Hot Springs to Erwin

3/19 – 3/20

I simply cannot express how much I enjoyed my time off at the Strupp’s in Asheville.  I lived like a King for over two days, getting a sports massage at the gym, local food and beer, and a tour of the city by Ben.  I played with the kids and the pets, slept like crazy, and ate insane amounts of food.  I stayed an extra day due to heavy weather passing through, snow expected at higher elevations.  When I did laundry, though, I accidentally left my ear plugs in a shirt pocket, ruining them.

Ben was kind enough to take me back to Hot Springs where I picked the trail up where we had gotten off two days earlier, and I picked up my journey from there.

3/21

Hiked to Little Laurel Shelter.  At times it was quite cold, and there was plenty of snow on the ground from the previous night’s storms.  It’s hard to make the legs work after a couple of days off.  Weather reports indicated low 20s over night, so I elected to stay at the shelter for warmth.  Wonka, Princess Lea, and Oak were there.  Guy next to me snored like a truck, and I didn’t have ear plugs so was up most of the night.  Ear plugs are considered mandatory equipment.

3/22

More rain heading in, so I stared pushing to get to Erwin, TN.  Without ear plugs, I decided to push past the Hogback Ridge Shelter by about a mile and stealth camp.  I hiked with Stripe for a few hours, and he camped near me that night.  Really nice guy… retired Air Force Crew Chief.  Water supply for Hogback Ridge is a quarter mile hike each way, but we were dry and made the trip.  I camped next to a side trail that lead to an amazing overlook and camped “cowboy” (no tarp or tent) under the amazing stars.

About 8:30, a guy we met at Hogback Ridge – Red Bear – came by night hiking.  He wanted to “see the overlook.” At night. In the pitch black.  Sigh

Stuck and Bumblebee are a day ahead, and Wonka is a shelter back.

3/23

My first “Marathon Day,” 27 miles into Erwin.  Granted, most of it was down hill, but it felt amazing covering that kind of ground so quickly.  Stripe really moves put, and I did my best to keep up.  At the end of the day, I claimed that he dragged me and he claimed that I dragged him.

We ended up at Uncle Johnny’s Hostel right on the Nolichucky River where the AT crosses over a small bridge.  After grabbing bunks, we found out that we had missed the dinner shuttle.  After I showered, the driver helped us call in a pizza order, and we picked it up on the way to retrieve the dinner crowd.  There must have been a dozen people in the shuttle van.  While Stripe went in to get the pizza, I resupplied for four days in 15 minutes flat at the Dollar General next door.  Stripe picked up beer and we demolished the large pizza back at the hostel.  The dog eyed us carefully.

I bought ear plugs and trekking poles in the hostel outfitter.  Everyone seems to agree that trekking poles are really helpful, so I should at least give them a second try.