MSM Day 3

This was definitely my favorite day so far. We started the day on old US 70, which has been closed off to traffic for what looks like at least 20 years. No cars, no buildings, just us and nature. 4 miles of remembering why I love the NC mountains and hiking! And not only was it beautiful, it was a gentle downhill slope the entire way. Fabulous. We didn't see any wildlife, only heard a few birds and something larger crashing through the bushes. The hillsides are still pretty barren, although the laurels are just about to burst into color.

To see pictures of today's hike, click on the flickr badge on the right side of the page.

The road ended at the Pisgah National Forest "Old Fort" picnic area where we met up with the support van. From there, we walked into the town of Old Fort. Unable to resist, we stopped in for a quick break at a local coffee/art house, and ended up spending quite a while there. Good coffee, interesting local art and crafts, and very interesting people. There's a possibility we'll be in their local rag next week - we were talking with someone with connections to the paper and an interest in publicity.

It's always fun to watch people's faces when they ask how far we're hiking, and the answer is "to Wilmington". Everyone is interested in the story and seems to be captivated by the idea of walking across the state. We often hand out pedometers and give the website URL out, and I believe the folks we talk with will participate. Yay!

Not only am I enjoying myself of this portion of the walk, I'm developing a greater respect for and understanding of the work that the company is doing toward cultivating healthy lifestyles and choices. Conversations on the road are giving me a glimpse into the motivations and passions that drive our policy, and I find that I 100% agree with and support those motivations. What a good feeling!

During the final mile of the day, the rain that's been predicted since Monday finally hit. The worst part of the rain may be the splashing as the cars go past. Ick. We start at 8 AM on day 4, hoping that the next wave of thunderstorms will hold off until the afternoon.