Nimblewill Nomad
Long Distance Hiker/Author
Journal 4-ODYSSEY 2021: Bama to Baxter-Hike On!
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Sunday–February 14, 2021
Trail Day–004
Trail Mile–5.6/22.2
Location–Trammel Trailhead, then to US-280
Today’s shaping to be another iffy one, cloudy, chance of rain. Some reason though, dear friend Nathan is ready for some road walking. So, after the routine vehicle shuffle, were out and going (southbound today).
In the near future a new section of trail will be opened below Trammel Trailhead, eliminating much of the road walk out of Stewartville. Nathan is familiar with it, having worked with Kent Cooper during routing and flagging. So (short deliberation), the decision is to bushwhack it today.
Heading in, we have easy enough going to begin with, but once into the briars, 
brambles, and underbrush the easy going ends, as does the flagging. We do manage our way though, slowly, as Nathan looks for and finds well-marked corners along. Once the tread is cut and the trail blazed here, this will prove an enjoyable section, as the trail pops the ridges to then drop and follow rushing little brooks, only to repeat the whole process over again.
The new route finally leaves the tangle to pass along a grassy woods road through lands known as the Farnsworth tract. Here, in the recent past, Farnsworth organized an on-site project (with assistance from the Talladega Forest Planning Committee) to teach school children about the forest–the diversity and beauty of it.
The bushwhack behind us we finally leave the woods to hike the remaining short distance on the tarmac back to the intersection at US-280. A slow go today, but a fun hike.
Believe one who knows:
you will find something greater in woods than in books.
Trees and stones will teach you that which you can never learn from masters.
(Saint Bernard de Clairvaux)
Nimblewill Nomad 