Beyond the Blog - Day 2 (April 29) : The Interminable Climb
My thoughts were dark this morning as I mentally prepared for Day 2, with Cheryl providing support and Matt taking pictures. Becky and Mike returned to Surfside Beach so we were on our own, and my goal was to reach a spot called Talc Mountain off of 19/74.
Leaving directly out of the hotel, I started rucking east, headed towards Andrews. I was running in a valley, alongside a series of creeks and river branches that eventually reach the Nantahala. Oncoming traffic was light so I got to enjoy being where I was. My mood lightened considerably despite the climbing. At one point, I passed a girl walking on the side of the highway, and we nodded. She looked like a nomad, someone who lived their lives walking from place to place. She didn’t look unhappy but it’s hard to imagine living your life like that, especially being a woman. But who knows?
I stopped by a grove of trees, nestled between the highway and the creek. It was a beautiful, calm moment and I was standing in a place surrounded by nature and trucks, a place I would never be again. To be “in the moment” requires a conscious effort, otherwise my mind wanders to more mundane things inside my head rather than outside of my body. I got better at this as time went on, but this early on, I was still preoccupied with avoiding disaster. I also was a little worried about the mountains ahead of me, knowing there would be thousands of feet of climbing ahead and I was just getting started.
I met Cheryl and Matt at a few stops along the way, at mile 5 (Dollar General), mile 8 (ABC Store) and mile 14 (the Hardee’s in Andrews). It was nice to have such a small crew, and four weeks later we would look back to those early days of the Ruck and think it appropriate that we finish with the same crew with whom we began.
We had a problem, however. Rte 19/74 narrowed dangerously a mile or so east of Andrews, becoming a two-lane winding road with no shoulder to run on. At about mile 19, I had to give up on this road and we decided to hop forward to Nantahala, looking for a trail or some more runner-friendly route.
We lucked out and discovered the Ferebee Memorial Picnic Area right on the Nantahala, and it turned out to be a little piece of paradise. The river was freezing cold and a perfect answer to my abused feet. Cheryl brought a tuna sub from Subway (the first of about 25…) and we had a wonderful break together, enjoying the sun, the sounds of the river and laugher of the rafters going by. I wish I could have frozen that moment in time.
I still had 5+ miles to go for the day. We found an access road that wound up the mountain called “National Forest Road”, but I don’t think at the time we realized the area is known as “Winding Stairs”. That should have set off an alarm, but on the other hand, it was such a beautiful climb and we had the woods to ourselves. The access road wound back and forth, propelling us higher into the Nantahala and the lake we saw on the map. Matt and Cheryl drove ahead and then came back down a mile to meet me. I was exhausted but so happy to have this time alone with Cheryl. I knew it would end the next day.
We reached Queens Creek Lake and hiked the perimeter. It was obviously a very private place and the “no trespassing” signs would be a harbinger for things to come. North Carolina is such a beautiful place but nobody wants to share outside of state and national parks. It’s a pity.
In any case, the mountain-top lake had lots of pretty glades and springs and we met a few friendly folks, but they weren’t the hobbits I was hoping for. Cheryl and Matt returned to the cars and drove down another mile and a half, the distance I needed to complete my 25 miles for the day (it was actually a little more, but my Garmin died. This too, would be a recurring theme).
We returned to the trailhead and I begged them to let me jump in the creek, which was startlingly cold and incredibly bracing….just what I needed at that point in time, in fact.
Matt returned to the hotel and Cheryl and I had a chance to have a little dinner all to ourselves in Murphy. The Valley River Brewery and Pizzeria was just the spot for us, as sweaty and odiferous as we were. We returned to the hotel in Murphy completely exhausted, and the next day I would feel how badly this climb affected my legs. But for the time being, all was good.
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