Happy Trails For A Stress-free Year
By Kathleen Walls and David Leonhardt, Thu Dec 8th

Finding happiness is easier than you might think. Happiness isall around us, and all we have to do is hop in the car and hitthe road to find it. Actually, there is more to true happinessthan just jumping in the car, but for many people,self-actualization does involve discovering new places, newcultures, beautiful nature and secret little hideaways. KathleenWalls, publisher of American Roads Magazine, and DavidLeonhardt, publisher of Your Daily Dose of Happiness share a fewof their favorite "Happy Trails," hoping you, too, will findhappiness there.

MOJAVE DESERT

For a Canadian, snow is no big deal. This year, we've beenshoveling it since early November. But to find snow in a desert,that really made my eyes pop. It was noon, and it had rained inPalm Springs, California, the previous evening. But the famousMojave Desert is actually quite high up in the mountains, andthe rain fell there as snow. Just how amazing was it to see snowtucked up against the north side of a cactus? Amazing enoughthat, through my jetlag, I delivered a mostly impromptu speechon the sighting at my Toastmasters club.

If you want to see snow sidling up to a cactus - what a photoop! - head for the desert in January or February, and make sureto choose a desert with a high altitude. The Mojave Desertproved most effective for this. Now, should I mention the Joshuatrees?

YELLOWKNIFE

It really is hard to fill one's eyes with wonder, what with StarWars and The Lord of The Rings and so many special effects thatmake a person just want to yawn. Then, every now and then, onecomes across something truly unique, something that actuallydoes make your eyes pop with wonder. Such is Yellowknife, a townbuilt on a peninsula of rock in the Arctic. What is unique aboutthis town are the houses in the old city. There are some amazingmansions hoisted up on the rock. Well, at least some corners areon the rock. Others are on stilts one or two stories high. Eachhouse is unique, and so are the various contraptions to keepthem level on this uneven land. (Why would anybody choose thisspot to settle in the first place, with so much flat land allaround?)

The second amazing feature is the shanty-town shacks scatteredamong the mansions. In every other city, the slums and the ritzyparts of town are separate, but not in Yellowknife. I found thata truly stereotype- shattering sight.

LUSK CAVERNS, GATINEAU PARK

Happiness is spelunking. Let's face it, you've done a millionvacations on the road and in the air and on the water. How manyhave you done underground? Two, in my case. Once in Pennsylvaniaon a boat, and once in Gatineau Park, in Quebec. If you think ofa cave as something cavernous, these don't qualify. The twocaves are merely a passage for a stream that flows undergroundfor a few yards. The first cave is just right for littlechildren, who can wade in the gently-flowing water.

The second cave is a little more challenging, as the water poolsinto a miniature underground lake. In the spring, when the wateris high, there's not much room for a head to pass between thewater and the roof of the cave. Of course, you have to be daringto brave the cold spring water. June is a great time to visit;by August there's not as much water. And can there be anythinghappier than splashing in water while exploring a cave?Happiness is watching the sunrise over Mobile Bay. And whatbetter time to visit the city by the bay than Mardi Gras, whenthe historic city puts on it's party face. This traditionalcelebration was brought to Mobile by the French even before itwas established in New Orleans. That history



is preserved at theMardi Gras Cottage Museum located on the grounds of Oakleigh, anantebellum mansion located in the historic section of this funcity. Centuries of history are packed into thislittle cottage. Be sure to visit Oakleigh while you are there.In fact Mobile is packed with great historic sites from theFrench Fort Conte to the U.S.S Alabama, These sites have beencarefully preserved or restored

Take time away from the celebrating to visit Bellingrath Gardensand home, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Weeks Bay Preserve, and MobileBotanical Gardens (which will introduce you to the ecologicaldiversity of Mobile as well). Then there are all of thoseparades. All of which are guaranteed to make you feel good.

MACON GEORGIA: SPORTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTION

For some people, sports equate happiness. The Georgia SportsHall of Fame's 46th Induction Class, which will be held February7-8 2003, will includes two female pioneers, arguably baseball'sgreatest home run hitter, one of football's best place kickers,a Peach State high school coaching legend, and one of Georgia'smost celebrated golfers.

Georgia Sports Hall of Fame is the newest of Macon's attractionshousing memorabilia of pro and amateur athletes in all fields.You can even experience the thrill of driving in a Nascar eventwithout the danger. Climb into a racecar and take the wheel in afast paced race. Hear the sound when you ram the fence.Experience the thrill of the track. Then get the results of yourforay into professional racecar driving. Depending on how wellyou drive, the results may or my not make you happy. The museumis sure to be a crowd pleaser for sports fans and non-fans alike

FORT VALLEY GEORGIA: FESTIVALOF CAMELLIAS

Flowers are a sure mood lifter, so don't miss the Festival ofCamellias at Massee Lane Gardens in Fort Valley Georgiaencompasses the entire month of February when camellia bloomsare at their peak.(Something is out of place in this sentence.)The flowers begin to show color in October and continue throughlate March.

Not only camellias show their beautiful faces here. Each seasonprovides a new delight for the eyes with roses, flowering bulbs,day lilies and much more. Even the path winding throughout thegardens is unusual. Scattered randomly through it you will findancient millstones gathered from middle Georgia. Also along thepath you spot granite mile stones from the Old Wire Road witchran from New Orleans to Washington, D. C. The road was so namedbecause it was the route of the first telegraph lines in thesoutheast.

After you have absorbed nature's outdoor offerings, visit thetwo museums housing the largest public collection of BoehmPorcelains. Here you will find nature reproduced so exquisitelyyou will sometimes think you are looking on a live bird or ablooming flower.

ATHENS GEORGIA: TASTE OF ATHENS

Food is sure to make everyone happy and Taste of Athens, acommunity fund raiser, is sure to make you feel good all over.You get to sample all of the exotic restaurants Athens Georgiaabounds in all under on roof and contribute to a good cause atthe same time this February 23th.

Athens' restaurants are hard to beat both in number and inexcellent cuisine. Harry Bissett's New Orleans Cafe and OysterBar, where you experience the ambience as well as the authenticfood of "The Big Easy". It's housed in an old bank building andthe mellow brick walls are reminiscent of some of the FrenchQuarter's courtyard restaurants. The majority of the food servedhere is spicy, for example The Blackened Redfish, gumbo andCrawfish Etoffee, but there are enough less heated dishes tosuit any taste. Any festival that brings all of these culinarydelights together makes me happy.

It looks like for David, happiness is scenery, and for Kathleen,it's festivals. Whatever it is about traveling that turns youon, now's the time to hit the trail. So "Happy Trails to youuntil we meet again."

About the author:Kathleen Walls is publisher of American Roads Magazine athttp://www.americanroads.net, and David Leonhardt is publisherof Your Daily Dose of Happiness athttp://www.TheHappyGuy.com/daily-happiness-free-ezine.html.

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