Oak Ridge Methodist Church to Refuge Baptist Church in Walnut Cove, westbound
September 13. I hiked 17.7 miles in segment 8, with four miles of trail, and the rest on roads.
Nice early start, beginning at the Oak Ridge Methodist Church, about an hour from my house in Hillsborough.
The flag-raising ceremony was in progress at the Oak Ridge Military Academy, founded in 1852.
Since I began walking before dawn, I appreciated the safety of sidewalks!
The Oak Ridge Town Park had a very clean–and timely–restroom.
The park also had this place where you could respectfully dispose of frayed and worn American flags. What a great idea!
Headwaters Trailhead off of Linville Road. I don’t know who designed the Mountains-to-the-Sea graphic, but it is really striking, and always a delight to see.
I’ve completed about this much! Segments 9-13, plus parts of 14 and 8.
I stop about every hour for a short hydration break. Snacks begin closer to 10:30am.
It stayed cloudy all day. I brought rain gear with me, but I didn’t end up using it–I only had a few minor drizzles. It was pouring back in Hillsborough!
There was a half-mile on this gravel path. It is environmentally friendly and looks pretty, but it’s really not easy to walk on, so I balance-beamed along the edge.
A hiker passing by said the Cascades have been pretty dry for several years, but it was still a pleasant spot to take another short break. I didn’t want to rush through the prettiest section of today’s hike!
Leaving Guilford County. The MST has just a short portion in Forsyth County, but I had one great bird, a Veery.
It’s amazing how many flowers are blooming in mid-September! It really is one of the joys of walking all these roads, to see the seasonal variety.
I was so excited to finally have some hills to climb! I think this is the steepest section of road from here to the Atlantic Ocean. And there’s more to come, heading west.
Around 12 miles I like to find a place to take a longer break, off my feet–and out of my boots–if possible. Thank you, Victory Ministries for Jesus, for your sweet little bench!
From here on, traffic picked up to “moderate,” which required constant alertness.
Traffic patterns have changed near Walnut Cove, so neither my printed directions nor the FarOut app were accurate, but it was pretty easy to figure out. (Note to westbound hikers…Use the sidewalk on the right side to cross the busy bridge!)
My last mile was gently uphill to Refuge Baptist Church, beautifully situated under these majestic Live Oaks.
My shuttle driver was Jimmie, who picked me up in his well-traveled Winnebago! Check out: YouTube.com/@rollmeaway
I couldn’t be doing the MST without the help of our gracious Trail Angels!
My.Bird.Walks. 