An Easter Sunday Hitch in Erwin TN

Today was a day of stoic patience and understanding. Let me first catch you up on the past few journal entries.

April 9th Day:29 Campsite marker 304.9
Daily miles: 22.2 Weather: sunny 70
Menu: B(breakfast): Poptarts, peanut butter (pb), Granola bar (Gbar), Oatmeal Cream pie (ocp)
Lunch (L): Trail Magic from Hercules- Belgian Waffles, beef stew, black berry poundcake cobblrer with 3 scoops of ice cream, coffee
Dinner(D): Rice and beans, cheese, roll, poptart,ocp



Today was the first 20 mile o moer day. It's 1:30am right now and we just finished a full moon hike that put us over the 300 mile mark. I am not sure if i would have been up for the challenge had it not been for trail magic earlier in the day. Hercules and Fal were so hospitable letting us into their home and catering to our hungry desires by offering us a list of drinks, 3 course meal with dessert and a hug to end it all. Very nice folks!
today also proved to be a day of pranks as Steam(jason) added a can of soup to Tin Man's pack- he will have to carry it 24hrs before handing it off discretly.
I was able to make the 2nd shelter 15.2 miles away in good time so I could make dinner before heading out to our continued 6.8 mi full moon hike. Now I sleep in open air near a neat cluster of tents bordering the trail. The wind blow gently and it is still warm for so late in the night.



April 10 Day: 30 Hogback Ridge Shelter
Daily miles:7.9 Weather: Thunderstorms in the morning and night, sunny day

Menu: B- Poptarts, ocp, gbar,
L- 2 luncheon meat, cheddar, relish, sandwiches, fig newtons, gorp
D- Tuna onion, velvetta shells, mashed potatoes


Woke up to a klittle sprinking which led to a heavy downpour. The night was not too bad for arriving late and not setting up a tent. I flew out of my sleeping bag at the first drop and was packed as fast as a jack rabbit. Getting up so early and rushing around got me real tired and I had to crap. Finally, after a mile when I was drenched, chaffing and at my limit, I came to a road crossing with a good pine tree covering on the side where I was able to take care of business and put on some tights.
Things were looking up!!!
The rest of the day was uneventful do to the fact that I was exhausted and could not move my legs. I did not get to the shelter until 3pm and I think I left around 9:45am. The muddy trail made for slips and slides at every step.
I thought about going on a little furter so i could get to Erwin early on sunday but a new hiker i met, Dinnertime, had his buddy Brian birng lots of goodies and captain Morgan. They like to share! I imagine the evening will wind down with a few nips of rum while listening to the bass of thunder.




April 11th Day 31 No Business Knob Shelter
daily miles: 20.7 Weather: Rainy, 40 fog clear evening

Menu: B-oatmeal (4 packets), pb, apple, ocp, gorp gbar
L- Luncheon meat cheese onion crakcers snickers ocp gorp
D- Alfredo side, sweet and spicy tuna,butterfinger ocp



Did 20 miles again today. Hitting the big mileage is getting to be quite nice. Tomorrow I have an easy 6.3 to Erwin and my plan is to get up as early as possible to grab breakfast in town, go food shopping, hit the internet and watch a movie before heading for the shelter 4.2mi out of town.
I have heard there is an AYCE piza buffet in town. Sounds promising!
I lost Ian and Kendra at the last shelter and I am sure they are about 1 day behind now; they may be getting even further with the high mileage days I am putting in. I really do miss them and hoope to be able to watch a playoff game with them.
Not much else to tell, the hike was muddy but not terribly dreadful for 20 miles. I should sleept since will be getting up at 6am.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



So those are the highlights of the past few days. Things did not go as planned today but I just went with it.
I did not get up at 6am...it was 6:38am.
I got to the hostel around 9am. Dried my stuff out and took a shower. Washed my socks and undies. Then borrowed a bike to head to town but the derailler broke when one of the gears popped off. I stashed the bike in the back of a funeral home and then hitched a ride to the china buffet where I was going to meet some people but that was closed.
There was not All You Can Eat pizza buffet...but I went to a great KFC buffet
The movie theater was closed. So I went food shopping and hitched a ride back to the hostel.
I barely got to the internet.
Now I have to head out the door to make it to the shelter before dark. I still have plenty of time and 2 italian hoagies and a pear in my bag for dinner.
I should be in Damascus where I take a Zero in about 8days. Happy Easter!