Woodlands and Water: Crux of Silence
Field Notes II.XXII: Day 3 of a backpacking and photography thru hike of the 76 mile Foothills Trail in South Carolina
Welcome to Field Notes!
This is part III of a five part series about thru hiking the Foothills Trail in South Carolina in early May, 2024. Start reading from the beginning here-
Click the image below if you’re interested in exploring the route in Gaia GPS. Note that Gaia lists the distance as just under 72 miles, while the official signs on the trail list it at 76 miles. With the short side trips I took and the back and forth for filming along the way, I’m claiming 76!
As of August 2025 I have turned this series into a zine. Or, more accurately, a book in magazine format. You can continue reading this series as a paid supporter of Field Notes or purchase the printed version here-
Woodlands and Water: A Foothills Trail Thru Hike
I had just fallen asleep. POW! A gunshot, but not too close. Or, did I dream it? Alert, I listen for anything more. No yelling. No more noises. Maybe it was a tree snapping. Maybe I did dream it. I’m too exhausted to maintain concern and quickly fall back asleep.
A crack of thunder. Rain pounding on my tent. I have no idea of the time, just that it is the middle of the night. Inside, all is secure. Exhaustion grabs me once more and drags me back under, hardly disturbed.