Date: 2018-11-22
From: Low Gap

To: TN 91
Miles today: 6.5
Weather: scattered clouds

It's Thanksgiving day today and we were up at our usual 6am but Lee wasn't feeling well so we had breakfast at McDonald's. I met a worker there named Brian who suffered a brain injury. He's open about what happened and his thankfulness to God. It was nice talking to him. It made me think about what I sometimes take for granted, as he said he did. It can change in an instant. I wanted to mention that yesterday near Mountaineer shelter I ran into a crew of 4 trail maintainers working hard to keep the trail in good condition. They were having fun and I thanked them and we joked for a minute about me being late in the season and needing to do an hour of trail work to pass. I'm always so appreciative when I see these volunteers because I know they work so hard. Lee dropped us off at Low Gap and we took Romeo with us. The weather was nice with sunny blue skies in the upper 30's and our hike to TN 91 was about 6.5 miles. Romeo ran ahead and back many times just filled with excitement. He flushed 3 grouse and I thought if we were hunters we'd be headed home with our loot! We stopped about half way at Double Spring shelter for a snack and bundled Romeo up to keep him warm while he feasted on jerky at the picnic table. When we resumed our hike Romeo stayed closer being a bit tired but he perked up when we came across 2 day hikers sitting on stumps and snacking on some sausage and cheese...he was all about that! We greeted them and wished them a happy Thanksgiving and continued on leaving Romeo drooling. For the next couple of miles the hike was nothing special but pleasant. When I popped out of the woods into a beautiful pasture I was filled with emotion. It was really beautiful and I was thinking about some of my family that I hadn't seen in over 35 years until just recently. I stopped in that pasture and made a short video of my gratitude and love for them. It was a beautiful moment for me. I walked through the rest of the pasture and the next one which opened to an incredible view. I sat a moment on the bench there just looking at God's creation. I'm so blessed to be out here. When I reached the barn WE was waiting and we took pictures there. This half mile section thru Osborne's Farm is very special. It was an original section of the trail ( thru private land) but in 1970 it was purchased by the Osborne's and the trail rerouted. In 2001 the Osborne's listed the 250 acres with home and cranberry bog for sale and the ATC purchased it. I don't know what they did with the home but the trail is amazing. It actually includes a half mile of wheelchair accessible Appalachian trail. Even the cattle gates are accessible. It's beautiful knowing that less able bodied people can enjoy this farm. It filled my heart with more gratitude. At the edge of the farm Lee was waiting for us in a parking area and we hopped in. Back at the campground we dropped Lee off and WE and I grabbed lunch at McDonald's in town before heading back to shower and get ready for our reservation at Shirley's restaurant. I snuck in a load of hiking laundry too. We arrived at Shirley's a few minutes early but didn't wait long to be seated. The meal was family style and biscuits were brought out first with real butter. Yum! Then the plates and bowls filled with turkey and stuffing and all the sides came out. Most was good and some was just different, like I've never had cornbread salad before. We were stuffed to the gills when we left there! After a stop at CVS we went back to the camper to digest. I crawled into bed early knowing we have 16 miles to hike tomorrow and I suggested we do it northbound so we climb more than descend because my knees need a break.