Buckeye Creek Trailhead to Wallace Creek Trailhead - The 14 Mile Road Walk
I am a bit of a purist and, for that arrogance, I paid for it with this one. I did the 14 mile road walk in the middle of summer on a very hot day. SB was very kind and helped shuttle me from Wallace Branch, where I parked my car, to Buckeye Creek Trailhead. Before meeting SB, I placed 1/2 liter water bottles at three locations. The Bartram Trail Associations and the guide book does not recommend doing the road walk. For that matter, neither do I, but what is a purist to do? Skip a section? Certainly NOT!
Some additional notes, the road walk listed below is the one provided by the BTA. There are no blazes in this section. You must know the roads. I simply wrote the roads I needed to take down on a note card and put there mileage next to it. The system worked out well. I also drove the exact roads to find places to drop the 1.5 liters of water for this trip.
I enjoyed the road walk for the first 8-9 miles. I actually took some really nice pictures of mountains and cool farm land. However, once it became 12 pm, and without water, the road walk became oppressive.
I also jogged a fair portion of the first 9 miles and my body paid for it. By the last 2 miles, I couldn't jog if I wanted to. I was cramping and had shin splits. A day after the hike, I am still very sore.
I day hiked this section without a pack. That is why the water drops were fundamental (and insufficient, I would find).
Some additional notes, the road walk listed below is the one provided by the BTA. There are no blazes in this section. You must know the roads. I simply wrote the roads I needed to take down on a note card and put there mileage next to it. The system worked out well. I also drove the exact roads to find places to drop the 1.5 liters of water for this trip.
I enjoyed the road walk for the first 8-9 miles. I actually took some really nice pictures of mountains and cool farm land. However, once it became 12 pm, and without water, the road walk became oppressive.
I also jogged a fair portion of the first 9 miles and my body paid for it. By the last 2 miles, I couldn't jog if I wanted to. I was cramping and had shin splits. A day after the hike, I am still very sore.
I day hiked this section without a pack. That is why the water drops were fundamental (and insufficient, I would find).
Saturday, July 19, 2015
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Start Location: Buckeye Creek Trail Head - Parking (56 miles) | 35.083940, -83.343012
End Location: Wallace Branch Trail Head - Parking (70 miles) | 35.18013, -83.43311 Parking Locations: Buckeye Creek Trail Head - Parking (56 miles) | 35.083940, -83.343012 and Wallace Branch Trail Head - Parking (70 miles) | 35.18013, -83.43311. Views: Water Sources: No trustworthy water sources. Go 10 miles until you get to town when you cross Georgia Rd (Hwy 23). Campsites: None BT Distance: 14 miles Hiking Distance: 14.5 miles. |
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SB dropped me off at Buckeye Creek Trailhead (56 miles). Buckeye Creek Road is largely a gravel road. I started hiking shortly after 9:00 AM. There is private property on both sides and a few dilapidated homes. This section is very rural. I had fun being chances by two mean looking dogs and then by a smaller dog. Buckeye Creek road goes down 0.4 miles to Tessentee Road (56.4 miles).
Tessentee Road is a paved road with no shoulders. I jogged and walked against traffic so I could at least see the car that was going to kill me. I followed Tessentee Road for 2.3 miles. There were a lot of views of mountains and beautiful farm land in this section. I enjoyed this portion of the road walk a lot. I was fresh and able to really jog long portions of this 2.7 miles since leaving Buckeye Creek Trailhead. However, the constant stopping to take pictures/video did mess up with my jogging rhythm. It was warm, but not bad. I knew it was going to get a hell of a lot hotter soon. |
After a fairly short time, I made it to the intersection between Tessentee Road and Hickory Knoll Road (58.7 miles). Here take a slight right onto Hickory Knoll Road. I had my first water drop here, which I found exactly where I left it. With me I was carrying my keys, wallet, directions, and snacks in a ziplock bag, which I was carrying in my hand. After drinking the water, I compress the water bottle and put it in my pocket and take off. At this point, I am still feeling really good and enjoying this hike. The farm land with the mountains in the background was beautiful and it hadn't gotten too hot yet. I was having fun.
I continued on Hickory Knoll Road (58.7 miles) for 2.6 miles. There are some really, really pretty views on Hickory Knoll Road. To this point, the road walk had been very scenic. After traveling about 2.6 miles on Hickory Knoll Road, it becomes Clarks Chapel Road (61.3 miles). Continue straight. Do not turn right onto East Hickory Knoll Road. I had my second water drop here. This was one I had frozen from the night before. 95% of the ice was gone, but the water was very cold. I loved it. I had come a total of 5.3 miles of road walks and I was still feeling great. More than a 1/3 of the way done. However, I was starting to sweat a lot more as it started getting hotter. It was about 10:20 am.
From here, I continued on Clarks Chapel road for 2.1 miles. Unfortunately, the views begin to tapper off at this point, and I don't remember a single thing to report in this section. After 2.1 miles, I finally reached the intersection of Clarks Chapel Road and Prentiss Bridge Road (63.4 miles). Here take a left and go over this small bridge over a nice flowing creek. I continued on Prentiss Bridge Road for 0.3 miles and reached the intersection with Wide Horizon Dr (63.7 miles) to your right. I was more than 1/2 way done with the road walk, but I was starting to feel the jogging a little. Calves were a little tight. Shins hurting a little. It was 11 pm and it was damn hot at this point. There is a large commercial farm here. In the morning I saw day laborers working the field. By the time I got there at 11ish pm, they were having lunch. I had left my third and final water drop here. I looked for it, but could not find it. I placed it against the stop sign so it would be easy to find. I guess I made it too easy because someone must have took it. I hope they just properly threw it away.
I continued on Hickory Knoll Road (58.7 miles) for 2.6 miles. There are some really, really pretty views on Hickory Knoll Road. To this point, the road walk had been very scenic. After traveling about 2.6 miles on Hickory Knoll Road, it becomes Clarks Chapel Road (61.3 miles). Continue straight. Do not turn right onto East Hickory Knoll Road. I had my second water drop here. This was one I had frozen from the night before. 95% of the ice was gone, but the water was very cold. I loved it. I had come a total of 5.3 miles of road walks and I was still feeling great. More than a 1/3 of the way done. However, I was starting to sweat a lot more as it started getting hotter. It was about 10:20 am.
From here, I continued on Clarks Chapel road for 2.1 miles. Unfortunately, the views begin to tapper off at this point, and I don't remember a single thing to report in this section. After 2.1 miles, I finally reached the intersection of Clarks Chapel Road and Prentiss Bridge Road (63.4 miles). Here take a left and go over this small bridge over a nice flowing creek. I continued on Prentiss Bridge Road for 0.3 miles and reached the intersection with Wide Horizon Dr (63.7 miles) to your right. I was more than 1/2 way done with the road walk, but I was starting to feel the jogging a little. Calves were a little tight. Shins hurting a little. It was 11 pm and it was damn hot at this point. There is a large commercial farm here. In the morning I saw day laborers working the field. By the time I got there at 11ish pm, they were having lunch. I had left my third and final water drop here. I looked for it, but could not find it. I placed it against the stop sign so it would be easy to find. I guess I made it too easy because someone must have took it. I hope they just properly threw it away.
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It felt like it was getting hotter by the minute. At this point, I adopted a new strategy for the road walk. I would walk in the shade and run in the sun. The sun was oppressive. I was not only getting hit from the sun but also from below in the pavement. Might as well have been in a sauna. During this portion I started to notice a significant dip in the amount of jogging I was doing. I continue on Wide Horizon Road for 3.2 miles until it reaches Georgia Road (Hwy 23), which is a four lane highway. Very carefully, I cross Georgia Road (66.9 miles). I am at the very outskirts of Franklin, NC. I see a Zaxby's but decide to push on. I hadn't had water since Clarks Chapel Road 5.6 miles before. I had done over 10 miles of the road walk. It was close to 11:45 pm and hot. So damn hot I remember.
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Immediately across Wide Horizon Road, on the other side, there is Belden Circle, which I take for 0.4 miles. I take a short break about 0.1 miles before Roller Mill Road. On my left there is a business center with a grass area in the shade with several large rocks. I am hurting at this stage. I am in desperate need for something to drink. My next water resupply (Burger King) was 1.5 miles away. Although I was dying for some water, I needed this break to dry off my socks and a break from the unyielding sun. I took a 15 minute break here.
After this break, my body was starting to get really tight and sore, but I was almost done I kept telling myself. I cross a bridge and take a left onto Roller Mill Road (67.3 miles). This road climbs pretty significantly. Whatever energy I had left was taken by this 0.9 mile climb. I wouldn't even think about jogging for the rest of the trip. My speed slowed down a lot here. I make it up and see a sign for Burger King. I make the 0.25 miles to Burger King and order a large soda. I find they have poweraid and drink 32 ounces fairly quickly. After another 5 minutes, I refill and drunk another 30 ounces. After a short break, I go to bathroom and leave. The break while rehydrating me did a number on my body. I was really right and sore. My calves were burning. My whole body was just sore. But with less than 3 miles to go, I pushed on.
I continued on Roller Mill Road. It passes under a bridge which is Hwy 64. Shortly after the bridge, I take a left on Carolina Dr (68.2 miles) and go 0.2 miles where I turn left on Sloan Road (there is a gas station here). Sloan Road (68.4) goes for 0.2 miles. There is a gas station near the intersection of Carolina Road and Sloan Road. I should have stopped here and saved the 1/2 mile trip to Burger King. Oh well.
Sloan Road dead-ends onto old Murphy Highway. Up and slightly to your left you will find Pressley Road (68.6 miles). Take Pressley Road and go for about a mile where Pressley Road becomes Ray Cove Road and intersects with Wallace Branch Road from your left at 69.5 miles. From here continue onto Ray Cove Road and pass several large farms. Ray Cove Road goes for about 0.7 miles until it dead-ends at Wallace Branch Trailhead where I found my car intact.
We passed a hiker's lodge and Ranger's Station along the way, but I can't remember where the Rangers station was.
The last 2 miles took me close to an hour to finish. I hadn't even tried to job after leaving Georgia Road. I was just hurting at that stage. I am simply to big to run that much. I had hiked the 14.5 miles in 4.5 hours and 4 hours of actual jogging/walking time. Thank god for the shuttle SB provided me. I think I could have made it back to Buckeye Creek Trailhead as an out-and-back hike, but I would have hated life. Thank God I didn't have to find out.
Previous Section: Osage Mountain Overlook to Buckeye Creek Trailhead
Next Section: Wallace Branch Trailhead to Appletree Group Campground.
After this break, my body was starting to get really tight and sore, but I was almost done I kept telling myself. I cross a bridge and take a left onto Roller Mill Road (67.3 miles). This road climbs pretty significantly. Whatever energy I had left was taken by this 0.9 mile climb. I wouldn't even think about jogging for the rest of the trip. My speed slowed down a lot here. I make it up and see a sign for Burger King. I make the 0.25 miles to Burger King and order a large soda. I find they have poweraid and drink 32 ounces fairly quickly. After another 5 minutes, I refill and drunk another 30 ounces. After a short break, I go to bathroom and leave. The break while rehydrating me did a number on my body. I was really right and sore. My calves were burning. My whole body was just sore. But with less than 3 miles to go, I pushed on.
I continued on Roller Mill Road. It passes under a bridge which is Hwy 64. Shortly after the bridge, I take a left on Carolina Dr (68.2 miles) and go 0.2 miles where I turn left on Sloan Road (there is a gas station here). Sloan Road (68.4) goes for 0.2 miles. There is a gas station near the intersection of Carolina Road and Sloan Road. I should have stopped here and saved the 1/2 mile trip to Burger King. Oh well.
Sloan Road dead-ends onto old Murphy Highway. Up and slightly to your left you will find Pressley Road (68.6 miles). Take Pressley Road and go for about a mile where Pressley Road becomes Ray Cove Road and intersects with Wallace Branch Road from your left at 69.5 miles. From here continue onto Ray Cove Road and pass several large farms. Ray Cove Road goes for about 0.7 miles until it dead-ends at Wallace Branch Trailhead where I found my car intact.
We passed a hiker's lodge and Ranger's Station along the way, but I can't remember where the Rangers station was.
The last 2 miles took me close to an hour to finish. I hadn't even tried to job after leaving Georgia Road. I was just hurting at that stage. I am simply to big to run that much. I had hiked the 14.5 miles in 4.5 hours and 4 hours of actual jogging/walking time. Thank god for the shuttle SB provided me. I think I could have made it back to Buckeye Creek Trailhead as an out-and-back hike, but I would have hated life. Thank God I didn't have to find out.
Previous Section: Osage Mountain Overlook to Buckeye Creek Trailhead
Next Section: Wallace Branch Trailhead to Appletree Group Campground.