The Tuscarora Trail: Expect the Unexpected

Just a girl and her dog on the Tuscarora Trail

It's been eleven days on since my father delivered Amos and I to the southern terminus of the 250- mile Tuscarora Trail. Since then, I've been stung by yellow jackets a dozen times, scraped off hundreds of ticks, traversed more dry creek beds than I care to count, hauled 14 pounds of water daily, met one local deputy, showered twice, and counted my many blessings.

This trail has been no walk in the park, not that I expected it be. No trail worth its merit ever is. But I do, after hiking thousands of miles, begin a new hike with a certain confidence. An expectation that I've experienced a lot on the trail and have a good idea of what challenges may lie ahead. However, there was a while here that I wondered if this trail might just chew me up and spit me out.

Within the first two hours I accidentally stirred up a yellow jacket ground nest that sent me flailing and shrieking down the trail, Amos following close behind. I did not outrun them, rather trailed them along for a half mile. They were in my shirt, up my shorts, behind my backpack. Amos escaped unscathed. That evening I was met with a bone-dry creek and allowing Amos to drink all he wished of our reserves, found myself rationing to the point of dehydration. Given my state, I'd liken the second's day's climb up our first big mountain to that of my climb up the much more massive AT Approach Trail along Amicalola Falls. I felt like a total newb.

It went something like this: hike 50 feet, collapse and topple over from the weight of my pack, hike 50 more feet, collapse and brace myself on a tree, hike 50 feet, collapse and let Amos drag me another couple. Water is all important folks. Thankfully I had acquired water at a canoe company by the river but was still playing catch up and loaded up with seven liters, the weight was immense. Little had I known how severe Northern Virginia's drought was until I faced dry spring after dry creek, not to mention the ungodly low Shenandoah River which reached only up to its first tic mark on its depth measurement. 

I also hadn't a clue that lone star ticks had made their way this far north. Scott and I have encountered these in Florida once the weather reached above eighty degrees. However, never, and I mean never, had I found them through the southern mountains. I was no sooner nursing to my yellow jacket stings, several of which had expanded into scarlet circles five inches in diameter, than I discovered an army of nymph ticks spreading out across my body. From what I understand, nymph lone star ticks do not transmit disease, but each li'l bite, of which there were countless, does confer an itchy red dot. And so the trail had wounded me in yet one more unforeseen way. My body looks like it's been through a battle.

Amos would later suffer his own wounds. I had done my best to consider how to keep him cool during the hot days (temps in high eighties) by using a cooling vest. This is essentially like a wet suit - drench the vest, wring it out, and zip it around his torso. However, this vest coupled with the rubbing of his harness resulted in swollen nipples and an irritated oozy armpit. One evening, a half mile from camp, he simply sat down and refused to budge. It wasn't until I saw what had happened and removed his gear, using now only a collar, that he resumed our course. I felt terrible, but I'm sure he felt worse. 

Amidst all this there was also a ten-mile road walk reroute on Route 11 and a visit from local law enforcement when Amos and I threw in the towel and set up camp at a church that I hoped would look kindly on us. Thankfully the law enforcement was kind as could be and when they heard our plight, allowed us to remain the night. 

One of our first views from a high mountain perch

And so, despite all these struggles, there have been so many unexpected gestures of kindness, so many moments of brilliant in-your-face beauty and subtle splendor, so many moments when I thought we were goners and we were saved by a running creek, a campsite, a dear friend. And so now that I've addressed the lows, I want to address all the good that we have been graced with on this trail.

Firstly, to have the joy of my father, at age 77 still delivering me to the trailhead and still rooting me on. He's got a trip to Saskatchewan coming up in a couple weeks for an elk and wild boar hunt but that didn't stop him from cruising five hours south with me and seeing me off!

House the Cat and Bot at the start of the Tuscarora Trail

Nextly, the kind locals that line this trail. I love where I live, but goodness, the generosity and welcoming nature of the south makes northeasterners look like a bunch of suspicious scowlers (myself sometimes included). The people of Tom's Brook were so welcoming to this sweaty hiker and nervous pup (Amos really doesn't like towns. . . of any size) Niki in the post office tended to me on her lunch break, let me drop my gear there to walk around town, and fill my seven liters of water, that is after Emily had personally texted me to let me know my maildrop had arrived. Then there were the friendly locals in the gas station and Dollar General who welcomed Amos, made small talk and wished me well. Residents and business owners along the road offered cold bottles of water. There was father and son Stacey and Jeff, in particular, who went the distance for Amos. And of course, let's not forget the kindly deputy who apologized for disturbing my night. I may have been physically hurting, but a big-hearted thank you to all of you for your empathy and support. You've got a special town. 

And thank you to the kind folks I have met elsewhere along this trail: Crystal of Gore Grocery, the folks at Down River Canoe Company, the owners of the Motel 6 in Front Royal. Your kindness makes the world better. Kindness perpetuates kindness.

Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)

There has been the beauty along this trail, from the enormous trees, so big I couldn't begin to wrap my arms around them. Several stood beside the flowing waters of Pond Run where I literally sat and laughed aloud in glee at the cool sparkling water, throwing it all over my body, Amos lapping it up heartily and I filling my water bottles. There have been leaf-lined paths, one moment red with tupelo leaves and the next golden with those of black birch. There have been the vistas - so many views from which I almost felt my body take flight with the birds overhead, out over the layers of blue mountains in the distance.

Yet another vista

Leafy trail - it feels like autumn has already landed here

There have been the long missed, familiar plants of southern Appalachia: wild yam, pedicularis, wild hydrangea, and blooms that harken of spring like Canada violet. I discovered plants wholly new to me such as fragrant and flavorful Shiso, hyssop-leaf thoroughwort, yellow crownbeard, field goldenrod, and refreshing stone mint. 

Canada Violet (Viola canadense)

Shiso, aka Beefsteak Plant (Perilla frutescens)

Field Goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis)

Hyssop-leafThoroughwort (Eupatorium hyssopifolium)

I have quenched my thirst with the juicy fruits of autumn olive, crushed leaves and nibbled berries of fragrant spicebush, and chewed the twigs of black birch to quell my pains. Screech owls and whippoorwills join me most evenings at camp, and does with their fawns periodically bound across my path. Tiny turtles have offered up their presence, reminding me that their footsteps are a whole lot smaller than mine, and Carolina wrens have come to say hello from their perches on slender branches on towering ridgelines. 

Delicious autumn olive fruits (Elaeagnus umbellatum)

Turtle - anyone know what kind?

These moments of unexpected beauty, the grace of nature and reminder that I, too, am a part of this world and not just that of man is my drive to continue hiking this trail and surely more in the future.

With Star Left and Amos

But this particular human I wanted to save for last to close out this entry. Star Left - I know those of you who have been reading my blog for some years or those who read my most recent book, Love and the Long Path, know of Star Left. As I mentioned in my last post, I met Star Left while thru-hiking the Finger Lakes Trail and we have stayed in touch ever since. She came out to join and assist us on the Long Path and also dropped in with some trail magic on the Florida Trail. She also recently attended my Plant and Place Connection Series. This dear friend came to my rescue this past weekend. As I mentioned she's been sectioning the Great Eastern Trail, and it just so happens that her sections are lining up pretty well with my path on the Tuscarora Trail. So, she drove my car down this weekend to knock off some miles and bring some much-needed assistance to Amos and I. There isn't room enough in this post to list the ways that she brought both aid and joy to our miles these last few days. She slackpacked me, hung out with Amos on a day that was too hot for him to hike, found us an awesome place to camp for two nights at Hawk Campground (highly recommend - few amenities but quiet, clean, and free), dropped me water caches, helped me in planning miles, and delivered me my supplies for the upcoming week. We hiked part of Saturday together and then spent two nights camped together with lots of laughter and pizza from nearby Kerrs Grocery. 

And now she's delivered me to another dear friend, Krista who has a house right beside the Tuscarora. Krista and I have been friends since college but haven't seen each other in over a decade. That mattered not. When I reached out, she offered up her sanctuary as respite from the heat. Temps down here are presently nearing 100 degrees, which is seriously unpleasant for me but way too hot for Amos.

So, just to be clear, I may solo hike much of the time, but I am by no means a solo hiker. A long hike takes a village. And I wouldn't want it any other way. For this support, too, is unexpected and such a gift to receive. Goes to show that the unexpected can come in many forms. 

Hopefully I can get another post out soon - service has been slim but seems to be improving! Thank you all for following along on my journey!