Monday’s walk was in the GSMNP mostly on the Fighting Creek Trail with a bit on the Cove Mountain Trail. One photo from the jaunt was this neat and very old, early 1800’s cabin. It was a very damp and dripping kind of day.
Trek eighteen - GSMNP @ 2.4 miles - Total to date 100.9- Miles to go zip
This was less of a hike and more of a stroll through the campground, up a short road and across a bridge to the area known as Historic Elkmont. A street of interesting homes from 1900-1920 lived in until 2000. The Park Service is restoring most of them to a 1970 appearance.
Trek seventeen - GSMNP @ 3.4 miles - Total to date 98.5- Miles to go 1.5
for photos see Tuesday’s post
We started at 7:30 up the Little River Trail just .7 from the Elkmont Campground where we are are staying. The first 2.7 miles was just slightly uphill along the Little River. Gorgeous walk. At the Huskey Trail intersection, we turned around and backtracked about 1/2 mile to the start of the Cucumber Gap Trail. This was a hard uphill for 1.2 miles (total gain for the hike according to my app was equal to 152 flights of stairs. It really felt like 155!) The Cucumber ended at Jakes Creek Trail. About a mile back to the Elkmont area where we passed many chimneys left from the houses on Millionaire’s Row. There is also a street of homes from the early 1900’s that are being restored to walk through. We were able to view a few of them and had a nice chat with a ranger who shared a lot of area history. Back to the car. Good hike. (photos when I get better coverage)
Trek sixteen - GSMNP @6.8 miles - Total to date 95.1 - Miles to go 4.9
The day dawned both hot (75 at 6am) and humid so I changed our plan to walk a five miler at Umstead. I just could not face it. So, we did a repeat, the first, and walked exactly four miles at the NC Museum of Art. It seemed like the best choice to get a bit of mileage in before we leave on our trip. So, I guess the challenge will end in the GSMNP. Or on the way to ice cream in Pigeon Forge;)
Trek fifteen - NC Museum of Art @ 4.0miles - Total to date 88.3 - Miles to go 11.7
one of the newer of the outdoor art installs
I like this pool with the silky smooth flow
clearing the buildings you enter into a long walk in the woods.
I was up and out before six this morning, Monday the 9th of August for the last bike ride of this challenge. I had picked up nothing the last 9 days because of illness so I was most anxious to get some mileage done. I went to the Neuse River Trail in North Raleigh for a ride on one of the prettiest of the Greenway Trails. You travel along the river and the trail is more than 25 miles end to end as well as several connection points to other parts of the Greenway. The ride was very pleasant and easy along this section. I also did a bit on the Abbot Trail just to see where it went. It would have been easy to keep going today but I didn’t want to get too much mileage on the bike. I may get one more short hike in before we leave but the challenge will more likely end in the Smoky Mountains.
Trek fourteen - Neuse River Greenway @ 13.7 miles - Total to date 84.3 - Miles to go 15.7
This is a mostly shady trek.
Crossing under the four lane highway.
The lovely Neuse River
We were in Williamsburg a week ago and on Saturday morning was able to get out on two of our old favorite walks, Greensprings Trail and the Capitol Trail. We combined the two that mooring for a nice hike before the heat set in for the day. That evening I snared a sinus infection that kept me out of the action for 8 days. The challenge is becoming a challenge.
Trek fourteen - Green Springs & Capitol Trails @ 5.4 miles - Total to date 70.6 - Miles to go 29.4
Some obligations and a migraine had put me a bit off stride (pun alert) on my plans for the Challenge. So, before we left for Williamsburg on Wednesday, we were off to the North Carolina Museum of Art. There are extensive grounds there and we often do our regular walks of about 2 miles at the park, however, I mapped out an intricate course with very little overlap and we logged 3.7 miles that morning. We were there early that morning but the day was already hot and muggy. Still a good walk and lots of it in shade with couple decent hills that we need to get in shape for our fall travels.
Trek thirteen - NC Art Museum @ 3.7 miles - Total to date 65.2 - Miles to go 34.8
On Friday morning the temperature was actually under 70. So, to take advantage of that we headed out for a walk at our usual place, Lake Lynn on the Greenway. We do this often, it is 2.2 miles around, in fact I have done this trail 6 times since the start of the 100 Challenge but I don’t count it because it is not over my threshold of at least three miles. But today, we just did the trail twice.
Trek twelve - Lake Lynn @ 4.4 miles - Total to date 61.5 - Miles to go 39.4
Completed Trek eleven on Tuesday morning. Cindy and I left early for Carvers Creek State Park about an hour south of Raleigh. We intended to get our hike in before the predicted overcast sky gave way to bright sunshine. DIdn’t quite work out that way as the sun was bright when we arrived. Still a nice hike in two parts. The first on the old farm site was flat. We walked a farm road, a loop trail to a pond behind the house and a woodland trail back to the start and then re-did a portion of the trail. The second site was a remote section of the park where we hiked the Longleaf Pine and the Little Pond spur trails.
Trek eleven - Carvers Creek @ 6.5 miles - Total to date 57.1 - Miles to go 42.9
This one went so much better. I still did not cycle too far and along mostly flat trails but it still felt much more secure and I was more relaxed than the last one. I parked at Lassiter Mill Park and rode a portion of the Crabtree Trail I had never been on. I hope to do a longer hike tomorrow at a state park south of Raleigh.
Trek ten - Crabtree Trail @ 7.4 miles - Total to date 50.6 - Miles to go 49.4
The heat is definitely set in with afternoon temperatures in the 90’s. I had planned to visit a state park about 90 minutes away but adjusted that based on the heat and humidity this morning at 6:15 and chose to walk closer to home at Umstead. This was a new trail for me, Turkey Creek and parts of Loblolly Trail. Parking was outside the park with easy access to the trail. Following the advice of our son, Geof, who runs here a lot, we went left. It was almost all heavy shade and that was wonderful. We first walked to a lake and then across a single track trail in the forest. About midway on that trail we encountered a beautiful small pond that looked like it would be a great spot for birding. I plan to return there. We had to walk a bit past our parking spot to get to our goal of five miles.
Trek nine - Turkey Creek Trail, Umstead @ 5.0 miles - Total to date 43.2 - Miles to go 56.8
Lake at midpoint on the walk
Woodland pond
This did not go as planned either. (see last 100 mile post) I set off to bike the middle section of Crabtree Trail, about 6 mies one way. A short distance into the ride I came to a bridge that was closed and that ended that attempt. Turning around I took another traill, Mine Run Creek and then back to the car for 7.4 miles. This was the first bike outing in 15 months and it felt like it. I must get out more. I enjoy riding just don’t quite know why I don’t get more of it done. We are planning a longer walk at a state park on Wednesday
Trek eight - Mine Run Trail, Raleigh Greenway @ 7.4 miles - Total to date 38.2 - Miles to go 61.8
Some folks have opened the gate but the bridge was declared unsafe, so…..
This did not go at all as planned. Cindy was with me as our plan was for a longer walk from Shelly Lake on Mine Run and Crabtree Creek - a different section than we walked before. We had heavy rains two days before our walk and the water as you see in the photo was still flowing fast and deep. Our initial route took us under that overpass. Not possible. So, we make the best of it, did the lake trail and two short spurs to get sufficient miles. A slightly cooler day was nice.
Walk seven - Shelly Lake @ 3.5 miles - Total to date 34.3 - Miles to go 65.7
Early this morning before the heat set in we were up and headed to Eno River State Park just north of Durham. This park is along the Eno River with more than 28 mlles of hiking trails. Kayaking and canoeing are also popular. We hiked the Cox Mountain loop trail a 3.75 mile jaunt but by adding parts of four other trails we completed 5.9 miles. It was a really lovely hike most of it in deeply forested woods or along the Eno. I think we will go back and do another hike here on a different trail before we are done. I think fall and spring might have good options for photography.
Walk six - Eno River State Park @ 5.9 miles - Total to date 30.8 - Miles to go 69.2
You get to cross this jiggly bridge twice, what a great hike.
Most of our hike we were along the river.
Just s flat walk today, still a bit sore from Friday’s ups and downs. And one hard fall on the slick clay. We enjoyed a nice Fourth with Geof and family here for the traditional panini sandwich party (?). After a lazy afternoon we went to the fireworks show at Brier Creek. It was well done and we had very comfortable seats by the car with a great view. This morning Cindy and I walked the Crabtree Creek trail. It starts not far from our house and connects to the House Trail we did a few days ago. It was getting hot when we finished - our start time was an hour or so later than it ought to have been. Pleasant trail with lots of birds singing along the creek.
Walk five - Crabtree Creek Trail @ 4.7 miles - Total to date 24.9 - Miles to go 75.1
Excellent customer service in Raleigh providing you with clothing you may have forgotten.
Muddy water have the week’s rain.
Crossing one of the several bridges on the creek.
I drove to Lake Norman State Park on the northern edge of Lake Norman to meet 3 of the other participants in the 100 mile challenge. We were set to do the Lake Shore Trail. Heavy rain fell overnight and stopped about an hour before we were to meet at the Visitor’s Center at 10:30. The time was good for me as it was a bit over 2 hours to drive. The trail was not muddy but in places the exposed clay was slick. More than one slip on the trek. However, it was reasonably cool but the humidy was still high. Not the most comfortable hiking weather but it beats 90 plus degrees. Anyway the hike was all ups and downs but nothing too steep or strenuous. At least not for me I just did the long trail the rest of the group was planning on re-walking a shorter option but mostly on the same trail. I opted to get home by dinner. Nice to visit a new park and to walk with a good group - enjoyed the conversation.
Walk four - Lake Norman State Park @ 6.5 miles - Total to date 20.2 - Miles to go 79.8
On this hike we chose the House Creek Trail that starts behind the mall and goes to the bridge to the North Carolina Museum of Art. Round trip was 5.4 miles. Raleigh is not known for the hills but this trail has some and the first half is more up than down or level. The last 2 tenths to the bridge are fairly steep. If plans go well and the rain holds off, Friday should be a long hike at Lake Norman State Park. Fingers crossed.
Walk three - House Creek for 5.4 miles - Total to date 13.7 -Miles to go 86.3.
One of the two tunnels on the walk
On Friday morning before the rain started we did 3.2 miles on the Shelly Lake trail. This includes a bit of a spur off the loop to get to the three-mile threshold. Shelly is a popular trail with lots of walkers and dogs! The eagles have been nesting for three yesrs and this year had two hatchings.
Walk Two: Shelly Lake 3.2 miles - total to date 8.3 - Miles to go 91.7
This first walk was in Umstead State Park here in Raleigh. I will likely do several of my miles here and there are a lot of trails to choose from so that is good. On this day because of the rain we had here I stayed on multi-use trails that are packed gravel and used by bikes and horses as well as walkers. The walk started at the interior parking lot and was mostly on the Graylyn and Reedy Creek trails. It was an out and back and counted for just over five miles.
Walk one: Umstead State Park 5.1 miles 94.9 to go
This beautifully carved fallen tree is along the Graylyn Trail.
I got passed by many bikes on this short hike, so moving quite fast.
8,095.2 miles later, the trip comes to an end. We started down to Chincoteague to get photos by the Atlantic once again and then crossed the Chesapeake Bay bridge-tunnel, which was a crazy experience driving what felt like right over the ocean. It was a straight shot back down to Raleigh, where I arrived home to family and friends. This trip truly was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will never forget. If you can ever find the opportunity and are up to finding the right roads to do this, I couldn’t encourage it more.
Today’s Mileage: 418 mi.
Total Mileage: 8,095.2 mi.
West: 3,427.8 mi. / East: 4,667.4 mi.
