Date: 2018-05-04
From: Stealth tenting on a ridge 

To: Stealth above a cow pasture
Miles today: 20.0

Another beautiful warm morning and sunrise.Got up early and was ready to put in some miles. Clouds and sun with a nice cool breeze all morning all the way up Glade mtn.More great hiking crossing lots of streams. Crossed under some huge power lines.They were buzzing very loudly.Could here them from a ways away .Not sure if that¢s normal.Shortly after came to Lindamood school.Its an old 1 room schoolhouse built in 1884 and was in use until the late 1930s.Really felt like walking back in time.Made me wonder what the teacher and students were like .Way different from now I am sure.There were separate outhouses out back for boys and girls.Inside was original and immaculate.Desks ,chalkboard,everything,and a really updated wood stove in the very middle of the small room.A local church sets up trail magic for us thru hikers everyday.They had everything was really amazing.Fresh fruit,chips,cookies,personal hygiene items,and huge variety of drinks and other stuff hikers need.So kind of them to do this for us and they want nothing in return.Comfortably Numb and I agreed this was one of the best surprises on the trail.  The next 3 makes were rolling and open with lots of flowering trees.Felt like I walked into spring finally today!So many different birds flying around and singing.Saw some really old foundations and houses fallen into the earth.I would do anything to go back in time to see what it all looked like. The trail takes you right to Atkins Va.There is a restaurant right on the trail called the barn.So of course we stopped in!Cant pass up a good burger so that¢s exactly what was next.I had the hungry hiker burger w/ cheese.Amazing 1 lb of meat with everything and curly fries.It was gone in 5 minutes.Didnt even really feeel that hungry,but gone.Went to a gas station across the street and got a 24 ox of Corona to carry out for dinner later too! Was really hot and sunny as we climbed a few more hills and ridges.Nice out so we decided to try to get another 20 miler.Part of this was through an old pasture that looks unused now but very beautiful.Crazy amounts of different birds flying around and singing.One was bright red with black wings,not a cardinal.Trying to figure out what it was because it is the prettiest bird I have ever seen.This little section of trail I was thinking to myself that I would love to have my ashes spread here someday.Just felt so peaceful and beautiful and like I belonged there.   We pushed on through the next pasture which was bigger and full of friendly cows.We decided to camp right in the gated pasture with the cows way up on a hill away from them with great views back to what we climbed all day.Had our tents all set up when a big bull started making his way up toward us on a mission.Didnt see him on the way in!We packed up quick and split.Not sure anything would have happened,but probably wouldn¢t have slept to good knowing he was out there.So we went an extra .2 out of the pasture and into the woods on a ridge.As soon as we set up our tents the sky opened up and rained hard.Barely made it!Been raining steady for a few hours now.Rain just came from nowhere and fast.Supposed to rain next 2 days with thunderstorms.Rain doesn¢t bother me when it¢s this warm out. I As they say no rain,no pain,no Maine.And a rainy day on the AT is 100% better than everyday at work back in the real world.Havent thought about work for weeks now. ¢Makes much more sense,to live in the present tense ¢-Pearl Jam