[Atlanta, GA, Apr 6-10, 2025]

My conference took place over the next few days. Conference registration was on Sunday, which meant we had to man the registration desk and hand out badges. I knew I was going to be stuck inside all day, so I decided to take a walk to Piedmont Park first thing in the morning.

If Piedmont Park reminds you of Central Park in NYC, it’s not a coincidence. The space was originally a horse race track and an exposition park. The city of Atlanta bought the land in 1904 and in 1909, the sons of Frederick Law Olmstead, landscape architect for Central Park, designed the master plan for Piedmont Park. I enjoyed my walk there but I noticed that I was sweating profusely, even though it was only 8 am and 70F (21C). I looked up the humidity and sure enough – it was 86%! Ugh!

Unfortunately, by afternoon, we had extreme weather again, just like in the fall! A storm developed that lead to a tornado watch and many delays at the Atlanta airport, which affected many of our attendees.

Monday was full of conference sessions. In the evening, Accenture hosted the conference welcome session in what they call their innovation space on the GA Tech campus. The views from the high floor were excellent! I enjoyed mingling with others and I even got to catch up with a former co-worker of mine from back in the day when I lived in Augusta!

The conference-sponsored walk-run was on Tuesday evening. It typically showcases a local point of interest, like a park or a popular hiking area. This year, we walked GA Tech’s Pi Mile. The 3.14-mile loop allowed us to check out the GA Tech campus and get some much-needed fresh air!

During the walk, I talked with some folks from NYU, where my former boss and long-time friend Martha works. Martha and I used to catch up at this conference but she hasn’t attended in a while. Her coworkers did a video call with her so we got to see each other’s faces anyway!

In the evening, I had a fabulous meal with another friend I’ve made at this conference, Reena.

Wednesday was the last day of the conference and I finally had some free time in the afternoon. I checked out the Eastside Beltline, a portion of the multi-use trail and linear park connecting Atlanta’s neighborhoods along the tracks of a former train line. The beltline will eventually form a complete circle, but the different sections aren’t fully connected yet.

I started walking but soon realized I wouldn’t be able to cover a lot of ground on foot. Luckily, there were many rental e-bikes along the way, and I grabbed one.

I enjoyed some great street art, the Ponce City Market, and the Fourth Ward Skate park along the way. I turned around when I reached Krog Tunnel and went back all the way up to Piedmont Park. I dropped off the bike there and walked back to my hotel.

The Midtown location of 26 Thai made for a great last conference dinner. The food was delicious and the place was beautifully decorated. I wished we could dine on the front porch, but it was a tad chilly for that.

I had a half-day meeting on Thursday, then drove for 4 hours back to my friend’s place in Mooresville, NC. I spent the night there before continuing on with the post-conference extension of my trip. But before I left Atlanta, I made a beeline for one more place I wanted to check off my list – Martin Luther King Jr National Historical Park.

The site became a national historical partk in 1980 to preserve the places were MLK Jr was born, where he lived, worshipped and is buried. The park manages 38 historic structures, including MLK Jr’s birth home and Ebenezer Church, where he was a minister. Unfortunately, his birth home was closed for renovations and I didn’t have time to join the park ranger tour of the church.

I wish I had more time to spend here. However, the 4-hour drive and the looming rush hour traffic had me on the road soon. Nevertheless, I am glad I got to see all these sights in my limited free time.