beltline: the secret road

we headed out bright and early last saturday morning, buoyed by the bright blue sky and springish breezes. it was a perfect day for walking so we plotted out a long one (7 miles) and headed out, sunglasses and ballcap in place, comfy sweatshirt and sturdy sneakers (well, me anyway. T always wears his regular knocking about wear, no matter what the outing). headed out and walked through little 5 points and inman park, over the MARTA bridge to reynoldstown, through the northern bits of cabbagetown before crossing back through the krog tunnel (eager to see the latest wall art) toward irwin and into the old fourth ward.
all of a sudden we saw a knot of people trudging toward us, on a dirt path neither of us had noticed last time we were on this stretch. we stopped to watch, wondering who they were and what they were doing, and soon realized it was a walking tour.
"welcome to the beltline!" someone yelled.
gee -- thanks!
though it's still a work in progress, the piece of the rails-to-trails path in our neck of the woods is finally something accessible. everyone we saw on it that day (and the next; of course we went back, to walk in the opposite direction) seemed to be just as thrilled to see it, finally, for themselves.
we marveled at the stacks of railroad ties, cleared paths and signs of the old kudzu trail's recent tenants (a red knit sock or lone shoe; an empty bottle of brandy or mattress; hunks of old metal or deconstructed grocery carts) and finally being able to walk across the old RR bridges over north avenue and ponce -- though that one took some focus, as holes big enough to catch a foot revealed the busy, well-trafficked street below.
most marvelous of all was the chance to see this part of the world from a new (old) vantage point, as if you were walking through the backyard of one neighborhood after another and seeing them with new eyes.
Details: www.beltline.org