Foothills Trail Part (day 6-7)

DAY 6 After a crazy and hellacious night in a tornado, I woke up around 7am, ate a quick oatmeal breakfast and packed up a wet campsite. It was already getting to be a hot and muggy day. Seems as if the weather after a big storm is always calm, hot, and humid. This day was no different. I didn't have time to worry about it now, I had my climb up Sassafras mountain on my mind. At 8:30am, We stepped foot on the trail and finished the rolling 2.8 miles (including several stair climbs) to Laural Valley parking area.

We crossed highway 178 and started our 4.8 mile climb. The book broke up the climb into two sections, a 2.1 mile climb up to Chimneytop Gap and a 2.7 mile climb from Chimneytop gap to Sassafras Mt. So that's how I broke it up as well. A 2.1 mile climb sounds more doable than a 4.8 mile in my mind. It was a 1000 foot gain in elevation in that 2.1 mile climb and it was steep! Then came the steep wooden steps, followed by even steeper switchbacks. It seemed like it took forever to get to Chimneytop Gap. I actually got mad. For the first time on this trip, I was not enjoying it. I was crazy with hunger, physically fatigued, mentally drained, even Charlies panting was getting on my nerves. I was angry at the fact that I barely hiked 5 miles, had almost 3 miles to go all uphill another 3 to camp and I was done. After I crossed a wooden bridge, I let myself have a temper tantrum. I flopped down, pack and all, in the middle of this steep trail. I needed a break. After a few deep breathes, I pulled out my food bag, looked at my snacks, and thought, "to hell with it!" I gobbled down 2 granola bars and a dove chocolate bar I was saving for dessert. I didn't care if I had food for my last day, I needed some right NOW. I gulped down 1/2 a liter of water and gave Charlie the other half, which he slurped up in two seconds. Which left us 1 liter to get us over this mountain and did I mention it was swamp hot out? I pulled out my food bag to assed the damage and that's when I discovered my packing error. You see, I packed for 7 full days and nights. At the rate I was hiking, I only needed 6 full days and nights. I had an extra lunch and dinner, plus the snacks. I had enough food for the rest of my hike! I felt better, but sat there trying to come up with a reason I got so mad at the trail today. Was it the hot, sticky, humid weather that had sweat pouring out of my entire body? Was it the crazy steep climb? Was it that I was half starved out of my mind? Maybe it was a combination of it all. Who knows. I pepped talked myself back to normal by telling myself that this is where I want to be. I could be working in a closed in office right now instead of enjoying the fresh air and stillness of nature. I pulled myself out of my pity party and put my pack back on. It was time to finish this climb. Not more than 10 minutes later, I crossed over F. Van Clayton Highway and started my last 2.7 mile section up Sassafras Mountain.

It started up steep for about a mile, then I made it to the ridge. The trail turned into a nice wide roadbed trail and flattened out a bit before it started gradually ascending through a second growth white pine forest for the next 1.5 miles. By now I was praying for some water soon, not just for me, but for my poor puppy. It was a crazy hot day and he was panting his little heart out. The gods must of been listening because right as we are about to crest the mountain, we stumble into a little bitty stream. Enough for Charlie to gulp gallons and gallons of water and enough for me to filter 4 liters. I planned on drinking ever drop at lunch too. haha! Lunch was going to be on top of this beastly mountain and I couldn't wait. After a nice little break, we loaded back up and finally crested Sassafras. I found a side trail that had a spectacular view and as always, as soon as I saw the view, I forgot the climb. I found a nice boulder to have lunch.on. That's when I spread all my gear out to dry, took off my shoes, took a nap on the hot rock, and just relaxed. Aaahh.. I felt good again. I needed this. Charlie caved up in a rhody bush in the shade and napped too. After a good 2 hours of lounging, I knew we needed to go. We still had 3 miles to get to camp. So I packed all of our dry gear away and we hopped back on the trail.

We passed the intersection to Caesars State Park, if I had chosed to hike to the park, it would of added another 10 miles to my hike. I bypassed the intesection and continued down the Foothills trail to the original end, Table Rock. I saw a sign that said Table Rock state park was only 9 miles away. I was really tempted to just suffer and finish up, but I decided I was happy knowing I was going to finish up early. The next mile was pretty much down hill, then I started climbing up Hickorynut Mountain. I climbed up switchbacks and stairs to Emory Gap road and then began to hike down hill through a rhododendrum forest. We make it to a bend in the trail that has a wooden bridge with a nice flowing stream and two perfect trees. So we stopped and I pulled out the poncho liner for us to rest. After a 1/2 an hour, I get up and string up my tarp and hammock, hang the bear bag rope, change clothes, dunk my tired feet in the stream, and read about the last 6 miles of trail I'm finishing up tomorrow. Around 7pm, both JERMM and Don roll by on their way to a campsite a mile ahead. I wave goodbye and congratulate them on finishing their thru hike (in case I don't see them tomorrow.) I realize it's our last night in the woods and I feel both sad and excited. Sad that the adventure is ending, but excited to have actually accomplished this thru hike. I pet Charlie as we both lie in the stillness and tell him what an awesome hiking companion he's been and how proud of him I am. He just thumps his tail like he understands. That night I feed us extra helpings of everything and promised him 3 hamburgers at the end of this journey. We fall asleep around 9pm and I notice the temperature dropping quickly. I snuggle up in my hammock and pull my down sleeping bag up around my ears.

Day 7 The next morning I wake up around 6:30 am, but lay in my warm hammock for another 1/2 hour. It's cold! What strange weather! Finally, I coax my body out, pack up camp, eat the last of the granola bars and hit the trail by 8:15am. I feel good today, even though it's a bit chilly, my hair is greasy, and I am filthy. I feel good. I feel accomplished and confident in knowing I will complete this hike today. It's a far cry from where I was 6 days ago. Wondering if I had it in me to finish. Now, I know I have what it takes and it's a very powerful feeling. I really did enjoy myself, other than the climb up Sassafras, which I chalk up to no energy, exertion, and starvation. I really did enjoy this solo hike.

The trail is rolling with a few steep switchbacks, a few wooden bridges, lots of huge boulders, and a nice steady climb up Pinnacle Mountain. I hear Charlies name called and when I turn around I see it's JERMM. She's started early this morning and we hike together for a bit. When we get to the stunning morning views of Pinnacle Mountain we snap photos of one another and I leave her waiting on Don. Charlie and I finish the climb up to the yellow blazes that take us to Table Rock. When I see the 4 miles to Table Rock sign, I get a rush of adrenaline and finally let me self dream of Table Rock. We made it! 4 more miles to go, all down hill and we will have finished our thru hike! I take a moment to remember this feeling and then Charlie and I start descending down.

Now if you think climbing up 5 miles was tough, try climbing down 4 miles in rooty, rocky, rhody trail. There were places I had to take my pack off just to squeeze through. Charlie had no problem wriggling through the low hanging rhody branches and narrow rocky trail, but I had to contort, backward bend, crouch, and crawl through some of this section. It was crazy! Then, there was a detour trail that I didn't bank on. It had me climbing UP this beast of a mountain on Mill Creek Pass for awhile, til it met up with the Foothills/Pinnacle Mt. trail again. We hiked along this stream for the rest of the way. I met a couple of older gentlement day hiking up to Pinnacle Mt. and back. They congratulated me and Charlie and seemed really happy for us. An hour later I met 6 young college guys just starting out. We chit chatted a bit about the trail and they loved the fact that I had Charlie out there with his own pack. They congratulated me and I wished them well on their hike. I couldn't help but grin from ear to ear from all their attention. I felt great! I finally got down to the Carrick Creek Nature Center Trail signs and I knew I was very close. It was only 10:40am and I wasn't tired, but I wanted to stop, take my pack off and let Charlie splash around in the water. I wanted to enjoy the last possible moment on this trail. As I sat there reminicing my last 6 days, it finally caught up to me. I did it. I finished this trail all by myself. I solo thru hiked and I survived.

At 10:55am, I put my pack back on and hiked in the last mile, passing by a nice, clean family and an elderly couple out taking photos who stopped to ask me lots of questions about my adventure. The last .2 miles of the trail are paved. I put away my trek poles and pulled out Charlies leash. It felt weird to have him on a leash after such a trip. I wonder if it felt weird for him too. Anyways, I finally spotted the East end Foothills Trail sign and at 11:09am I made Charlie pose in front of it. It was Friday, so not lots of people at the Nature Center. We walked out to our car and as soon as I opened the doors of the car, Charlie jumped in and laid down. That's how he stayed the entire drive home. Oh... and he got his promised 3 hamburgers, which he gobbled down, when I stopped for my cheeseburgers and diet coke.

What an amazing trip. I learned so much about myself and what I can and am capable of doing. I learned so much about my dog and what he is capable of doing. He climbed ladders, jumped over trees, rock climbed, stair climbed, wriggled thru boulders, and kept me company over the last 6 days. He totally earned my respect and if they sell it, I will buy him a thru hiker patch of the Foothills trail for his little backpack. He was awesome.

I want to thank my friends that came to see me off. Thank you Kellye and Hemlock. You have no idea how much I appreciate your support and friendship. Thanks for being there for me those first couple of days. It really made a big difference in my mental state for this hike. Like I told you both, you brought my anxiety level down from a 9 to a 4 by just being there. Thank you to my wonderful, understanding, loving husband who lets me venture off on these crazy feats because he knows there is some innate need for me to be out in the woods. I know you were worried those first 5 nights (I really didn't have cell service, promise) and I am sorry I put you through that. But I did it and I am a better person for it, and thank you for "allowing" me to do this solo. Thank you Foothills Trail what a beautiful, well maintained, challenging trail. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Til next time... GET OUTDOORS!!!