Mt Mitchell= No Joke

Greetings Faithful Readers.

Here is a brief tale of a recent trip to Mt. Mitchell to have a hike along the MST that runs over the top. It really was a great trip. Not really feeling like humping a big pack, I took advantage of the great 9 site campground that is right at the top. You have to park down at the parking lot, and carry your gear to the spot of your choosing. 12 bucks. I had the place to myself. With the weather a good bit below freezing at night, plus the fact that it is often rainy and foggy seems to keep away all but the nuts like me during October.

Anyway, when I got there, the sky was SO blue, with a nice breeze and a nip in the air. I set up camp and commenced to firing up the stove. I had a Navy shower with a inch of boiling water and a squirt of Dr. Bronners Almond soap. Two cups of hot tea, some GORP, and I could not have been more content. The photo here was taken with the goal of capturing that spirit. One hippie dude did show up, and we shared tales and lies aplenty. The Ranger even hung out for awhile since the place was so quiet. He had excellent bear stories. Hippie dude turned out to be broke (big surprise!) so the Ranger charged him 1/2 price, and I paid the tab. He promised a giant pancake breakfast in the morning as thanks. Sold!

Well, it was off to bed early, which is the norm when it gets dark at 5:30. At 1:30 I was woken up by something slapping me in the face, and some kind of huge noise. Well, turns out a big storm has moved in during the night. Winds at least 50 MPH. They had totally blown the tent down around me, hence the roof slapping me in the face. I got up and got dressed, and went outside. The clouds had come down right on us, and the wind was real intense. It wasn't raining that hard, but it felt like needles at that wind speed. So I race around and set up the tent. Most of the stakes had been pulled out of the ground, and several were missing. So I used some big rocks, and did the best I could. Back to sleep, only to be woken up twice more with the same issue. Basically it was just intolerable. So I decide to break camp and bail. By now it was 5AM, and my nerves were shot. So I just took the whole muddy tent, fly and all the crap inside, and just dragged it down to the car and threw it in the back. I then had to try and sleep in the car until they opened the gate at 8 AM. The picture here shows the tent mess back home. Inside that pile of mess is my sleeping bag, pad, a folding chair, pillow, and a few odds and ends. I ended up getting my pancakes at the Dennys in Marion. They were yummy.

MST Hike Part 2- A bust?

Well, sports fans, the end of the story first: my plan to cover 190 miles on foot and on bike ended up with me only being able to cover about 15 miles during the whole 2 weeks. This has been very disappointing, but a few valuable lessons have been learned.

Two things held me back, both physical. One is that on my first day of walking, after 8 miles, I starting getting very bad hip joint pain. I have hip sockets that are slowly degenerating from a problem way back in my teen years, but they have only been a mild annoyance. But at the end of day one, I could barely walk. A trip to the orthopaedic doc showed an X-ray with some pretty gnarly socket joints, with a fair bit of wear. the balls are misshapen, and it's eating up the sockets. What a bummer! Plus, during my training for the bike ride portion, I developed a saddle sore that blew up into a giant abscess. Opening it up and cleaning it out left a three inch hole that has to heal from the inside out. My father always said that the only thing that people hate to hear more than your medical problems, are your pets medical problems.

It was a real blow to all the work that had gone into the planning, and I was really looking forward to the trip itself.

And it's a real wake up call personally. I could have been in better shape going into the trip. Loosing 40-50 lbs would take pressure off my hips. So it's time to buckle down, and do what I have to do so that this can continue. It will happen, and I will be better for it!

Ode to the Country Store

As anyone knows who lives in the South, the countyside is dotted with millions of gas stations/country stores. They range from the old fashioned mom and pop places to the new modern additions stuck on major brand gas-o-ramas. We all have zinged past them in or cars without a moments thought. But let me tell you, it's a whole 'nother thing to the long distance road hiker. They serve a ton of functions. Often they have a bench or two outside. This a very welcome after a few hours on your feet. Lots of gatoraide and often some excellent hotdogs. And maybe some Advil, or tape, or whatever little thing you need. Plus some human contact, which I find welcome most of the time. Local information can be valuable, but it's been my experience that people who spend most of their time in the car have very poor judgement when it comes to distances. Many is the time I've believed someone when that said that such and such intersection was 'just up the road', only to find I'm still humping away hours later. I've just stopped asking. But I digress. So my thanks go out to these little stores. For the grub, the company, the chance to get off my feet, and a little taste of the local culture.

Trip Prep

Well, I have a lot of mixed emotions on getting ready for the second part of this trip. The planning is both fun, and worrisome. I learned quite a few things from stage one. First, I packed too much food, and a few too many clothes. But it's really important to bring the right stuff, so that your not in the middle of the trip longing for some widget that your forgot. It's also fun to be buying new stuff, while keeping in mind that simple should be better. But I did get a new one person tent from REI. It's snug, but half the size and wait of the two person one I used before. And then there is the huge differance between planning a trip and actually taking that first step. It's like'crap, now I have to start humping??" Once that is over, and trail has been broken, it's all good.

Mountains To Sea Trail- 2nd Stage

Greetings!

I have started to plan the next part of my trip across the state, and have settled on a river trip down the Neuse from Raleigh to Havelock. This will take me to where I left off on Stage One. I have found a number of things out so far. One is that it would be about a 200 mile trip, and would take at least 2 full weeks on the river, with no days off. Water flow and low levels can be a big concern during the fall when the water is usually at it's lowest. This could mean that some sections are impassable. Several people have said that the best thig to hope for is a big fall storm. Water quality seems to be an issue as well, with lots of funky run-off entering the river. But I have two excellent sources of help so far- people with much experience paddeling in general, and the Neuse in particular. So it's onward and upward. I have commitments to be able to borrow either a canoe or a large kayak. I'm going to continue the research, and get some paddeling experience and/or training. After that, I would like to ride my bike West from Raleigh to the foothills, and then hike the mountains to Tennessee. Sounds like a good mix to me. Any thoughs or ideas are welcome.

Stage One Complete!

-Click on Photos to Enlarge-

Greetings all! I'm back home, and all is well. It has been an amazing trip, and I've got lots of notes and photos that will be put in some kind of order over the next few days. I started out with great detail in my note and photo taking, and got a bit slack as the days wore on. The last couple of days were in the rain, so the photos are few, but the memories are strong.

It all started with an early AM ride from home to Jockey's Ridge State Park from my friends Rob and Drew. We were lucky enough to run into a ranger who knew the trail, and gave me some good info. I was a bit confused because the park was on the wrong side of the road, and I was thinking that it would be stupid to start the whole thing by getting lost. The first photo was taken by Rob at the MST trail marker that starts ( or ends) the whole thing. Look at how clean I am! That didn't last long. The first beach photo is from the top of the stairs leading down to the beach five minutes from leaving the parking lot. A big moment! The first day I hiked 8.6 miles and met a few folks. Mainly it's house after house, right on the beach. Most were empty, and a lot of them were for sale. The people I met were for the most part older women and their dogs. They were interested in my trip, and many said that I would be in their prayers. This gets a bit different as I get further south, and start interacting with the locals.. stay tuned for more on this topic. My first bit of trail magic happened when I came up on the road after @ 3 hrs of hiking and found myself directly in front of an actual 7-11. Amazing. I had a hot dog and two Slurpees. The second one was on the house, a gift from the kind manager. A couple of more hours hiking, and I found a great place to stealth camp under some trees behind a closed group of beach condos. I never saw a soul.DAY TWO: In the AM, I needed water, and had another piece of trail magic. Right where I was camping was a small storage closet behind one of the condos. Turns out it was a outdoor shower, with running water! So I drank almost 2 quarts, filled everything up, and headed down the road. Made it on the beach to the marina at Whalebone. This is at the base of the 2.5 mile bridge that goes over the Oregon Inlet. For potential MST hikers reading this- I strongly recommend that you do NOT walk over this bridge. It's very long, goes over 100 feet above the water where it is very windy, and has little to no footpath. I tried to hitch a ride at the base, with no luck. Locals and rich folks alike just blew by me. Someone pulled into the marina who was going my way, so I walked back and asked him directly. He said no, so I just moved on. Turns out he was one of the owners. I had chatted up his daughter while eating my biscuts and drinking my Gatoraide. I think she shamed him in to it, because he came back out and said he would take me over. It was scary going over that old bridge in a Suburban. I am sure glad I wasn't walking up there. They dropped me at the start of Pea Island National Wildlife Reserve. There was an old abandoned Coast Guard station that was really cool. It had been a long day, so I just hiked up the beach a mile or so and made camp. The dunes were very narrow, so I just found a flat spot on the sand, and made camp. I didn't want anything to blow away or get too sandy, so it all came into the tent with me. A bit crowded, but nice. With the long days, I had started to go to sleep often before 8 PM, and to wake up at 5. A 24 mile day, including a 2 mile detour to see Bodie Lighthouse.

DAY THREE: Walked on Pea Island to the KOA in Rodanthe. Pea Island was amazing. Never saw anybody all yesterday, and all of today. My footprints were the only ones in the sand. Total wild beach. Wind had kicked up, and the waved were crashing. I found an old shipwreck almost completely buried in the sand, and a giant tree stump that had washed up. I rested there, and made some tea, and ate. I'm starting to burn a lot of calories, and have to make an effort to stay on top of the food and water. Off in the distance I could see smoke from a large grass fire. I walked towards it for hours. When I came up on the road, it turns out that is was a controlled burn being done by the Feds. There was a fire truck by the side of the road keeping an eye on it. I walked up to it, and one guy was reading a Playboy, and the other guy was taking a nap. They told me it was a controlled burn, and that I shouldn't have to walk through the smoke for more that ten minutes. It was more like 45 minutes, and the tears and snot were running down my face. That's how I arrived at the Rodanthe KOA, which came highly recommended. I rented a Kabin, and took a much needed shower, and did some wash. The place was spotless. I might have been the only person there. A bit pricy, but worth it. Shook the sand out of everything, and reorganized my pack. It was an amazing day. I was shouting at the top of my lungs on the lonely beach, and laughing ike crazy. It was just what I wanted. 21 miles.

DAY FOUR: Rodanthe to Buxton. At some points you have to walk on the road because the tide is right up against the houses, or the beach is very irregular. That how it was this morning when I heard somebody shout out my name from behind: "Harry!". Nobody knows me here? Turns out it was Merideth from day one, a nice lady I had met on the beach with her dog. She said that she had told her friend all about me, and here I was! Then she zoomed off in her Tahoe. Much talk had been going around about bad weather coming in that night, with heavy thunderstorms, high winds and hail. So I came up from the beach in Buxton and got a room at the Hattaras Motel. Lisa was very nice, gave me a discount, and a room right on the beach. Most things were closed, but the cafe was open, where I got a giant salad with chicken, and about 1/2 gallon of tea. One of the cooks was a big UNC fan, so we talked b-ball for awhile. I was a bit starved for conversation, so it was nice. I watched the game on TV, and the storm woke me up at 3 AM. It was short but intense. I was glad not to be on the beach. Happy 46th birthday to me! 22 miles hiked.

Day FIVE: Today I fould my 'trail legs'. Everything has come together, I'm not as sore, my pack is better organized, and I just have my groove on. Walked on Hwy 12 to Hattras. Saw a giant snapping turtle in the road, with cars swearving all around it. It looked a thousand years old. I was going to pick it up and help it across, but it hissed and snapped at me. So I pushed him across with a shove from my hiking pole. I wanted a picture, but I didn't want this thing to clamp onto me, or get hit by a car, so I boogied on.When almost there, an old man pulled along side me, and asked if I was hiking the MST. I said yes, and he invited me to lunch. Turns out he was an avid hiker. He had lost his wife to a stroke after fleeing hurricane Isabel. It cut this part of the island in half. They said that there was seaweed on top of the telephone poles. All of his camping gear had been lost under his house, and he had gotten too old to hike much. So we traded hiking and gear stories, and both enjoyed it. I made the 3:00 ferry to Ocracoke, which was fun. Only 40 minutes long. I met a German women names Gisela and her husband, who was from Long Island. The road was closed for repairs, and only 4 wheel drives could drive on the beach. But the tide was high, and the beach was too narrow for me and two directions of cars. So I got a ride into the village with Gisela, eating up 14 miles. It was a pretty beach, and Ocracoke is charming. The landscape here changes once you get past Hattaras. More grass and trees for some reason.There was a guy on the ferry who had a pickup truck with bumper stickers all over it. He took a nap the whole way over. Once there, I get a map, and get some local advice from the Methodist minister (thanks Ann!) to stay at Teech's Campground. Turns out the dude who ownes it was the guy on the ferry! The place was empty with the road being closed. Teech said 10 bucks, then changed it to free when he recognized me from the ferry. Locals in general don't understand why somebody would be out hiking if they had a working truck, but they always help when asked. Always. Had an excellent night with the luxury of a picnic bench all to myself. And there was a guy there who owned horses for rent. He had 5 or 6, and told many tales of life all over the country with his horses. I never even went into town, because this little place was just perfect. And the meatloaf and mushroom gravy MRE was yummy. I broke up the Cracker, Vegtable, and put it in there. Plus lots of hot sauce. Man, it was good. And a Tootsie roll from @ 1990 that was an excellent ending. 25 miles, 14 driving.

DAY SIX: Caught the 7 AM ferry over to the mainland. Left the Outer Banks behind, and was a bit sad. There is a tiny post office on Cedar Island where I had sent my resupply for the second part of the trip. Kim was very sweet, and glad to give me my stuff. The Driftwood Motel was 44 bucks, and Debra was charming. She put me in a room in the back, which was good because soon I had my stuff all spead out on the ground drying and airing out. I had eaten my pack @ 10 lbs lighter, so now I was back to full weight. It was nice to get mail and fresh grub. I had sent myself a jar of Nutella, that chocolate hazelnut spread. My brother Peter and his dog LOVE that stuff, so I thought I would give it a try. Not too bad.

I then proceeded to make my way along Hwy 12 until it turned into Hwy 70. At first it was Cedar Island Park, which was nothing but swamp on both side of the road. It was supposed to rain that night, but it started to come down at @ 9:30 AM. I stopped to put on my rain gear and pack cover. The miles and time began to blur, and I was soon passing thu small towns every few hours. I camped behind a convenience store one night, then just kept humping. I had stopped taking notes, and had turned off my GPS. I wasn't unhappy, but the landscape was a bit dull, and the rain kept my head down. I think I did close to 45 miles in two days. Met Kevin and Heavy at some store, and they were local fisherman who gave me some good road info and advice. Most people tell you things from the perspective of a driver in a car. Like, "Yea, just walk over the bridge, and Burning Stump Road is just on the left". But it's 2 damn miles, and you think you've past it. But those two had spend some time hoofing it. I bought us all lunch, and we stood under the portico in the rain and ate hotdogs and shot the bull. Heavy had invented a perpetual motion machine that would solve the worlds dependence on oil. Said that it came to him in a vision while in prison. He was passionate on this topic, and didn't know what to do with it. I advised a patent attorney. They said they din't have any money, but would have a few bucks when their clam beds came in. Said they didn't drink, but liked to smoke a little weed, and did I have any? They advised me to watch my step on Laurel Road, which had turned into a drug haven, with crack houses, prostitutes, and a recent murder. I was unsure if this was true, but when I got there, it was a mess. Two miles of really rough road. Two kids asked me if I wanted to buy drugs, and there were some skanky looking woman hanging out. I had my hand on my large knife the whole way, but I guess the gods were shining on me because I made it thru unscathed. Walked a few more miles towards Havlock, feeling rather lost. It was pouring, and I was feeling dehydrated. So I knocked on the door of a friendly looking house, and an old man stuck his head out. I gave him my little story, and he let me in the side of his house where it was like a covered patio. I rung out my clothes, drank a quart of his ice water out of an old cooking pot, and just took a break. Once he relaxed, he told many a tale of his 33 years working on road crews with the DOT. Bill, you are a kind and good man, and I thank you for helping a wierd looking stranger. At this point I was cooked on both sides, and called for a rescue from Dave, a tireless friend of the MST. He came and picked me up on the side of the road, and brought me back to his own home. His wife Sherry and two sons Danial and Josh took me in like a long lost cousin. And at this point I was seriously ripe in a number of ways. Not ready for polite company. At all. A shower and some wash later, plus some excellent grub, and I was almost human again. The plan was to get up early at hit the bottom of the Croatan Forest and start up the 20 mile Neusiok Trail. I was on the train at 5:45 AM, moving at an excellent pace. It's more of a swap than a forest, but very beautiful. The brush on either side of the trail is very dense, and the trail was often 2 ft deep with mud and water. And you have to go thru it for the most part because the sides are so dense. But I knew this in advance, so no big deal. But it was raining REALLY hard, with flashes of lightning, and winds gusting over 40 MPH. At one point I was knee deep in the mud, kinda stuck, and it was raining so hard that was rain was bouncing back up from the mud and hitting me in the face. All I could do was laugh. Which I did, in a loud and crazy way. For several minutes. When the trail crossed the road after 10 miles, I called Sherry for another rescue. God bless her, she came and got me. Made some kind of crack about my hair....

I had promised all who had expressed concern before I left that I would be careful. I didn't want to stop, but I was seriously wet and tired, all my gear was soaked, and it was going to drop to 30 degrees that night. Even I know that means stop. So it was like groundhog day back at Dave and Sherry's that night. Shower, laundry, advil, etc. Went out for Mexican that night. Yum! They gave me a ride back to Raleigh on their way to REI. I skipped a couple of days of road walking which I will make up when I come back to do the rest of the Neusiok Trail. Total: 135 miles walked, 20 miles hitch hiking.

In sum, it was an excellent start in my journey across the state. I relied on the love and support of friends and strangers alike, and that was very satisfying. It was hard, and I pushed myself in ways that had nothing to do with meeting sales goals. It was lots of time alone with my own thoughts, mixed with delightful experiences with new friends. I am glad to see that my love of hiking and camping is undiminished, (except maybe in the middle of the night on day 5, when dark thoughs can slip in) and that I can still hump a heavy pack, although I need a break about every 4th day. My mind is already turning to thoughts of the next section in the fall. I'm thinking 200 miles in a canoe on the Neuse River from Raleigh to the coast might be perfect. Who wants to come? Peace- Harry O.

Food for 14 days?

Hello all. I've been spending the morning sorting and planning my food needs. 14 days X 3 meals a day = a lot. I do have tons of tea bags and hot chocolate captured from many hotels stays in the last few months at work. And something called Sport Tea that my brother sends me from Colorado. Drink a cup, and you get a great lift in spirits, and your whole body vibrates for about 15 minutes. I don't know what the hell is in the stuff, but I do know that I'll reach for it on those cold rainy mornings when I don't want to get out of my sleeping bag!

Attended the Friends of the MST annual meeting yesterday in Greensboro. It was great. When Becka and I were announced as trail hikers, everybody clapped. They wouldn't let us pay for lunch, and I won a new red fleece hat as a door price. Which is perfect, since people are telling me that my old navy watch cap has a funky smell. I picked Becka's brain endlessly about what to expect on a million different topics, and she was very helpful. Many people came up and offered advice, support and help. I feel very supported, and some sections of the trail that I was unclear about now make perfect sense. Thanks Uncle Fuzzy! I'm off for a hike with my new Leki poles bought for me by a very special friend.( You know who you are!) Just a few weeks left until launch. Yikes! I'm ready to go TODAY.

Getting closer

Hello all! Today is Sunday, a day of food organizing. 14 days times 3 meals a day = a lot. So I pulled all my stuff out and had an accounting. I'll send myself a second round of food and supplies to the post office on Cedar Island, so that helps reduce the load. Went to the Friends of the MST annual meeting yesterday. It was great. Got to meet people who I had only emailed previously, plus they had some excellent blown up maps of each section of the trail. Everyone was very helpful and encourging. Becka and I sat together, and I picked her brain endlessly about what she has done, and what I'm about to go through. We were the only two hikers there, and we were treated with great kindness. They wouldn't let us pay for lunch, which was yummy, and I won a red fleece hat as a door price. It's very warm, and my old wool navy watch cap has gotten a funky smell. At least that is what others have told me. Going thru my geat I fould several bags of Sport Tea that came from my brother in Colorado. It's big out west, but I've not seen it around here. It's strong stuff. When I drink a cup, my whole body vibrates for about 15 minutes, with a lift in spirits at the same time. I don't know what's in it, but I know that there will be rainy mornings when I reach for that stuff when I don't want to get out of my sleeping bag. Well, I'm off to do a hike with my new Leki hiking poles, bought for me by a very dear friend. (You know who you are!) Every day gets a little closer to launch. Yikes!

Gear Prep

Well, I have a quiet Saturday so I decided to really jump into going thru my gear to get a grip on what I have and what I will need. I don't like the feeling of too many things to do hanging over my head. And a trip of this length requires a good bit of advance work. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy it, but it's nice to get a few things off my list. I'll be carrying more food and water during the first part of the beach walk, since most of it is rather barren, and what is there is often closed. Overall, I have received great advice from the people who have done the hike, or know the area. I don't know how I'm going to fit all this stuff in my pack. My little tent is going to have to be strapped on the outside, that's for sure. I had forgotten how small it is. My brother and I have spent plenty of nights together in that thing. Face to face, I guess. And I still need to gather clothes. I have lots of military Meals Ready to Eat. Traded ammo for them with my buddy Rob, and he threw in a few extra. They actually are very good. Lots of variety, good taste, and little heaters to warm up the main entree, so to speak. Lots of little things to open and eat. Years ago they came with smokes. No more, but you still get waterproof matches, with directions on the cover. Thanks Rob! I'll make up a couple of batches of my special trail mix, which I have always called GORP. Now a days that term gets funny looks. I'll share my secret if anybody asks. Plus lots of Ramen noodles. Hot, salty and delicious! I never tire of them on the trail. Plus I bought a mid line GPS unit, and have been spending a few days learning how to use it. It came with an 86 page owners manual. It can do a crazy amount of things, but it is no substitute for goood old fashioned map and compass skills. But it will be great to know exactly where I am, and how far I have traveled. Especially on the beach, with few landmarks. Plus I'm prone to think I have hiked 15 miles when I have gone 5. Ask anybody who has backpacked with me! That's all for now. Feel free to post you comments. Click on the rabbit( our dearly loved Buns, who has passed on to his great rewards) and send me an email, or you can click on the word 'comments' at the bottom, and post right into the blog if you have a Google account. So long for now, Harry O.

Post Script: Went for a 10 mile hike today, with a light pack. Went very well. I feel that I will become an expert on roadside trash and dead critters. Got one good blister on the ball of my left fott, but nothing hateful. I just cruised along at about 3 miles per hour. Felt good. I can do this!

It's a Start

Greeting friends! I have been reluctant to post a blog about my trip, because in my mind it means that you think others are interested in what you have to say. This to me seems like dangerous ground. But I'm doing it anyway! As I have told almost everbody, I have set in motion the plan to hike the Mountain to Sea Trail from one end of North Carolina to the other. I love to hike and walk, and this has plenty of that. Plus I know little about the Eastern part of this state, and this we be a great way to learn more. The first 80 miles is walking almost exclusivly on the beach on the Outer Banks. My plan is to hike in two week segments. Segment one in to start March 1st at Jockeys Ridge State Park on the Outer Banks. During this two weeks I plan to hike @170 miles, and end up in New Bern where my wife Marie will pick me up. I hope to do another section in the fall. At this rate it will take a few years to do the entire 1000 miles, but that's OK.

I'm looking forward to the time on the road and in the woods, and 14 nights sleeping on the ground in my little tent. Plus two weeks with no cell phones, emails, etc. I am ready for an escape from the modern word. Plus a chance to push and test myself. I did two 6 week hikes as a teenager, and I'll not let being over 40 keep me from doing the things I love. That's why God invented Advil! I'll post a couple of photos for now, and maybe another update before I leave. My little digital camera has a voice recorder, and I'll use it to keep an electronic journal. With limited access to the internet, I'll most likely post the entire first part in one big blog at the end. Thanks for all your help and support. Marie refers to this trip as my 'Spiritual Journey'. She may be right......