MST: Laurel Bluff Trail - Will the rain hold off?

My husband and I have been walking the North Carolina Mountains to Sea Trail. This week we headed out to Greensboro. With an extra pair of shoes and socks we were hoping to get in two long walks. Unfortunately the rain did not hold off. After a bit, we realized how unprepared we were for rain and had to cut our hike short. We got about 5 miles. 


November 23, 2019: Segment 8, Guilford County
Start\End: 5328-5398 N Church St, Greensboro, NC 27455 
Length: 2.5? miles (5 round trip)
Total: 94 miles (estimate)


I miss calculated where to park on N Church Street so we had to do 1+ mile jot down the peninsula to get back to where we last left off. It was a lovely dry part of the hike. Then we headed into Laurel Bluff and the rain got worse and worse and worse. Some highlights: 

• An old house, but not old enough to attract Alan's interest. 
• Crazy cypress like vines 
• Bizarre holly bush with extreme spikes 
• Magnolia Tree Grove 
• NOTE: Ended at Laurel Bluff 125 by some cool plant arches 

MST: Guilford County Farm

My husband and I have been walking the North Carolina Mountains to Sea Trail focused on the 700 miles of trail out of the 1175 miles. 

October 24, 2019: Segment 9, Guilford County
Start\End: Guilford County Farm - 7315 Howerton Rd, Elon, NC 27244 
Length: 2+ miles (4.4 round trip)
Total: 88 miles (estimate)

The weather was perfect this day and the trail was different then most we have done. The first part was along active farming and the second was through a well maintained woods. They had creative names like 'The Breakway Trail' and 'Prison Run Pass' .
Highlights: 

• The series of "No horses" and then "Absolutely no horses" signs on either end of the trail. 
• Lots of Grasshoppers\Locus and conversation about if they are different. 
• Visiting with the two donkey's 
• Wondering about the person who left a computer monitor box and laptop bag at the parking lot. 

MST: Townsend Lake

My husband and I have been walking the North Carolina Mountains to Sea Trail focused on the 700 miles of trail out of the 1175 miles. 

October 25, 2019: Segment 8, Guilford County
Start\End:   Bryan Park Soccer Complex, 6105 Townsend Rd, Browns Summit, NC 27214
Length: 3.25 miles (6.5 round trip)
Total: 90 miles (estimate)

This day we started a large section of the trail that runs 19 miles along various lakes. The lakes are amazing and keep the walk interesting. To start here we had to go to the way back of the fields and look for the little white tags.
Highlights included: 

• Determining what the intervals of the markers are (We later discovered they are quarter miles). We started at Townsend 179 and ended at Townsend 166. A good way to find our location on the other side.  
• Following the signs of the Triple Lake Trail 40 miler and talking about how hard that would be with all the roots\rocks.
• Beautiful Canyon at the start 
• Old home foundation just behind modern homes 
• Unidentified fenced off sections in the water with lily pads. 
• Easy Parking in the Soccer Complex 

MST: Osprey Lake

My husband and I have been walking the North Carolina Mountains to Sea Trail. We started because of a Marathon to run across Durham and discovered the 1175 miles from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks. We are focused on only the trail routes. On our last hike we decided we should start keeping track.

November 2, 2019: Segment 8, Guilford County
Start\End: 5199-5173 N Church St, Greensboro, NC 27455
Length: 2.75 miles (5.5 round trip)
Total: 92 miles (estimate)

Beautiful walk on a beautiful lake. The trail is a bit hilly with lots of unique attributes including:

• abandon homestead 
• man made damn with interesting inlet 
• great views of Lake Osprey 
• easy parking on the side of the road