Day 10, U.S. Highway 78 (Heflin) to Pine Glen Campground

When Tammy picked us up, Tengo was delighted by the trekking poles and Tammy's kindness. He picked one to replace the one he broke the day before yesterday.

Israel joined us for the ride to city hall to meet the mayor. Unfortunately, we learned when we arrived that the mayor was unavailable. Tammy then had us sign the town's hiker register and took our picture in front of a sign outside of city hall.

The sign marked the terminus of the spur trail that connects to the Pinhoti. The trail was created by the U.S. Forest Service after Heflin residents requested a safer way to get to the trail.

City and county leaders passed resolutions in support of the trail, which helped to get it approved. The spur trail was officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in April 2019.

Tammy dropped Tengo and me off at the same spot she picked us up yesterday. Israel didn’t stop here. He needed to go to where the trail crossed Interstate 20. When I mentioned this overpass yesterday, I said there was no good way to walk directly to the motel, yet somehow, Israel did that.

Many comments posted in the FarOut app prove the kindness Tengo and I received wasn’t unusual. All hikers reported similar experiences while staying in Heflin. Although we were leaving now, this wasn't the last of the hospitality we would receive from Tammy and the city. After we've completed our hike and notified the town, an official certificate of completion will be mailed to us, and our names will be entered into the record of a city council meeting.

I can name many towns that have embraced a trail that passes through or nearby, but I know of none where hikers’ names are read at a city council meeting so they can be recorded in the official minutes.

Tengo and I began walking at 10 a.m. We first crossed U.S. Highway 78 on an overpass. A short distance beyond that, we walked past the start of the spur trail that goes to Heflin.

Just beyond the spur trail, the trail left the road and entered the 56,838-acre Choccolocco Wilderness Management Area.

Today may not have been the best for walking in this hunting area because it was turkey season, but I wasn’t worried. We hadn't seen many hunters so far on this hike. And besides, it seemed unlikely either one of us would be mistaken for a turkey. Deer season might be a reason to be concerned.

Once we started walking on a single-track trail, most of the first 1.1 miles went up, though it wasn't a steep climb.

Only one opening appeared in the trees on the climb that was large enough to offer a view. We were only at 1,140 feet above sea level but were high enough to see a far distance. We could clearly see Cheaha Mountain jutting above the horizon about 16 miles away.

The next section of the trail traversed over roller coaster hills. This pattern lasted for about a mile before making a steep descent and another climb.

I stopped for lunch by a stream at 12:30 p.m. Tengo had been walking behind me and arrived about five minutes later. We stayed there for more than an hour.

Tengo walked ahead of me in the afternoon and was waiting for me when I arrived at Lower Shoal Shelter at 2:45 p.m. We ate a snack there and collected water from Shoal Creek.

I had begun to run out of steam before this stop, so the break came at a good time.

For the remainder of the day, the trail made occasional passes along Shoal Creek. After climbing away from the creek, the trail reconnected with it about 1.5 miles from the shelter. Then after continuing along the shallow creek for just short of a mile, the trail left it briefly once more before reconnecting again.

For most of this section, I had more energy than before and cruised without a problem. I only began to feel tired again during the last mile before reaching Pine Glen Campground at 6 p.m.

Tengo also appeared to be tired when we got to the campground. It was a large, flat area with 21 widely-spaced campsites. Only four sites were occupied, so we didn't have trouble selecting one to pitch our tents.

The Forest Service required a self-serve fee of $3.00 to stay here, which we gladly paid. For our money, we got luxurious accommodations that included a picnic table and access to a vault toilet.

Although I was tired after today's hike, I was pleased my feet didn’t feel as sore as they had during the first few days of this hike. I think they were adapting to my shoes, or maybe it was the other way around.

When I crawled into my tent for the night, I did something I hadn't needed to do since my first night on the Pinhoti. I unzipped my quilt to open it like a blanket. After several cool evenings, the temperature was back up to where I expected it would be for this time of year.

I prefer the adaptability of my quilt compared to a sleeping bag for warmer nights like this.