Today’s plan was for me to drive to Piedmont Lake, where we’ll be camping tonight, drop my car and start hiking backwards. Meanwhile, Ed would break camp and then find me.
When I got to Piedmont Lake and got on the trail, I immediately ran into Carol (Sweet Potato), whom I met a few days ago. She was heading in the opposite direction. This piece of trail was very short, but it was full of blowdowns and had almost no blazes. It was a steep uphill, too. Ugh.
When I hit the road, Ed passed me. He was on his way to Piedmont Lake to set up our tent right away. While he was doing that, I turned onto a very sketchy gravel road that was full of massive potholes, boulders and other obstacles. I told Ed not to head down it, as our car would likely be trashed.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (among regular links) to products I own and like, or which I think you might like. This means that, at no extra cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Leaving Piedmont Lake
Luckily, the next few roads were fine. One featured an old covered bridge. Ed and I met up for lunch. At one point we passed these very interesting tall 
boulders that had been placed on both sides of the road, with a little landscaping around them. Not sure what that was about, but it was fun to see.
Near the end of my trek, it poured for 10 or 15 minutes. Ed was nearby, so I hopped in the car. I finished my hike in a light drizzle.
We got to Piedmont Lake about 5 minutes before Bruce Eckert arrived, our hiking buddy. We had a nice dinner and conversation.
Snowshoe
Ohio NCT miles today: 18.9 (30.4 km)
Ohio NCT miles to date: 874.5 (1,407.4 km)
Total NCT miles to date: 3,722.2 (5,990.3 km)
Total NCT miles to go: 877.8 (1,412.7 km)
Most useful gear today: My Prana hiking pants, which protected me from scrub and barbed-wire fencing!
