.  Wow.

Once we did get to the top, we got a snack at the little snack shop. Patience's knee was really bothering her (why? who knows?  who ever knows why Patience's anything hurts??), so she and I took the gondola down while everyone else walked.

Here's the view from the gondola:

See? There's our shadow!

Holy crap, that's a steep drop-off.

The South's Mount Rushmore--Confederate President Jefferson Davis, General Robert E. Lee, and General "Stonewall" Jackson.

Whew--we got down safely.  AND, the gondola dropped us off right at a gift shop, so it kind of felt like a Disney ride. :)

Everyone else made it down the mountain safely, too.  They just had to drive around and pick us up--I didn't realize the gondola dropped us on the opposite side of the mountain (although, in hindsight, perhaps I should have realized that, seeing that we didn't come down the side we climbed....ummm...I was tired.).

I'm pretty sure the kids went to bed a bit early that night--we were tuckered out!