What a most glorious day it is indeed! I couldn’t stop thinking about what a wonder it was when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to Jesus’ tomb and he was not there. They had to be afraid and fearful of what the Romans may have done. But when Jesus appears, what rejoicing was to come. I woke up this morning to the most perfect morning filled with gobbling turkeys and birds soaring high above. I couldn’t of prayed for a better day.

Blood Mountain

This was the infamous Blood Mountain climb that all speak of. It is a rock scramble that we haven’t seen before, with stairs chiseled out of the native rock. Yesterday with all the mist and fog, it would’ve been bloody hard to see the trail, let alone climb it. But today, was spectacular. I was the first in our group of ten to breakdown camp and head up to this incredible battle field.

Evidently there were two Indian Tribes that wanted to preserve the rights to defend this rock. After many had lost there lives, the rock was covered in blood. Hence the name Blood Mountain. Just as Jesus shed his blood for us, for our salvation, these natives lost their life for nothing but a rock! Hard to understand.

Sweeping Vistas

It took me a couple of hours but it was so worth the climb. Once atop the hill, a group of Floridians told me to check out the vista from atop the big boulder. Oh my, what a miraculous view it was. The Georgia Mountains were peaking above the low lying clouds. I just stood in awe thanking our Lord for this incredible sight, the physicality to actually attempt it and for his blessing of giving his life for me, and you.

I stayed for a bit of time and finally started the decent down this precarious rock slab. The only way to truly know which way to go was the random white blazes on the rocks and slabs. There were few trees, mostly low brush but lots of boulders. The trail finding for slow going but I finally made it to somewhat level ground and came out of the woods to Neels Gap – Mountains Crossings. This is such a welcome sight for all.

Every Hikers Delight

Mountain Crossings is a haven for thru-hikers as you can find anything you need for the trail! Along with that, all the food and drink you could desire, except alcohol. This stretch ch of Georgia is a dry county on Sundays. And needless to say, this store doesn’t supply beer or any other libation anytime. So Pizza and Ginger Ale were on the menu. I stayed for a few hours, eating, charging my phone, getting water, attempting to find Wi-Fi, and just relaxing on a bench! There is something civilized about sitting on a bench rather than a log or rock.

Wolverine Duty

One of the hikers I’ve been hiking around is named Elijah. Elijah has a rather heavy pack, and asked Waffle- Trail Expert, to Wolverine his pack. With all his possessions laid out on the floor, she proceeded to talk about every piece of gear, equipment, and personal items that he had. By the time she was done, his pack weight was down by ten pounds! Happy Easter Elijah. You will be much lighter and less burdened, on the trail.

Rainy Days and Sundays

I headed back out on the AT, while most of the group I’ve been hiking with, spoke of jumping off trail for hotels and hostels. The weather forecast predicts rain for the next few days, and they are hoping for clear skies before returning. That could be a long ways off or from what I’ve seen, the precipitation may never materialized. The one thing I have learned on the AT is that the weather reports are quite exaggerated and seldom accurate.

I decided to keep hiking. By the time I was up the trail one mile, it did start raining, but ever so slightly. I found a nice piece of ground and pitched my nightly home. Before I knew it, there were several of the pack who decided to stay on trail after all. We all had dinner, hung our food bags and prepared for the forecast of impending doom. We’ll see. For now, I’m as snug as a bug in a rug!

“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it…..The angel said to the women, Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28:1-2, 5 NIV‬‬