Virginia Hart

Day 29. 500 mile Journey to Salem. Bethabara to Salem Square. About 7 glorious miles. Stunning blue skies. Temperature about 70. Perfect. Our last morning meeting – clearly like none other. Though we met, as always, as a group, this time we were surrounded by hundreds of additional walkers – Salem professionals and students, Salem friends, our friends, our classmates, our families. Overwhelming. We knew this day was coming. We had an idea of what it might feel like. But, speaking only for myself, my idea was a gross misunderstanding. I had no real Idea how much this would mean to me or the emotions it would stir. Walking with my teammates today meant more than I dreamed- 500 miles does that. The SALEM community support today embraced my soul – profoundly. But nothing touched me today like my pride for Salem – for all of us touched by her and all who will be. That is what this has always been about – from the time we first started dreaming about this journey years ago – celebrating Salem – Salem pride. So when we left Bethabara, with the Moravian Band playing as only they do, and hundreds of the Salem Community moving as one, I wept with pride. When we reached Corpening Plaza, with the WSSU drum line playing, and experienced the JOY and PRIDE of our Salem community, I wept again. Our Salem Academy students danced, people embraced, we all soaked it all in…As we walked towards Salem, we experienced the best of WS – church bells rang for us, Reynolda Village and St Paul’s Church provided water stops, people blew their horns and shouted support, and Steve and Scott at Capture cheered and rang cow bells. Glorious. And, as we walked around Salem Square, we were greeted by more supporters, school mascots, President McGee(who walked with us), WSSU Chancellor Robinson, and Mayor Joines. We so very much thank them all for joining us!! MOST IMPORTANTLY, though, we were all home – Salem Academy and College. 250 years of developing girls and women into tomorrow’s leaders – and ready to do so for 250 more. Salem is ready and eager to do that – to continue producing game -changing leaders that make our world a better place. There are no words to adequately thank those original women trailblazers. Their courage created a ripple effect that has lasted 250 years and will do so at least that many more. Talking about a legacy… Profound thanks, one last time, to everyone who worked so hard to make this happen. To Salem professionals, to volunteers, to Holt and Lisa, to my walking teammates, and everyone who joined us along the way- deepest gratitude. Cheers – To a job well done. Cheers – To the NEXT 250 years! SALEM PRIDE!! #mysalemjourney. #journey2salem

– Lucy Rose C’76

Home @salemcollege @salemacademy
Yesterday, Day 29, was the final leg of our journey. We walked from Bethabara the (temporary) 1766 destination for the Single Sisters to their permanent 1772 home, the Single Sisters house in Salem, facing the Salem Square. The Single Sisters house was the first building and dorm for THE OLDEST continuously operating school for GIRLS and Women in the country! Also the 13th oldest school for higher education in the country and the OLDEST in North Carolina ! But we don’t rest on our laurels, we matched our history by recreating our founders 500 mile journey and recommitted to another 250 years. Looking forward to 2046 when we recreate history again for our 275th anniversary! #250thanniversary #mysalemjourney #journey2salem #crownoflaurels

Highlights of the day

• Winston Salem State drum line as our back up as we paraded from downtown to Salem Square
• Seeing my class of 98 peeps on the final leg!
• finally, finally earning a crown of laurels for a race of distance (As a runner, I’ll never win for speed)
• standing on stage in front of the 300+ parade of Salem students, supporters, friends.
• being surprised that my parents were there with flowers to congratulate me!
• a beer garden, food trucks in the square!
• our hiking shoes were put on display for all to see!
• I felt like a celebrity! So many people introduced themselves to me who I already knew by name and was happy that THEY wanted to meet ME!
• THE Wake Forest Demon Deacon and Winston-Salem State Ram there to cheer for us! Wow!
• the mayor of Winston-Salem was there to proclaim it “Journey to Salem” Day

– Frances Cronlund C’98

Day 29 Journey to Salem
Wow. No words can adequately describe today. We walked a short 6.5 miles walk from Bethabara to Salem Square to celebrate our accomplishment. The weather was cool and breezy with sunny skies. Church bells rang for us as we passed and the Winston Salem State Drum Line played for us (right in front of us) for probably 20 mins, then followed us from Corpening Plaza into Salem Square. This was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. I was so happy to be representing Salem Academy and so happy to have finished our amazing 500+ mile journey, and at the same time so sad that it was soon coming to an end. Needless to say, the moment was filled with a bunch of different emotions. The Mayor of Winston-Salem issued a Proclamation in Salem’s honor, and we received sweet accolades and gifts and so much recognition. 4 friends from Salem Academy came to support me and it was wonderful to visit with them and catch up a bit. I will share more pics later as I collect them from those who were able to record some of it. Really impossible to describe today. I hope you enjoy the few pictures that I have. I’ll be working to burn these memories into my grey matter so I don’t lose them. Thank you everyone for reading my words, following along for the past 29 days, and encouraging me along the way! I’m forever grateful! Good night!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🏃‍♀️🌞💛💜💙✅ #mysalemjourney #journey2salem

– Debbie Faires A’82

Day 28!! 500 mile Journey to Salem. The final day of our historical journey. Kernersville, NC to Bethabara, NC. 17 miles. 54,000 steps. High 63. Low 47. Sunny, overcast, storming. Relatively flat with occasional rolling hills. Rural early, then into Winston-Salem!! First, the sign. Then, the skyline. That comfortable, calming feeling of being home. Lunch at Crankies. Huge chicken biscuit for me!!!! We saw Salem yard signs everywhere!!!! Thanks so much to those who made that happen!!! There were billboards and banners and decals!! I am quite sure our predecessors were not greeted the way we were!! We felt so LOVED!! We are so grateful for those who greeted us at Bethabara with such love and emotion! THANK YOU!! The welcome lovefeast was perfect, just as I am sure it was in 1766. It ended with our singing the alma mater, sung so beautifully I thought we were being accompanied by a hidden choir. After a very quick shower and clothes change, we gathered at the graves of those brave women who journeyed before us, in God’s Acre at Salem, and honored them. We read their names, spoke brief bios, and laid roses on each grave. Without them, there likely would have been no Salem Academy and College. Tonight, I reflect on that and give thanks.. We then walked to President McGee’s home for a dinner of Moravian chicken pie and a warm evening of sharing, fellowship, and celebration of Salem. More to come, but time for bed. Thank you again to all of you who worked so hard to make this journey possible. Grateful. Grateful. Grateful. Looking so forward to seeing many of you tomorrow and walking together!!#mysalemjourney. #journey2salem.

– Lucy Rose C’76

Day 28 Journey to Salem
Today, we completed the historic portion of our 500+ mile Journey. We have a short walk tomorrow, about 6.5 miles, into Salem Square to celebrate our trip. We arrived in Bethabara carrying our banner. We were greeted with horns and cheering friends and family. It was a moment filled with many emotions. Then, just like the travelers did in 1766, we went inside Gemeinhaus to celebrate with a Love Feast. After a quick shower at the hotel, we went to God’s Acre in Salem to participate in a ceremony where we honored each of the participants on the original walk who are buried there. It was beautiful and moving. Then, we headed to a celebratory dinner at the President of Salem Academy and College’s house. It was an amazing day and these few words do not do it justice. But, I need sleep to be ready for tomorrow, so they will have to do for now. I’m going to bed once again with a very full heart! #mysalemjourney #journey2salem

– Debbie Faires A’82

Day 27. 500 mile Journey to Salem. Greensboro, NC to Kernersville, NC. About 17 miles. 48,000 steps. High 76. Low 47. Level route. Gorgeous sky. Really great walk today. Seemed like the time flew! Who knew there was so much rural road still in this area? We were always very close to interstates and major roads, but for the most part were on roads with little Sunday traffic. Thanks so much to the alums who came to send us off this morning and to Susan who provided breakfast AND lunch!!! Our “leg” walkers today, Victoria Lasley and Ina Kamenz and Donald, were rock stars!!! And Katherine Knapp Watts rejoined us at lunch!! They were quick walkers and GREAT conversationalists!! Ina and Victoria are also Salem Academy and College Board of Trustee members. Thank you for joining us!!! And, thank you, Victoria, for arranging our wonderful reception in Kernersville! The Kernersville Moravian Band was in Kernersville to welcome us, as was Dawn Morgan, the Mayor. She proclaimed today Salem Academy and College Day in Kernersville!! Needless to say, that brought tears to all of our eyes! On a personal note, I was also met by my first cousin, Janet Conway Rose, and by friends Jane Preyer, Margaret Newbold, and Julianna Brown. There are no words in any language which would do my feelings justice – thank you is totally inadequate. I am overwhelmed by your support and friendship. Tonight is also overwhelming in that tomorrow this time we will have completed the historical part of this journey. We will reach Bethabara tomorrow afternoon, just as those brave girls and women did in October, 1766. We could NEVER do their journey justice. Imagine no hotels, rain every other day, bedbugs and fleas nightly, inadequate navigation, the danger of river crossings, and the fear of the unknown. But we HAVE shared what must have been their bonding as friends, their sense of adventure, their commitment to a purpose, their support of each other, their moments of reflection, their life learnings. We have felt their presence. We have been changed by their example. And Salome was only 16. Amazing what our young people can teach us, then and now. Sleep well, everyone. Tomorrow- 17 miles to Bethabara. #mysalemjourney. #journey2salem

– Lucy Rose C’76

Day 27 Journey to Salem
Beautiful sun rise outside my hotel window this morning. Many area alums greeted us this morning and wished us well on our journey. Marcia Shawler’s (who is walking with us in this journey) sister’s neighbor, who lives in Greensboro, had been looking for us yesterday as we walked into Greensboro. He didn’t see us yesterday, so he delivered a beautiful note and extremely kind gift to the hotel. He gave each of us two very special 2021 silver half dollars that are not available in banks. I’ll post a copy of his note when I receive it from Marcia. His thoughtfulness made us all start the day in tears. We departed for Kernersville. Gorgeous weather, again! Sunny with cool breeze. 55-75. Eric arrived and drove the route backwards to find us. Then he re-appeared at a later point in the route with my roommate from Salem Academy, Linda Winslow Speary. Linda completely surprised me and said she is walking the last leg with us Tuesday!!! I had no idea she was planning to come see me or be a part of this! My heart is full! And, as we arrived at our hotel, a Moravian brass band was playing for us, and we were greeted by the Mayor of Kernersville. She issued a proclamation in our honor, and the Chamber of Commerce gave us very nice gift bags, and one alumna made homemade chocolate chip cookies for each of us! I am still in awe of the support we are receiving. So many people have given so much of themselves to make our Journey special. I don’t have words to describe how amazing this feels. I can’t believe that our Journey is almost complete. #mysalemjourney #journey2salem

– Debbie Faires A’82

Day 27 and almost 18 miles walking from Greensboro to Kernersville, NC. Welcome to Forsyth county!

Today was another day with light traffic, cool morning, and at least some country roads. The only oddity was the service roads along I-40, intense soot all over my legs which were already sticky with sunscreen, and another hot afternoon with a burning sun. I’ve used up four bottles of sunscreen on this journey! Grateful to be walking this journey with our set of obstacles as each were easily overcome.

Upon arrival in Kernersville the local Moravian Church’s band played for us! As if that wasn’t enough, a welcoming party was waiting for us with homemade cookies. And to top it off, the Mayor of Kernersville, Mayor Fawn Morgan, greeted us with a proclamation acknowledging our journey and declaring today “Salem Academy and College Day”

Tomorrow is the last day of our historic 500 mile journey. After we arrive in historic Bethabara tomorrow, I’d like to turn around and walk the whole thing over again in reverse. Daily walks in our beautiful country have given me the chance to absorb different landscapes up close with their textures, sounds, scents, and patterns. It’s given me an opportunity to clear my mind only to refill it with the laughter of my Salem friends. Every morning I start off my walk saying “there is nothing I’d rather be doing than what I’m doing right now.” #mysalemjourney #journey2salem

– Frances Cronlund C’98

Day 26. 500 Mile Journey to Salem. Burlington, NC to Greensboro, NC. About 17 miles. 47,50O steps. 41.2 miles to go! High 72. Low 49. Gorgeous fall day. Blue sky. Jill Webb Halverson, C’91, was in the hotel visiting her son at Elon, so we asked her to join our photo!! All Salemites are part of our family!! Great walk today – full of transitions. After a little busy start, our morning was primarily rural rolling hills, with the reappearance of horses, corn fields, and tobacco fields. Relaxing. Few cars. We also enjoyed a beautiful walk through residential Gibsonville, some of those gorgeous houses pictured in this post. Following a brief break at a magazine cover-stunning Presbyterian church, we transitioned to an urban walk through Greensboro to our hotel. The best news – sidewalks almost the entire way!! Dinner outside with friends was a perfect ending! A rather quiet day. But an especially welcome one for us as we contemplate the end of our journey- so many mixed emotions, individually and collectively. It is as hard to believe we have walked 460 miles as it is hard to believe we only have 41.2 more. Having so long anticipated this journey, it is hard to imagine that anticipation no longer there. Yet, our shared experiences and memories tell us otherwise. We have indeed completed 26 days. This journey is nearly complete. I am thrilled and I am sad. Funny how often life is like that. What a true joy and honor to do this. We simply can’t wait to see many of you in the coming days!! That much is FOR CERTAIN!! Thanks for all of the work you volunteers (AND SALEM STAFF!!!) are doing to get ready for Monday and Tuesday! Tomorrow, on to Kernersville! #mysalemjourney #journey2salem

– Lucy Rose C’76

Day 26 Journey to Salem
Burlington, NC to Greensboro, NC
Gorgeous weather, again. I was surprised to see a hot air balloon outside my hotel window this morning. Loved walking out of Burlington, near Elon, through Gibsonville and beyond. Beautiful rural roads in the morning and changing city scapes in the afternoon made the day pass quickly. At home tonight in the beautiful O’Henry Hotel. #mysalemjourney #journey2salem

– Debbie Faires A’82

Day 26 and almost 18 miles. Welcome to Guilford County!!!

Today was our last day that it was only us fab five through walkers (Debra, Elizabeth, Marcia, Lucy and me) plus Holt (logistics) and Lisa (van support).

We had a complex course today that offered a great deal of variety. After leaving west Burlington, we skimmed through college town of Elon and quaint Gibsonville. We saw a bad car accident and good reminder to be vigilant. Then we had several miles through quiet, low traffic country roads which offered plenty of farms, cows and horses. Such a relief from yesterday! As we entered East Greensboro we saw a ton of support for NC A&T and met several friendly walkers asking about our purpose. The houses neighboring downtown Greensboro were prepared for #halloween and the #greenway at #lakedanielpark was full of local walkers and friendly pick up games.

After our long walk we were all tired having never really stopped for lunch as we probably should have done since lunch is more than just eating. I didn’t reapply sunscreen as I should have and burned my legs. I also didn’t give my feet a cooling off break which I also should have done. My mistake as I allowed myself to rush and not take my time to follow my usual routine. With only a few days to go I shouldn’t be cutting corners now!

A long days walk is best rewarded by a cooling pool and dinner with friends. Loving @greenvalleygrill at the @ohenryhotel more now than ever. #mysalemjourney #journey2salem

– Frances Cronlund C’98

Day 25. 500 mile Journey to Salem. Mebane, NC to Burlington, NC. 16.5 miles. About 48,000 steps. Low 64. High 76. Rather overcast day. Level terrain. Thanks to Susan, C’79, for her work on the route and for joining us today! Our walk started off fast and level and rural. After about 3 miles, though, the day took a rather sharp turn, as we transitioned to highway 54 for much of the remaining walk. To be honest, for several of us, it was a rather dig deep day, as walking in heavy traffic with narrow shoulders and uneven grass takes great focus in addition to the physical challenges. However, we worked as a team, supported each other, and faced the challenges with humor and success. What an honor for me to be a teammate of these women. They inspire me each and every single day. A volunteer from the mountain to sea trail spotted us walking down 54, turned around, pulled over, and stopped to talk and offer us water!! True trail magic! We have been constantly reminded of the power of simple kindness. Many people might have thought of what he did, as quickly driving by. The power is in the fact he acted on that thought – he stopped. The gift of time. Water. Interest. Kind words. These are the lessons and acts we will remember from this journey. We had a fun lunch at Skids II in Graham, a Holt former haunt. What a great time in this throwback restaurant! Graham has a really delightful downtown, as you can tell from the photos shared below!! Wonder who did win the checkers game?? Elizabeth? Debbie? We’ve learned to appreciate simple things like sidewalks, which were a GREAT pleasure later this afternoon, and not take them for granted. Life is full of lessons. Just have to take time to notice. This journey has helped me do that on so many levels. I am so grateful. Holt had dinner with her Mom tonight. Alex and Jannida (our documentary teammates) went home for the evening to reconnect with families. We met a Salem alum at the hotel happy hour – not here to walk with us today or tomorrow, but noticed our Salem branding! And, I had a wonderful visit with a dear friend, Joanne Cadorette Soliday, who came to the hotel for a hug and to spend time together. Thank you, Joanne, for making the effort to visit, for following our journey, and for your guidance and friendship. Priceless. We missed all of our friends from yesterday and again thank you for joining us. Good night, all. Have a wonderful weekend. We’ll be getting closer and closer to Salem home with each step!! Only 57.6 miles to Salem Square!! We are in the area, walking to Greensboro tomorrow and Kernersville Sunday!! Blow your horn and wave if you see us!! #mysalemjourney. #journey2salem

– Lucy Rose C’76

Day 24. 500 mile Journey to Salem. Hillsborough, NC to Mebane, NC. About 13 miles. 43,000 steps. Low 46. High 79. Gorgeous blue sky. Relatively flat route with some busy traffic stretches. We have NEVER had a start like today!! Incredible. Totally. I innocently walked into the lobby and was greeted by two “sisters” offering me sugar cake. Please see photos for visual impact! Laura, you REALLY out did yourself!! Thanks to you and your daughter!!! And thanks to Jenny Eury for the amazing cookies with logos!!! And, thank to Liz Baird for the Dewey’s boxes full of goodies you sent!!! Wow!! You guys are just the best!! Your efforts meant so much to all of us! Welcome back, Kate!!! And, thanks to everyone who walked with us. We had a wonderful day with you!!! We were also joined today by a reporter and photographer from the WS Journal. Thanks so much to them for spending time with us today!! We loved walking with both! Good morning walk, though a little more traffic than we have recently experienced. You can tell we are back in more urban areas. Lunch today a mixture of some walking through it, some eating at a Mexican restaurant, and some making sandwiches from food in the cooler. All good. Walked through Mebane, including several residential areas decorated for Halloween. The shade and sidewalks made that a treat! Everyone made it safe and sound the whole way!! Congratulations! Martha Manning made Hello Dollies for everyone and we ate as snacks when we arrived at the hotel. Yum!! Laundry done tonight. Lots of foot and ankle care by everyone this evening. Several business calls for me. A relaxing dinner at Cracker Barrel, with lots of vegetables, for several of us. Profound thanks to everyone for your many gifts yesterday and today, tangible and intangible. The gift bags, the cookies, the costumes, the Hello Dollies, the walking side by side, the words of encouragement, the hugs, and just being here. We are grateful for all.❤️ #mysalemjourney. #journey2salem

– Lucy Rose C’76

Day 24 Journey to Salem.
Hillsborough to Mebane, NC. One of our shortest walks. Another gorgeous day! The day started with a great surprise. Two alums dressed in Moravian clothes to greet us this morning and offer us sugar cake and Moravian cookies. Then, a good friend of mine from Salem Academy, Sarah Goodwin Carey, surprised me this afternoon with a visit and she brought a delicious salad and rotisserie chicken. We visited for hours and said goodbye just a few minutes ago. Martha Manning surprised our group with home baked Hello Dollies! I met new friends who walked with us today. I continue to be amazed by all the surprises and support we are receiving from Alumnae along the way! Thank you everyone!!! #mysalemjourney #journey2salem

– Debbie Faires A’82

Day 23 Hillsborough, NC to Mebane, NC and 14 miles. Never quite realized the two towns were so close! I imagined it would be a very long distance by foot. I guess “long” is now a relative term!

Today we had over 15 walkers plus two reporters from @wsjournalnow so it was a big group to Shepard along many busy roads! Once we were on highway 70, we fell into a natural solution by having two “through walkers” in the front, two in the back, and one in the middle. To stay safe, we needed to stay single file and prioritize watching cars over conversations. Of course that was so hard as everyone enjoyed sharing stories and catching up. At our lunch spot some ordered lunch in, some to go, some ate a packed picnic, and some skipped lunch in favor of an early finish. At the finish of our 14 miles, several of our “day walkers” were thankful they were not on an 18-22 mile day as 14 miles was plenty!

We only have 5 more walking days left in our 500 mile journey. In the recovery pool and at dinner, we started reflecting on our experience: the endurance of long distances, consecutive days, no days off… what makes it possible? Here’s a short list of what worked for me:
1- the right shoes! I use #hokachallenger made with #gortex to be breathable and waterproof. I discovered these were right for me by trial and error. I rotate two pairs daily so shoes have time to recover.
2- Socks! I use #balega blister proof crew socks. But they have tons of loose threads on the inside which I find irritates my skin, makes hot spots. My solution is to turn them inside out when I wear them.
3- Foot breaks! When we break for snacks or lunch, every three hours, I sit down and take off my socks and shoes, elevate feet. Cooling heels is my way of preventing blisters. I prefer to walk on grass or dirt, not asphalt.
4- water and snacks! I prefer #nuunhydration added to my water. For snacks I pack bags of assorted nuts, dried cranberries, and bacon jerky. I also aim to have an Apple, banana, and Orange once a day while walking. After that, I break into my #twixfunsize stash.
5-Before dinner, tepid shower, lotion everything, elevate feet. Keep hydrating at dinner and over night. Take Vitamins!

– Frances Cronlund C’98

Day 23! 500 Mile Journey to Salem! Roxboro, NC to Hillsborough, NC. About 15 miles. Low 44. High 77. Crystal blue sky. Relatively flat. Katherine Knapp Watts joined us today and will do so again tomorrow! Hooray!
First several miles on a busy road, which necessitated straight line walking, hampering conversation. However, we made up for it later on less busy roads and at a wonderful reception at the Colonial Inn sponsored by the Triad Alumnae Club. We walked quickly today, arriving for an early lunch at the Flat River Cafe. BBQ, hot dogs, and chicken salad sandwiches eaten outside at picnic tables made for a delicious break. The afternoon brought an unexpected surprise! We received a text from Debbie saying she and Elizabeth had just run into one of “our” walkers, walking backwards – from south to north – and to be on the lookout. We literally ran into Eric at about mile 10, indeed heading north! He had determined to walk out and back from our ending point, rendezvousing with us along the way!!! See photos below for more info and to see our “Brother Eric”! What fun and joy walking with him!! We look forward to his return!! After ending our walking day in Hillsborough, we made our way to Burwell School, a former school for girls, where we were again met by Carrie, our now resident historian, who shared with us the school’s history. AND, Hillsborough’s mayor, Jenn Weaver, read a proclamation declaring today, “Journey to Salem Day” in Hillsborough, and bringing all of us to tears. So very special. We walked from there to our hotel, The Colonial Inn, where we were greeted by a small Salem welcoming party, complete with balloons and signs!! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!! Mayor Weaver joined our reception on the upstairs balcony a couple of hours later – such a wonderful event hosted by the Triangle Alumnae Club. We had a fabulous time and thank everyone so much for the planning, the gift bags, and most importantly, your presence and love. We love you all. Special thanks to Joanna Winecoff Holt for all of her organizational work on the last two days!!! We had dinner at several restaurants tonight – some eating outside and some inside- but all filled with the warmth and fuel of true friendship and shared experiences, regardless of when at Salem. We will all sleep well, wrapped in memories tonight. Looking forward to day 24 and numerous friends joining us tomorrow!! #mysalemjourney. #journey2salem.

– Lucy Rose C’76

Day 23 Journey to Salem. What a day!! A short walk this morning from Roxboro to Hillsborough, NC. Then, we were met by the Mayor of Hillsborough at our stop at the Burwell School. The Mayor presented us with a Proclamation that she read. There was not one dry eye in the house when she finished. We were truly moved. The Burrell School has an interesting history, too, and we were thrilled to take a quick tour while we were there. Next, we walked to the Colonial Inn and checked in to our gorgeous rooms. Then, the wonderful area alumnae, organized by Joanna Winecoff Holt, treated us to happy hour and thoughtful gift bags, and we had wonderful visits with all. I ordered dinner from the hotel restaurant and enjoyed it in my room. I’m going to call it an early evening. Tomorrow, we have several walkers joining, or re-joining, us and it will be a fun short walk again. Hard to believe how close we are to Salem. Just a few more days… #mysalemjourney #journey2salem

– Debbie Faires A’82

Day 22. 500 Mile Journey to Salem. South Boston, VA to Roxboro, NC. Welcome to NORTH CAROLINA!!18.4 miles. 54,000 steps. Gorgeous day. Cold start-39 degrees!! High 73. Moderately hilly today. Early morning serene and breathtaking. A truly perfect day for walking as we anticipated crossing into NC! We passed old barns, buildings in various stages of decay, and cows and horses wondering what in the world we were doing. It was fun to contemplate all of the stories generated in those barns and buildings. We passed a large quarry which attracted literally hundreds of large trucks whizzing by us on our rural road. Funny how scary can become normal when repeated often enough! And, then the NC line!!! We cheered, danced, and sang James Taylor! What a sense of accomplishment AND joy. Really. For a few moments our exhausted bodies and painful feet were overwhelmed by emotion, different for each of us, of course, but collective joy – for some even tears. And, as we crossed into NC, we felt home. Not sure how, but it felt different – the land and the people. Is that possible? There is no “real” line. But it did. And we celebrated. We had a late “signature” picnic on a church parking lot, and then walked into Roxboro, where we were greeted like royalty at the Person County Historical Museum. We were showered with love, fed snacks, and given gifts of foot soak materials!!! And, we learned some history relevant to 1766. Did you know there were buffalo here then? Thank you to everyone who made that such a special event!! After arrival at our hotel, we held a group foot soak in the lobby – something the manager said he had never seen in his 20 years of hotel work! Would you expect anything less from Salem grads?? We sadly said goodbye to Yvonne until Sunday, when she returns. We scattered for dinner, with some of us dining together at the Homestead Steak House. We are excited about seeing Salem friends tomorrow in Hillsborough and continuing our journey to Salem for these last 100 miles. Sleep well, friends! As always, thank you for all of your support!! #mysalemjourney. #journey2salem

– Lucy Rose C’76

Welcome to NORTH CAROLINA!!! Day 22 and 18 miles we walked from South Boston, VA to Roxboro, NC!!!!!!

As we approached the boarder into NC, we saw #longleaftobacco on the side of the road. It reminded me of when we were approaching Maryland and saw #marylandbluecrab on the side of the road!

So happy to be back in NC that we celebrated with @krispykreme right away! Once in Roxboro, we were greeted by the local #daughtersofamericanrevolution at the Persons County Museum of History where we learned that in 1766 Buffalo roamed this area! This was a frontier country with less than 5,000 residents in Orange County which included five surrounding modern counties (Caswell, Person, Durham, Orange and Alamance).

Today was a tough day as the heat returned and elevation climbed. We were so grateful that the local DAR gave us foot bath kits that we put to work right after we checked into our hotel. At lunch, I napped per usual. But this time, I didn’t get to finish eating first!

We only have about 100 miles left in our 500 mile journey! Still plenty of work and will have to dig deep to knock this out!!!! Never have I ever averaged 20 miles a day for this many days. This is six times the effort I have ever attempted before. Looking forward to making this last week, our final push, memorable and enjoyable. #mysalemjourney

– Frances Cronlund C’98

Day 22 Journey to Salem
About 9:30 this morning we crossed into North Carolina! It was so exciting to be entering the state that is home to our amazing school, Salem Academy and College. I kept thinking what the girls must have thought when they reached NC, and it made me shed happy tears. We are getting so close. Hard to believe that in one week this will be over. We’ve had a wonderful welcome to NC. Folks in parking lots and convenience stores have asked us about our journey, and we were welcomed with opened arms at the Historical Museum of Roxboro. The landscape has changed again, and it feels good to be in our 4th and final state. We are feeling the love from our Alumnae and friends and it feels amazing. Thank you all!!! #mysalemjourney #journey2salem

– Debbie Faires A’82