Jim's NC to PA Hike - Part 4

Here is the journal of Jim's next five days:

     

Sat., Mar. 12 -  Jim's voice:   I have enjoyed walking quiet country roads for the past several days.  The great variety of tree species in this area fascinates me.  There are several types of pines, neither of them the eastern white pines that we are familiar with in NH. Cedar trees are quite common especially along the roadsides. Major hardwoods include several oaks and the gum tree.  Gum trees drop seed balls, aka gum balls, and hundreds of these littered the roadside with each step I took as I passed.  These balls are very prickly, so sitting down on the ground as I do several times each day requires that I remove any gum balls from my perch.  And walking on them is to be avoided for it resembles walking on golf balls with stingers instead of dimples.  Today I was once again  dodging traffic on a busy highway.  After 90 minutes I came to US 1, the same road I hiked many miles on in Florida.  Locally here it is known as Jefferson Davis Highway.  When I reached it at mid morning the surrounding countryside was a mixture of woods and open fields with occasional buildings scattered around.  As I walked north on this road it became more commercial the closer I came to Fredericksburg.  I knew today was going to be a good one when I found a coin on the road - in fact I found two, both nickels.  Superstitiously I have come to believe that retrieving someone's lost coin will bring me good luck.  Every day I stop several times to apply powder and Vaseline to the blister-prone areas of my feet.  Today when I did that I noticed a new small blister.  I took the time to apply a blister bandage and tape that on in hopes the additional cushioning would keep the blister from getting any larger.  By 1pm I was hungry for lunch and Jane met me at the roadside Taco Bell that she had previously alerted me was there.  I dodged traffic at many intersections and had to cross the highway - a risky venture at best.  After eating and resting for nearly an hour I resumed my travels for another two miles and Jane met me at that point.  We found a local grocery store in order to buy some wine for our next hosts, Paul & Louise.  We arrived at their house just after 3pm and found them to be gracious hosts who are providing a great dinner tonight, breakfast tomorrow and lodging.  After showering and chatting for a while, Jane and I went off to church nearby.  It is an interesting story about how we found Paul & Louise.  We had a claim on our homeowners insurance a couple of years ago and the claim adjuster, Bill, was such a delightful person that we developed a friendship and he asked to be added to the hike journal.  When the initial journal asking for lodging went out in February, Bill immediately responded that he had family in Fredericksburg.  He asked them and they said yes - another amazing connection!  When we returned from church, Paul &. Louise had set out an amazing array of appetizers and we were both quite hungry so this was perfect.  We later had a lovely dinner and more wonderful conversation.   Unfortunately we neglected to take a picture of Paul & Louise - so sorry about that.

Miles Today - 15..... Total Cumulative Miles - 221

Sun., Mar. 13 - Jane's voice:   After a French toast breakfast with P&L, Jim returned to Route 1, where for the next 5 miles he walked through the outskirts of Fredericksburg.  The main part of town was about a mile east of here and just before leaving the city he passed near the campus of Mary Washington University.  MWU is a state university established for women in 1908.  At that time Virginia needed a women's university because the University of Virginia was for men only. Today both are coeducational.  It was named for Mary Washington, mother of President George Washington and a long-time resident of Fredericksburg.  Soon after this Jim crossed a large bridge over the Rappahannock River.  Shortly after that he left Route 1 for the last time on this trip.  Now he was walking north on another major highway, US-17, that he will follow for several days.  

Meanwhile, I drove into historic Fredericksburg, parked the car and began walking.  I was fascinated by all of the churches and their architecture, especially St. George Episcopal Church.  I went to the Visitors Center and chatted with a lovely woman there about this great historic city, known for its Civil War battles.  There are actually separate cemeteries for the Union and Confederate soldiers that died in Fredericksburg - many thousands of men.  There were more combatants in the Battle of Fredericksburg that any other battle in the Civil War - 200,000!

Jim had requested a 12:30 pickup for lunch back in the city and I managed to find just the place for us - Sedona Tap House.  We were astonished that this place carried 500 craft brews.  Jim was satisfied with one beer and we enjoyed a lovely relaxed meal together.  Jim decided to make today a short mileage day in hopes that the new blister will not grow larger.  We drove to our next hotel where we will stay for two nights.

Miles Today - 12..... Total Cumulative Miles - 233

 

Mon., Mar. 14 -  Jim's voice:   I started out in a damp 48⁰ day - not raining but dampness was definitely in the air.  As I left the car I noticed that we could see our breath as we were saying goodbye for the day.  Bundled up with multiple layers of jackets and gloves I trod off.  Most of today's hike was uneventful, even boring, but my biggest challenge was staying on my feet when those huge semi trucks barreled past me just a few feet away.  At times they were like convoys, six or more in a row throwing a wave of air at me at 60mph.  I took few breaks today except for a 15 minute stop on a piece of grass to eat my Subway sandwich and banana lunch.  I did find another couple of coins today - a dime and a quarter.  I passed through a small town named Goldvein.  A roadside marker told me that this town in the late 1800's was the site of ten gold mines.  Who knew they used to mine gold in eastern Virginia!  I was feeling good today so chose to do some extra miles to make up for yesterday's short day.  When Jane and I talked at 3pm I asked her to pick me up an hour later.  As we were talking I noticed a treasure trove of coins at my feet - about 20 pennies.  I left them there for someone else to discover.  I reached my target town of Bealeton at 4pm and Jane arrived a few minutes later.  My feet were sore and I was really tired but so glad to see my chauffeur on schedule.

After a much needed shower and a bit of rest, we went to my new favorite place to eat - Golden Corral - an all-you-can-eat buffet for the amazing price of $10.99 - tough to beat - and we can't figure out how they make any money!  

Jane's voice:  I just wanted to say that I also had a productive day today in a different way.  I brought a long overdue project with me and finally worked on it today.  A friend had given me a granny square afghan that her late mother had made many years ago.  There were many holes in it and my friend didn't want them to get any bigger as she used it.  I spread it out on the bed and went to work.  I never knew my friend's mom, but I couldn't help thinking as I stitched, about the love of a mother that went into this afghan.  My friend will be very happy when I return the repaired afghan to her when we return to NH after Easter.

Miles Today - 19..... Total Cumulative Miles - 252

Tues., Mar. 15 - Jim's voice:    We had to drive 45 minutes to return to Bealeton, where I finished yesterday.  Before starting I visited the local Subway to buy a sandwich for later on - Jane insisted on a picture!   This morning's forecast was for rain ending early and sure enough, by the time I started up the road it looked like the rain was over.  The first 6 miles out of Bealeton were a miserable trudge against a nearly steady stream of traffic, much of it trucks and most of those were dump trucks.  These wide, outrageously noisy vehicles would typically pass me at 55 mph spewing their noxious fumes as they went by.  I couldn't wait to get off this road but it took me 2 hours to do so.  Most of the rest of the day I was on pleasant country roads passing a variety of farms - some clearly growing crops, others raising horses or cattle. Several times I saw large grain storage silos from miles away.  For the past two weeks I have been surprised by how little roadkill I have seen, in particular how few deer carcasses I observed along the road.  Today that changed.  I am now clearly in deer country - I passed at least a half dozen deer that never made it to the other side of the road.  Late in the morning it started to drizzle on this hiker that had left his rain jacket packed in his suitcase this morning - oh oh!!  This is the first rain that has fallen on me on this hike, now 16 days old.  WOW, have I been lucky!  I donned my rain-resistant jacket and rain pants and covered my backpack with its rain cover.  The drizzle persisted for only half an hour or so, enough to make me wet but not soaked through my outer clothing.  By 1pm I was ready to eat that Subway sandwich but needed to find a location sheltered from the precipitation.  It was my lucky day - I found a porch at the local Episcopal church with no one around.  The overhang kept me dry as I sat on the steps eating lunch.  The rest of the afternoon's hike was uneventful and pretty monotonous.  By late afternoon I noticed that my feet were hitting the pavement unnaturally hard, as though my sandals had lost their normal cushioning.  I suppose this should have come as no surprise as this pair of footwear had at least 150 miles on them before this hike and another 250 in the last several weeks.  Not coincidentally my left lower shin began to hurt, reinforcing my impression that this pair was kaput!  Jane met me at the agreed upon location and time - day over.  We then drove to our next hosts - college classmate Gene and wife Elizabeth in Aldie, VA.  Gene & Elizabeth live on a 300 acre farm with over 80 head of cattle and a super friendly Australian sheep dog named Merlin.   We are staying in their guest cottage and are very comfortable here.  We had a lovely evening chatting and eating and playing with Merlin.

Miles Today - 15.5..... Total Cumulative Miles - 267.5

Wed., Mar. 16 - Jane's voice:   The first 3 miles of today's hike were on a gravel road that Jim had identified as a shortcut over to the James Madison Highway, which he will follow on the next several days.  Unfortunately once again, Jim was hiking on a busy highway, but today he was lucky to have sidewalks, then large paved shoulders, then miles of paved bike ways to separate him from the traffic.  We talked several times during the day and each time Jim reiterated what a wonderful day he was having - a perfect hike day!  His new sandals felt great and he had a lot more energy than yesterday.  With a wind at his back and comfortable temperatures, this was a day to remember - perhaps the best so far on this hike.  He asked me to delay picking him up until 3:30 so he could walk a few extra miles.  As it turned out I pulled into the next driveway after passing him and we later learned from our hosts that this was the estate (called Oak Hill) of James Monroe, our 5th president. 

I spent the day in the next town over, Middleburg.   It had been described to me as a great walking-around town and that it was.  There were multiple shops to peruse and a wonderful lunch spot - Red Fox Inn & Tavern, which is a historic fieldstone inn built in 1728.   I did some research at the local library and Middleburg was where JFK and Jackie lived in the only home they ever built together.  This is famous horse country and Jackie rode here quite often.  It was also where she retreated to after JFK's death - her peaceful spot.

When we returned to our hosts' house, Gene gave us a guided tour of his 300 acre farm - we did this on his Kawasaki  four wheeler - what a thrill!   We saw many of his cattle up close and personal.  It was an exhilarating four mile ride over the very hilly terrain of this Piedmont region estate.

Miles Today - 17.5..... Total Cumulative Miles - 285

Pictures:

1 - Jim approaching a hill to climb toward Taco Bell, where I was waiting for him

2 - Our friend's afghan that I repaired

3 - Jim with his Subway sandwich for a later lunch stop (March 15)

4 - Jim pointing out hundreds of gum balls at the foot of a few trees at our pickup spot on 3/16

5 - Gene, Elizabeth & Merlin

6 - Snickersville Turnpike - couldn't resist

picture since Snickers candy bars are Jim's favorite

Jim's NC to PA Hike - Part 3

Here is the journal of Jim's next four days:

     

Tues., Mar. 8 -  Jim's voice:   Our Williamsburg hosts, Clay & Pinky McEldowney, returned home yesterday afternoon after a long weekend away.  We enjoyed a great evening with them.  Early this morning we drove two cars 45 minutes to the end point of yesterday's hike.  We left Clay's car there for a later pickup and the happy hikers set off.  We spent the day hiking northwest on the Virginia Capital Trail engaged in conversation and admiring the splendid construction of the trails and wooden bridges.  Countless flowers, trees and bushes were planted along the path to enhance the scenery.  By 12:30 we were getting hungry and happened to spot a small cafe that was under renovation, so not open yet.  There were padded benches outside under a roof that provided welcome shade from the sun on this very warm day.  We enjoyed sandwiches that we had packed before leaving.  After a 20 minute break we were back on the trail again and cruised along for another couple of hours.   Along the trail signposts indicate points of interest ahead and mileage to them.  These told me that Dorey Park - a large county recreational area - would be the ideal location for Jane to meet us.  We arrived there mid afternoon and Jane showed up promptly a few minutes later.  Clay and I were happy to call it a successful day on this very warm afternoon, having walked over 15 miles together.  We then drove Clay back to his car, said our goodbyes and headed off to Richmond.   We arrived at our next hosts in Richmond, Bob & Martha Camire.  Bob is a high school classmate of ours and we had a delightful evening talking about the old days, current lives and family.   Bob plans to hike with Jim tomorrow - another day of companionship.

Miles Today - 15.5..... Total Cumulative Miles - 150.5

Wed., Mar. 9 - Jane's voice:   The three of us drove back to Dorey Park and Bob and Jim set off shortly after 8am, an early start in deference to the high temps forecast today.  By 11am they had reached the end of the Virginia Capital Trail in downtown Richmond.  Then they hiked along the waterfront. Jim was impressed by the huge metal floodgates that protected the adjacent low-lying section of the city from the river.They spent the next couple of hours walking through the city, including the campus of VA Commonwealth University, and then met Martha and me for a late lunch at a busy open air restaurant - a treat for all.  After a delightful lunch that refreshed the tired hikers on this very warm day, they set off to do a few more miles.  In fact, they did another 6 miles before calling it a day at mid afternoon.  Jim especially enjoyed walking along Monument Avenue, lined with stately houses and luxuriously landscaped yards.   I got lucky today since Martha had a medical appointment very near their end point, so she picked them up.  After much needed showers for both guys we relaxed for a while and then went out for a great dinner at yet another open air restaurant. 

Miles Today - 18.5..... Total Cumulative Miles - 169

Thurs., Mar. 10 -  Jim's voice:   Bob offered to drop me off this morning and Jane readily agreed!  It was a 20 minute drive on this rapidly warming day.  The first several miles I walked along some major highways and crossed entrances to the interstate.  It wasn't until several hours later that my roadway narrowed from a 4 lane divided highway down to a 2 lane road.  By this time the commercial strip had been replaced by fine residential developments and later agricultural  fields.  The predicted temperature high of 80⁰ was correct, but a pretty consistent breeze made it feel somewhat more comfortable.  I stopped at noon to buy a Diet Coke to drink with my sandwich that Jane had made before I left this morning.  The small store had picnic tables out front - how convenient.  Although only a 15 minute break, I felt somewhat refreshed when I continued up the road.  I passed a huge ranch with several hundred head of cattle visible from the road.  But there were two close to me - one a small heifer just inside the fence and a large cow, most likely the mother standing guard about 50 feet away.  She eyed me closely as I passed her baby.   Most of today I was on busy Route 33, but finally was able to turn off onto  a quieter country road.  Here the terrain became quite hilly with a series of ups and downs that lent some variety to today's walk.  

Meanwhile Jane chose to spend her day at a shopping area that our hostess had recommended to her - Short Pump Town Center - sure is a strange name, but I assume there is a reason for it.  She described it to me as a perfect place to spend a few hours.  Like many of the shopping areas here it is an outdoor mall.  She was able to walk and walk, checking out what was there.  She said there were many areas to sit either in the sun or shade, including small couches, rocking chairs, etc.  After walking the entire area a couple of times, she decided that a rocking chair under a pavilion had her name on it!   She was even able to get a wireless connection there and caught up on emails, checked my route maps and then did some reading before having a nice lunch.

We talked when Jane got to Short Pump and I estimated a 3pm pickup.  When I called her at 2pm to revise that pickup to be earlier, her phone went to voice mail.  I assumed (correctly) that she was at lunch and had her phone on silent.  When she didn't return the call I texted her to request a 2:45 pickup.  When she arrived I was approaching the Ebenezer Baptist Church and she pulled into that parking lot.  I was happy to see her and pleased to have completed another long day without blister issues, despite today's heat.  At this point I am almost a half day ahead of schedule which may permit me to take a zero miles day when rain is forecast for Sunday and Monday.   We then drove to our next location - a Comfort Inn in Montpelier, VA.

Miles Today - 19..... Total Cumulative Miles - 188

Fri., Mar. 11 - Jane's voice:   After a hotel breakfast we drove back to Ebenezer Baptist Church and Jim set off around 9:15.  Less than a mile later, Jim walked past another Baptist church.  He decided to keep count of how many churches he would pass today on a route consisting entirely of relatively small back country roads.  By the end of the day he had counted 5 - all Baptist churches.  His favorite (of course) was St. James!   Jim did express some concern this morning that his feet might not do well today - they felt a little "funny".  This meant that I  was "on call", meaning don't go anyplace interesting or time consuming, because I might have to make an emergency pickup.  As it turned out, this was not the case.

With each passing day Jim observes additional signs of spring.  Today the most impressionable one was his first sighting of blooming forsythia.  He also passed a number of active logging operations, as well as other recent timber cuts.  The woods around here are growing but it seems also they are being seriously harvested.  He talked briefly with a logging truck driver who was waiting for his turn as another logger was being loaded with a giant tree claw.  At one point Jim thought he was in trouble as the route he had been on for many miles unexpectedly terminated at a junction with two other routes.  However after walking on for another quarter mile he found the route sign he was seeking and continued on.  The only historic plaque he came across was one for the birthplace of William Clark, who was born nearby in 1777.  Yes, this is the William Clark of the Lewis & Clark expedition.  Near the end of today's hike, Jim passed through two "towns" several miles apart that he believes are mere figments of someone's imagination, even though they were indicated on his Google maps.  

We rendezvoused as discussed earlier at a few minutes before 3pm after Jim had walked 18 miles in well under 6 hours.  Jim today passed the 200 mile mark and is halfway to the finish line! 

Miles Today - 18..... Total Cumulative Miles -206

 

Pictures:

1 - Jim and college classmate, Clay as they started out

2 - Jim walking along one of the longer trail bridges

3 - Jim admiring the trail side daffodils

4 - Maggie the Camires' cat as she sat on the chair where I usually read

5 - Jim and high school classmate, Bob as they started out

6 - The Gregoires and Camires enjoying lunch in RIchmond

 

 

Jim's NC to PA Hike - Part 2

Here is the journal of Jim's next four days:

     

Fri., Mar. 4 -  Jim's voice:   Heavy rain overnight had nearly stopped when we left the hotel at 8:30 for a hearty breakfast at a nearby restaurant.  Though the rain stopped it was still a bone-chilling 37⁰ with a strong wind.  After breakfast we drove both cars to our next hotel in Smithfield, conveniently located right on the route that David and I will walk today.  David left his car at the hotel and we took off in our car to drive to yesterday's pickup spot to start the hike day.  David and I set off at a relatively late 10:45 with too many layers of clothing to count on our bodies.  I was so heavily dressed that I could have been climbing Mt. Washington - OK, a bit of exaggeration!  Somewhat surprising, we actually stayed warm and over the next 5 miles I was able to remove my heavy gloves and unzip several of my jackets. In the first mile we went over a bridge over the wide Pagan River.   We then went through a pretty residential neighborhood and continued another five miles on a rural road - no shoulder but little traffic.  Soon after leaving that road the local fire department vehicles roared past us, fire trucks and ambulances, with numerous flashing lights and sirens blaring.   This was just before we walked past the fire station, where we saw additional firemen responding to the emergency.  We later learned that a vehicle had gone off the road and overturned on the very road we had just walked, perhaps only minutes after we passed that location.  At this point we were entering the small town of Chuckatuck and we spotted a little cafe - "Jeff's Sir-Cakes-A-Lot Bakery and Cafe" (picture attached).  When we went in we saw that they offered soups and sandwiches, perfect for these hungry hikers.  On this chilly day their french onion soup was the ideal midday choice.  The staff was sociable and we enjoyed great conversation while eating lunch.  On the way out, they gave us each a humongous chocolate chip cookie that must have weighed two pounds!  After lunch we continued on the highway which for much of the way became a divided road with a reasonable shoulder for us hikers.  Most of the time the shoulder was too narrow for us to walk side by side, but at other times we could, enjoying our conversations on topics ranging far and wide.  How pleasant it was to have a hiking companion to talk to.  We arrived in the vicinity of the hotel where Jane had earlier checked in.  I called her and said we had a few more miles to do.  Forty-five minutes later she drove the 2.5 miles to pick us up - another successful day, EXCEPT upon getting to the hotel I discovered my pinkie toe was heavily blistered.  I will have to wrap it well in hopes of finishing the remaining 19 miles to Williamsburg tomorrow.

Miles Today - 17.5..... Total Cumulative Miles - 89

Sat., Mar. 5 - Jane's voice:  We started the day by driving both cars over 20 miles to leave David's car at the Scotland-Jamestown Ferry terminal.  We then drove back to yesterday's pickup spot and by 9:15 Jim & David were once again walking north.  Shortly after leaving the bridge over a picturesque wetlands area, Jim noticed a paved road parallel to the traffic-heavy VA-10 they were walking on.  Seeking a quieter and safer route they walked through about 100 feet of woods to reach the other road.  They found themselves at the very end of what probably was the old Route 10.  For about 3 miles they walked this quiet road seeing few cars and NO trucks - YEA!   All good things must come to an end and after close to an hour they were back on the main highway.  Although traffic was heavy and the shoulder virtually non-existent, the views were pleasant - largely farmland interspersed with residences.  A sign bearing the message "Meat Packing Plants" showed us the direction to where your Smithfield Ham originates.  Both of the hikers enjoyed many plaques along the historic Colonial Trail. David took pictures of every one and a couple are attached, as well as a picture of an abandoned building and vehicle that they thought was interesting.

The weather forecast had told them to expect a high temp of at least 50⁰ but unfortunately the morning cloud cover persisted as well as an occasional stiff breeze and the temp never got out of the mid 40's.  Jim took his long pants off - he did have hiking shorts underneath - and within an hour he had to put them back on again.  It was another chilly day's walk, but Jim finds it far easier to deal with that than with temps above 75⁰.  At 1pm they were hungry and were fortunate enough to come across a small convenience store.  Entering, they enjoyed the warmth and the aromas of cheeseburgers and other "delicacies" of the road.  They each wolfed down a cheeseburger and were back on the road in less than 15 minutes, feeling refreshed and energized.  One mile later they were able to leave the busy highway behind to start the last 8 miles of today's walk on idyllic country roads - narrow but with little traffic.  They passed several cemeteries and actually walked into one to read the headstones.  Along this stretch they were "greeted" by several unleashed barking dogs but they turned out to be quite friendly.  Jim called around 2:30 to tell me when they expected to arrive at the ferry terminal in Surry, VA.  I left Smithfield and headed there, passing them on the way with a toot of my horn and a wave.  After I parked the car I walked toward them so I could hike the end of today's route with them.  Jim said he was pleased to finish today's long hike with no further pain from his blistered toe - apparently he wrapped it well this morning!

We drove both cars into the line of traffic for the ferry over to Williamsburg, just missing the 3:30 ferry but we were the 2nd and 3rd cars on the 3:55 trip - believe it or not this is a FREE ride!  While waiting in line the seagulls were frantically flying around hoping someone would get out of their car with food for them.  I don't believe I have ever seen seagulls so crazed!   The picture is actually one that David captured of a gull on the top of our car!  After a short ferry ride, we drove to our friends' house in Williamsburg, where we stayed last Sunday prior to Day 1 of the hike.  Jim and I will be here for three nights.  They are again not home but will return on Monday and we will still be here, so we'll get to see them.  Jim, David and I later had a great meal in Colonial Williamsburg. 

Miles Today - 19.... Total Cumulative Miles - 108

 

Sun., Mar. 6 -  Jim's voice:  We all left the house at 8:45 this morning, Jane and I to go to church and David to head home to NJ.  We enjoyed mass in this HUGE new church in the round, with hundreds of locals in attendance - very obviously a thriving parish.  After a little grocery shopping we returned to our home away from home for a few hours, since I had earlier scheduled today as a potential rest day.  We were then thrilled to have a FaceTime call with Jim, Jr., Jen and one-year-old Addie in Los Angeles - perfect timing.  It is such a joy to see Addie smile and wave when she sees our faces on the screen.  

Even though today was a rest day, I was anxious to walk off a few more miles, so we drove back to the ferry in the early afternoon and I headed toward Richmond on the Virginia Capital Trail.  This is a 50 mile paved path heavily used by cyclists and hikers that follows Route 5.  I enjoyed a delightful walk along this converted rail trail. I particularly appreciated the fact that the adjacent Route 5, typically 10-20 feet away from the trail, had no truck traffic, so noise was minimal.  I saw many cyclists including a number of families with young children - how good to see this.  The kids were smiling and having a great time.  At the 7th mile the trail crossed over the Chickahominy River.  The bridge included a separated pedestrian walkway - so civilized!  I called Jane when I was on the bridge and requested a 4:50 pickup and she arrived at 4:49 - not bad!

Miles Today - 9.... Total Cumulative Miles - 117

Mon., Mar. 7 -  Jane's voice:  This morning we returned to Milepost 9 where Jim finished up yesterday and he set off at 9:30.  It was quite cool and he had four layers of clothing on, but the forecast called for temps to warm up into the 60's with lots of sunshine.  Again today Jim really enjoyed this well designed and constructed trail.  Wooden bridges with wooden side railings passed over any major dips in the landscape.  Some of these were actually quite long, over 300 feet and one he paced out as exceeding 500 feet!  Jim expresses gratitude to the Virginia Dept. of Transportation (VDOT), who he believes is responsible for building and maintaining this well used regional treasure.  The landscape varied as he walked along today - woods on both sides of the trail initially and later on in the day huge agricultural fields.  3.5 hours into the hike Jim had walked 11 miles and was getting hungry.  Conveniently enough at this point he walked into the tiny town of Charles City which had a bar & grill located adjacent to the trail.  Jim had felt an uncharacteristic lack of energy all morning and hoped that a light lunch would fix that.  He sat at the bar, ordered a beer to go with his fried oysters and enjoyed 30 minutes off his tired feet.  Resuming his hike, Jim felt immediately better.  Apparently all he needed was a few calories!   He covered the last 7 miles at a pretty consistent rate of 18 minutes per mile, stopping only occasionally to put on or take off a jacket, depending on the breeze and sun.  The big event of the afternoon was seeing a good sized fox sprinting across the field next to him, the trail just in front of him and then the road, narrowly missing getting hit by an oncoming vehicle.  This fox was unusually colored with reddish brown fur on his front end and the rest of his body was gray.  We had difficulty communicating today as Jim's cell phone reception was minimal.  Several calls were unintelligible to one or the other of us, so Jim resorted to texting me where and when to pick him up.  And at the appointed time and place I was there, but almost drove past him before seeing my tired hiker husband frantically waving to stop for him.   Jim is happy to have done 18 miles today, 3 more than the planned mileage, which permits him to slice a few miles off the next day or two.   He is now just over halfway from Williamsburg to Richmond and is looking forward to having hiking companions tomorrow and the day after.

Miles Today - 18..... Total Cumulative Miles - 135