Adventuring to Kennesaw Mountain

Sunday afternoon we headed out to the battlefields at Kennesaw Mountain. Cocoa has not been to the area in months and it is a really neat place to take dogs. Keep them on a six foot lead because park officials are keen about this.

In the summer, the Park Service allows the grass to grow for reseeding. I have always wondered if they cut the larger battlefields and bale the grass. They are beautiful any time of the year. And while it does not look like a stressful track to the top, it is. The grade is long and steep. I explained to her that many Union soldiers died here as they tried to overtake Confederate troops, who were dug in at the top of the hill. It was a senseless war that has led to decades of heartache, sorrow, and strife. May it never take place again.

Cocoa was amazed at the remains of a tunnel dug by Union Soldiers. It only goes into the mountain a few feet. Soldiers abandoned it after realizing the task was too difficult. Someone certainly had a set of strong paws to get that far. Georgia red clay can be hard as stone. The Park Service has fortified the tunnel entrance to prevent its collapse.

We made it to the top of Cheatham Hill and guess what? There was no water to be found anywhere. No wonder the soldiers found it so hard to conquer this mountain. No water, no dog treats, and no hand-held fans to cool a puppy dog off. Obviously, someone forgot to pack the Dog School 101 survival pack!

We cooled off and rested on the steps of a monument dedicated to the men who died fighting at Cheatham Hill. While we were there we suddely remembered a place only a few miles away that sells homemade Italian Ice. (Mmmmmm — let’s go!)

This thought was enough to bring us to our paws and gave us the strength to hike the half mile back to the car which led up another hill and across another battlefield.

Along the way someone got lost in the high grass and was off on a trail of a small animal. Cocoa was wagging her tail so hard over the delightful sniffs that the camera’s shutter could not keep up. At one time, there were lots of deer at Kennesaw, but not today. Construction of homes along the edges of the battlefields has eliminated all hope of seeing deer at sunset. However, there are still lots of smaller critters.

At Rita’s, Cocoa Joy enjoyed fresh banana Italian Ice (it had real chucks of bananas! Double Mmmmmm!)

Lots of licks from her own cup and spoon and lots of fresh water too. If only the soldiers who had fought at Kennesaw had had these, everyone would have stopped fighting and chilled out.