C W Flowers Store in Four Oaks to Newton Grove United Methodist Church
July 2. This was an out-and-back (with some variation on return) for a total of 18 miles.
6am start at Ebenezer United Methodist Church. The C W Flowers Store across the street isn’t even open yet!
Sunrise is happening behind me on Harper House Road.
Shortly the route entered the woods, following a trail that leads past former Civil War encampments and trenches.
I should’ve done this hike in reverse, to have all this lovely shade in the afternoon.
I’ve missed you, little white MST circles!
The route wove in and out of the woods, next to cropland, and across fields.
My grandma always said corn should be “knee-high by the 4th of July”, but obviously she did not farm in the south!
It was a very interesting four miles. But those four miles took me two hours because I wanted to enjoy the terrain and read the informational displays.
The downside of walking through fields and brushy trails in the early morning was having wet feet for the next 17.5 miles.
Oh, well. Lesson learned. My shoes eventually dried out, but my socks (and feet) did not.
After a short break at the Bentonville Battlefield Visitor Center, I hit the roads heading south.
No paved shoulder, but traffic was very, very light.
No cloud cover today, so up goes the solar umbrella!
Fortunately, it stayed under 90 degrees–because later in the day the wind kicked up, and I had to stow away the umbrella.
By this point I have left Johnston County and am now in Sampson County.
Turnaround point is Newton Grove United Methodist Church, at 9.5 miles.
I planned a different return route, to shave off 1.5 miles. And then I came to this sign.
Hmmmm. I found out via Google that they were replacing a pipe in a swampy area, so I figured as a pedestrian, I could probably get through somehow.
Turned out….the road was completely open with no workers anywhere! Phew!
I rejoice to think that all things are at thy disposal,
and I love to leave them there.
My.Bird.Walks. 