Patricia Barmeyer rests at a totem pole at the Atlanta Botanical Garden after her Urban Hike with Susan Soper. (Photo by Susan Soper)
As jogging boomers turn the corner on midlife, many are taking steps – mostly slower! – to preserve what’s left of hips, knees and other joints suffering from wear and tear. Many fitness practitioners say walking is the key to staying limber, lithe and lean. We at Atlanta INtown say it’s also a great way to explore the city – without having to watch the car in front of you or whether you can make it through that yellow light. You actually get to focus on the city itself, not the traffic.
Our new feature, Urban Hikes, will guide you through interesting walks, including destinations, pit stops, watering holes and eateries along the way. Most will average three or four miles, but for ambitious walkers, we’ll throw in a few challenging hikes with a juicy hamburger or brunch at a midway point in what could be 12 to 15 miles round trip. On some treks, special shopping options will be featured, too.
To kick things off, my buddy Patricia Barmeyer seated at the base of a totem, right, and I met near Piedmont Hospital on a recent Sunday afternoon. Unlike some of our walks, we did have a destination in mind. Here’s how it played out.
We started at Peachtree Road and 28th Street and walked south on Peachtree – past the Atlanta Amtrak Station over I-85 – to the Shell service station for a gulp from the water cooler in the garage. We turned left on Peachtree Circle, pointing out houses we liked along the way and even noticed a few actual peach trees, rare here – believe it or not. We wound through always- confusing Ansley Park until we came out on Piedmont Road and crossed over into the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Luckily, we remembered our membership cards and went right in.
We had heard that “Niki in the Garden” was a cool collection of outdoor sculptures by Niki de Saint Phalle, but they exceeded our expectations. The late international artist created monumental shapes and forms – totems, women, animals – in mostly mosaics made from shiny pebbles, colorful glass, mirrors and sparkling ceramic pieces. Some are as high as 18 feet and up to 25 feet long. Not only are they fun to look at and touch, they feature lots of openings, cubbyholes and places perfect for kids to squirm through and around.
“Why is it,” Tricia asked, as we ducked in to the gift shop, “we always end up shopping!” We each picked up a brightly colored vase in the Dale Chihuly style (only $9 each), and, instead of making an easy exit from the garden, took a longer loop through Piedmont Park, admiring inline skaters, tennis players, an occasional sculpture and dogs galore.
Once we crossed back in to Ansley Park, we took another route, walking alongside Lafayette and down into Winn Park, where there has been a concerted effort to not only clean it up, but add interesting features, including a handsome stone culvert at the south end complete with a sparkling stream and even lilies. You can often find photographers here making the most of the pretty woodland setting so close to the city.
Once back on Peachtree, heading north to 28th Street, we were winding down but exhilarated by what we saw and experienced. We were also making plans for another jaunt.
If you have a hike you’d like us to try, let us know. Or better yet, send us a route you’ve hiked that we can publish.
Total mileage: 5.2 miles
“Niki in the Garden” is on display at the Atlanta Botanical Garden through Oct. 31.
