MST: Pilot Mountain State Park to Bur-Mil Park Greensboro, NC

A completely sunny weekend!  Cold at night but sunny, I'll take it.  I had a pretty good logistical plan for this weekend and it worked out pretty well, all things considered.  I started the weekend Thursday night, leaving town as soon as my wife could make it home.  I made my way to Hanging Rock State Park's family campground where I would spend two nights.  In the morning I unloaded my bike and locked it up at the campsite.  I then gathered my gear and drove over to Pilot Mountain State Park, where I would leave my car for the weekend.  I backpacked back to my campsite in Hanging Rock and then the following day transitioned to bike for the trip to Oak Ridge and eventually the Greensboro area.  Was it perfect?  No, but it got the job done.  There were some small trail segments I had to do out and backs on but ultimately I walked only 3.2 extra miles.  There was no ice or other weather to deter me but for the first time ever on a long trail I unexpectedly came to a Trail Closed sign!

Dan River

Day 25 March 5

Miles:  22.8 hiking

Weather:  Sunny, highs 50's lows 20's

Camping:  Hanging Rock State Park family campground

Well last night was very windy, I think I might have set a record for length of time it took to set up my tent (may use the tent more as I bike).  At some point the wind calmed slightly and then temperatures dropped.  Since I was car camping I did bring both of my sleeping quilts, the 40 degree and 20 degree.  My hope was I could make the 40 degree bag work and not have to continue using the bulkier 20 degree, however, the 20 degree bag won.  It's nice the sun comes up so early now at least for another weekend before we change time.  If I was hiking this would be a great day for an early start.  Unfortunately, I'm camped in a State Park that opens and closes.  Hanging Rock opens up early but I needed to make it over to Pilot Mountain and they don't open until 8am.  I was there at 8:00 sharp as I had a big day of walking.  I left the visitor center parking lot and headed right back out of the park making my way to the Sauratown Trail.  This trail like much of the MST has various sections that are comprised of trail and road.  There were many good views along this stretch, the most important thing is to remember to look behind you at times.  The view is not always in the direction you are traveling.  Some of these trails sections were really great and others were short and poorly built, made me wish I had just stayed on the road running parallel (Coon Rd in particular, if it has been wet just stay on the road).  I had two water crossings and being spaced out and mostly on dry trail I took the time to put on my sandals. 

 

I wouldn't wish to cross at 6'.  The USGS water data sites are a great resource when planning.  You can see what normal levels look like and compare it to current conditions.  This is downstream of where I cross but provides a snapshot of what is happening in the area.

The first of these crossings is the West Prong of the Little Yadkin River, I had checked gauges for this and luckily with our dry spell it had fallen to normal levels, but I can only imagine what it looks like at flood stage.  I could see where the water level had been and if you took the chance to cross during one of those times you would certainly be swimming in a bad place.   Today it was just over my ankles, easy going and the water temperature was not much different from the outside air.  Once I made it into Hanging Rock State park you take a less direct route to the campground but the payoff of some uphill is a great view.  I could see all the way out to Mount Mitchell, Grandfather Mountain, Pilot Mtn, up into Virginia, down to Winston Salem, Greensboro and the Uwharrie's of central NC.  This is probably the last place to have such a long range view on the MST so I was sure to enjoy.  I arrived at camp and got settled in again, making some dinner before heading off on an evening hike to knock out a small section to the Visitor Center.  This will allow me to load the bike with gear and start over at the visitor center in the morning.

View from tower in Hanging Rock State Park

Day 26 March 6

Miles:  36.7 miles MST total (33.6 miles bike, 3.1 hiking), 3.2 miles of extra hiking due to backtracking.

Weather:  Sunny highs in the 50's 

Camping:  Oak Ridge MST hiker site

I wasted a lot of time this morning strapping my backpack to my bike for what ended up being a really short trip over to the visitor center.  I should have just shouldered my pack for that portion but it was practice at loading the bike which I haven't done all that much.  I locked my bike on a bike rack and headed down trail with my pack and bike pannier in hand.  Shortly down the trail I ventured off and stashed my pannier behind a rock, marking the location on my phone just in case I forgot the location.  I had 1.7 miles of trail to walk before the road portion started.  Since I had no way to shuttle my bike I would do this section twice.  Luckily it was a nice section of trail passing by two small waterfalls on a steep descent, then following the creek down just past the park gate.  

Belews Creek Power Station in the distance

I didn't look at the time but imagine by the time I made it back up to the trailhead ate some snacks and got my bike loaded back up it was close to 11:00.  I now had 33.6 official bike miles left to camp with some extra thrown in there.  The first 2 miles were fast with just under 1000' of descent with a loaded bike, I'm not sure I was able to maintain the parks speed limit of 25 mph.  My brakes held up and the rest of the day went pretty well with a mix of up and down.  The route takes you through Danburry, NC where I crossed over the Dan River pictured at the top.  From there it's over to Walnut Cove, NC.  Just outside Danburry though sits Priddy's General Store.  I thought at first it was closed but as I was making a turn on the next road my eye caught the open sign.  I turned around and treated myself with a fried apple pie and a can of pepsi, it was well worth the stop.  Even if you find yourself in the area for other reasons you should be sure to stop in for a break.  I continued to Walnut Cove where I would grab some lunch and then from there head along some more heavily traveled roads to Oak Ridge.

Most would probably like to avoid the State routes but I do find that it's more pleasant in terms of fewer dogs.  Anyone that lives on a State route is likely going to keep their dog fenced due to the consequences.  Just before arriving to Oak Ridge, there is a section of trail that has been added.  Unfortunately, there was no bike rack here but I made do with a tree in the woods.  I walked the trail here and then came back to my bike on a secondary trail.  From there I made my way to the town park where a campsite sits nestled against a work shed they have.  My timing was perfect after getting some dinner from town just a few blocks away I set up and settled in to listen to the UNC vs Duke basketball blow-out!

   

Day 27 March 7

Miles: 14.8 (10.7 Bike 🚲, 4.1 Hike )

Weather:  Sunny highs 50's, lows 20's

Camping:  Back home

Well today went nothing like I had planned but you take what the trail has to offer.  I had a great night of sleep in Oak Ridge and developed a better plan for loading my bike.  The most challenging part is packing of my backpack and then positioning of the pack with a strap to hold it firmly in place on the rear rack.  I took advantage of town and started with a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit (a perk of this now urban journey).  As you leave town you pass by some historical markers by the Oak Ridge Military Academy along NC 150 on the way to Summerfield.  There was a little bit of traffic but eventually you turn off 150 and head along farm land.  After crossing I-73 you'll find yourself riding through a fancy suburban area before meeting back up with NC 150 in Summerfield.  NC 150 will run you into US 220 where the MST joins up with the Greensboro greenway system.  Taking the tunnel under 220 leads you onto the Atlantic & Yadkin greenway.  Although nice to be away from any traffic this was a very bumpy and broken up section of greenway.  I crossed Lake Brandt and stopped just before the MST turns into the woods at Bur-Mil park.

This was an unfortunate stop, if I had ridden even 10-15 feet further I would have seen the trail closed signs and just stayed on my bike.  Instead I headed up hill to find a bike rack.  I spent the next 30 mins or so transitioning from bike to backpacking, having a snack and touching base with my wife on the logistics of picking up my bike and later myself.  After all was done I headed down and found the sign for the closure.  Some folks passing by informed me there was possibly a coyote attack and showed me some other trails on a map that were closed.  Based on that information it seemed possible I could continue on the A&Y greenway and pick up another section of the MST if it was open.  Unfortunately, that section was closed as well.  Now I could continue to walk the A&Y greenway and eventually put together some route through neighborhoods to a second trailhead but I still had no idea if that trail would be open.  If I was still on my bike that would have been a very manageable decision to make, being on foot it seemed like a long walk of uncertainty.  I decided to just turn around and head back to my bike.  At this point by the time I made it back my wife was just 5 mins away so I called it a day.

As I've now made it home with some more research I've learned there were in fact about 6 attacks the day before.  Those trails were set to open back up today as I write this (March 16th), however, they have not yet found the animal so I wouldn't be surprised if that was extended.  I will plan to skip this segment for now and come back later.  I'm not so worried about an attacking animal, that's just something you deal with when and if it happens, it's more the rabies shots you would have to deal with after an attack.  

Next up I make my way over to Falls Lake area with 70 miles of backpacking.  The bike to backpack transitions are kind of a pain to deal with logistically.  For that reason, the next segment has a couple of smaller trail sections (2 mi and an 8 mi ) that I will plan to hike at a later time.  For now I will focus on biking alternate routes around these areas and then pick up the longer backpacking section along Falls Lake.  There is also a segment along the Haw River (part of the 8 miles) they recommend not doing if the water gauge is above 3ft.  I checked this gauge out and it's normal flow rate is normally just above 3ft, so i'm not really sure what to think about that.  They do mention they are trying to bridge this crossing as soon as possible.  The halfway point, although ever changing and not really established is coming.  

Total Weekend Miles:  74.3 (Bike 44.3 mi. / Hike 30.0 mi.)

Total MST Miles:  504