Leg 2 and 3 - Jan 22/23, 09

Left around 7:45am.
Arrived at Gold Head around 8:45am. Had to pay $4 pedestrian park fee. Started hiking at 8:47am.
Ten minutes in, Nick has reception. About 9:05, we passed a small pond, water looked ok. 9:11 we spot a doe. Terrain has varying elevation.
9:17 Josh got reception.
9:32 hear running water to our right.
At intersection of Ridge Trail and Loblolly Loop Trail, theres a bridge with running water. Looks ok. After one hour, found more water, looked ok.
Found a spiggot by the lake, off the trail about 100 ft in an open area by the pavilion. Spotted a building with a telephone. Christian Camp Rd is hot. Reached CR 315 at 10:55 (5.1mi). Hit Bellamy Rd at 11:35. It’s hot. Stopped at 12 at 1776 Bellamy Rd to snack and pee.
Reception on Bellamy is good for Nick, not for Josh.
12:58pm we hit Coral Farms Rd. Stopped to rest at a boarded house at 1:05pm, resumed at 1:12.
1:27 we hit Tinsley Rd. The trail turns left down Tinsley. Find a kiosk. Left Tinsley Rd Kiosk at 1:39pm.
It’s 3:50 and we’re about to leave the parking lot in Etoniah, with “1.5 mi” left. We stopped a long time and dried our feet after they were soaked in a ½ mile slosh. Loaded up on water.
4:45 and we finally arrive at Iron Bridge shelter. Went to bed at 7pm.
Woke up at 7:30, took couple minutes to get up. Had breakfast and packed. Left at 8:41am. Chilly morning.
At kiosk outside camp we see a different picture of the trail route. From were we are,
3.1 miles, then 3.5, then 3.2, then 1.5 to Rice Creek Shelter. After kiosk, some water looked ok.
Had to make a small detour around a 200 ft swamped section of trail.
Terrain is wild, exciting, and lovable.
At 11:15 we came to an intersection (Old Starke Rd and Carraway); found a notice to hikers regarding relocation of the trail. The trail now follows a public road to SR 100 and “cuts off 1.5 miles of trail.” Need to verify mileage.
Section along SR 100 is actually a Rail-to-Trail corridor running paralled to SR 100.
Man on corridor says hunting is going on just north of us. Hunting is over Jan 24.
Reached Lindsey’s Dock about 12:55. We were going to hike to “mail box” in Rice Creek but trail was wet. Shelter in Rice Creek is two-story.
Arrived at Rice Creek parking lot at 1:10pm. Waited til 1:55pm for Dad.