Monday April 22

Iron mtn shelter to Abingdon gap 16 miles. Left camp at 845, lunch at double springs shelter at 1200 with m80, Yank, techie, zag ,Shutterbug.  I Arrived at Abingdon gap at 415.
440.8-448.4-456.7
Baptist trail magic today..a pin locked orange metal box with a cooler inside, a first aid kit and an empty snack box. I had a mountain dew..first soda I've had the whole time (except for the root beer float)
WE walked a bit on an "accessible" trail..just a gentle grade, compacted gravel trail that led right up to a farm, around the barn..lovely views. I imagined a farmer that could no longer get around very well and had this trail built so he could come out in his golf cart to keep a check on everything... It led up to a barb wire fence that we had to climb over via a little platform. On the other side was the pasture...of death.
The absolute highlight of the day( and maybe for the whole trip so far) was walking through this cow pasture, complete with mama and baby cows..
I had no problem with this, however, willow the dog did. She did not care for those big four legged bovines giving her the evil eye. M 80 had to finally just pick her up by her harness and carry her across the pasture. Not an easy task with pack, hiking poles and 45 pound scrappy -doo saying "lemme-at-'em " .! Trooper was hysterical walking along clicking her hiking poles together saying "no! Get back!" Everyone knows cows with new babies are very intimidated by skinny women brandishing little aluminum collapsible poles. once again, I wish I could share the video with you. My monologue is petty funny, too."we are walking through a cow pasture complete with cows...oh look, there's baby cows, too! Hey baby cows! Y'all are cute! Hey momma cow, don't mind me, I'm just gonna walk right between you two and go on my way... Looks like we're gonna have a face off...I'll just go around...oh look, another baby cow lying right by the post, on the trail...little stiff legged baby cow trying to walk..so cute"
My lord, you wouldn't know I actually grew up in the country..I sound like a babbling city idiot!
We made it safely over the fence..poor willow had to be handed off over the fence like a package of contraband moonshine...we laughed the rest of the way and said if that farmer didn't have a hidden camera, he ought to get one!
In the shelter: techie, Yank, Shutterbug, me, zag; m80 in their Taj Mahal; Englishman smiles tenting (his birthday is tomorrow, too...but only 24)
Pics: baptist trail magic; me on the farm (before the pasture)..you can see the accessible trail in the background