8 miles of roadwalk back to the northern terminus, 5(?) miles of trail to Lockeegee Rock
We got up around 8 our first morning on the trace, but we wouldn't be continuing on across Holly Fork Road and the suspension bridge over the stream. Anxieties mounted throughout the night and we were afraid of Jack's car getting towed from the Dollar General parking lot, so we decided to turn around, head back to my car at the start, drive back down to Frenchburg to get Jack's car and move it to an official trailhead at mile 47, Clear Creek Lake. Nothing is a given in quarantine or in the world in general so I can't really be that miffed about plans changing.
As I smacked three packets of oatmeal for breakfast I felt grateful that the sky beyond the canopy of branches above was finally breaking into blue after all the gloom and drizzle of yesterday. Sunlight slowly crept up to warm the forest floor and we packed up and hit the road kinda late in the morning at around 10:30, turning right onto Holly Fork, and then soon right again onto US 377, Cranston Rd, where 7 miles ahead my car sat parked at the Northern Terminus Trailhead.
lonely walk on holly fork rd, past grazing cows and goats and even an alpaca and unfettered views of rolling rowan county mountains
barns with quilt artwork graced the roadside
by midmorning the sun was beaming down us and i felt like i was roasting alive from the inside out with every step of pavement i took. this stretch kinda all just blurred together. a couple of people asked how we were doin and some passersby in a car stopped to ask if we wanted a ride but at that point we were only a mile away from baby harold
major hill action along the way (insert gratuitous string of nutting emojis)
We made it back to my car and soon were skrrting south back again to Frenchburg, where we found Jack's car Not Towed and in good health. Clear Creek was the next official trailhead north of Corner Ridge so we drove back up 20 minutes to drop Jack's whip off there and then made our way to a trailhead in downtown Morehead, at mile 25 on the Sheltowee. Thus we skipped a 14 mile section of the trace between Holly Fork and downtown Morehead but this was probably for the best since Morehead State University, through which the trace runs on its way into town, is listed as closed on the trace association website.
We hiked a few more miles and camped on top of Lockegee Rock, which I learned was a Terrible Decision. It was a huge exposed rock with high winds, ceaseless whipporwills calling, and also a gathering spot for late night mischief-makers. I think three separate groups of people came up to get wasted. You're not supposed to camp on top of Big Ass Rocks, even if you think seeing the sun rise and set up there will be worth it, lesson learned.
The view was rly pretty tho! Cave run lake in the distance
