Day Totals: 14 hrs, 30 kms

The world is enshrouded in fog as I launch out on a new segment of my Superhike, following Holly Pike south of Carlisle . Today I'm going to finally reconnect with the Appalachian Trail after many days of straying away from it. it's about 11 kilometers out of my way--but there's a new town to explore along the way, so I figure it's worth it. It's been a long time since I've explored a new town.

Walking along the busy highway, I notice all the typical icons of this region: the giant, well restored barns... the barbeque pit beef stands (something that's become quite popular in this region--a refreshing change from corporate fast food chains...) There's a country market that hasn't quite woken up... a church with a sign "You are Now entering the Mission Field" as its exit. I guess a reminder to the parishioners that they have a duty to try and convert the heathen whenever off church property...

Off in the distance I can see the thickly wooded hills approaching. I'm looking forward to getting back to forest again. Mt Holly Springs is tucked right up against the forest, giving it a bit of a frontier feel--in between the cultivated valley and the untamed mountain . Not really a storefront Main Street, mainly just houses with porches--but still a somewhat neighborly feel. After walking up and down the town a couple times, I'm ready to hit the mountains, following the highway a couple more miles until I finally reach the trail crossing and eagerly dive into the stillness of the forest.

I'm not really expecting any grand discoveries--typically my forest stretches have just been soothing breaks from road walking from town to town... but I expect to get my inspiration from visiting towns. However, when I reach the ridge of the mountain, and see these massive boulders jutting out of the ground diagonally, I get a glimpse of the powers of nature. The thought of the earth's plates ramming into each other, forcing these layers of rock upwards over periods of millions of years does put things in perspective. Suddenly all the puttering around we humans have done tinkering with the earth's surface doesn't seem so big in comparison.

I do have to climb to the top of one of these boulders and take a selfie ...

The trail follows the ridge for a while. With a little imagination, you might be able to convince yourself you're exploring the ruins of an ancient Middle Earth type civilization, as there are passageways between the boulders and in some places they are stacked in such a way it does feel more like the ruins of the Incas or the Moorish castles in Sintra, Portugal...

Hey... we can try at least...

The hike stretches on and on. Miles with no open fields or human construction. After days of overdeveloped farmland and suburbs, it is a refreshing break. And the, just like that, it's over. Like the edge of the forest in "Princess Bride", the dense woods abruptly ends, and the Appalachian trail, cuts through rolling farmland, not feeling quite so Appalachian any more...

And so, after stopping for a blackberry snack, and a swim in a river, I reach the town of Boiling Springs .

The Crystal Clear Lake

Boilings Springs is not an incorporated town, so I'm not going to count it--even though it has more personality than many towns I've wandered through. It's built around a duck lake--but not the typical stagnant greenish water I'm used to seeing. This water is crystal clear, as the lake is fed by a spring, full of fish and water plants. A great place to sit on a bench and contemplate on my journey.

An older lady walking her dogs strikes up a conversation with me. We swap stories about our travels... she's been to China, India--around South America.

"Are you from this area?" I ask, a bit surprised that someone from this region would be such a world traveler.

"I'm Canadian--moved to this area." That explains it...

We get to talking about the difference between Canada and the US, she confirms my theory of how America being based on rebellion shaped our culture differently.

"But Canada is becoming more like America" she says somberly. "It's going from a socialist democracy to being a country run by corporations..."

And with that, my day hike comes to an end.