This hostel is rustic, but a welcome sight after six or seven days in the Smokies, especially for those who forgo the temptation of Gatlinberg. It's about two and a half days, thirty three miles from Hot Springs, NC. It has some basic food resupply, showers, laundry, and a bunkhouse style hostel with sheets on the mattresses.
We think Coed is back a day in the Smokies, but we haven't heard from Tucson or Coed, so we're not sure. I hit a ridge line this morning and checked for service, had one bar, and quickly called the hotel in Hot Springs. Sounds like Wilson and I may have scored the last two rooms for the weekend. Either way, it'll be a quiet, private room. We both plan to zero Saturday.
4/15/15 - It was raining pretty good at daybreak, forcing a late start. And then it rained all day. Sometimes light, frequently hard, but it rained all day. And in the afternoon, the wind picked up too. To around thirty mph, and of course, cold. The trail turned into a creek and my shoes were soaked by mile three. So I did fifteen to Roaring Fork shelter. In the rain. Soaked to the skin, although reasonably warm under my rain jacket and rain kilt. Except when the wind tried to blow me over. Mud caked to my knees. Did I mention wet? I kept having to hold my arms straight down to drain the puddles that collected under my elbows. Rain was running down my arms from my hands and getting past the elastic cuffs. Finally I hauled out my waterproof mittens and tucked my jacket cuffs under the mittens. Worked, except my hands got too warm and sweaty.
At mile four and a half, I passed over Snowbird Peak, which has some sort of radio facility on top. Could hardly see it today. The cloud was firmly wrapped around the peak and the rain was beating down.
At mile thirteen from Standing Bear Farm, the trail finally starts up Max Patch, a bald mountain with beautiful views. On good days. Today was not good day. I took a couple of pictures anyway, stowed the phone in a plastic bag and got back to hiking before I froze. Being on the summit of a grassy hill, with a cold wind whipping your clothing around is no fun. I did mention it was wet, right?
Stomping and sliding downhill, I made camp about six pm to find the shelter full of course, no decent tent sites, and the rain still coming down. I stood in the creek and washed off my legs, gaiters and shoes. My shoes aren't any wetter but they are now cleaner. The creek water is colored with I guess tannins from the trees, but tastes okay after filtering. I need to hang my clothes but, yep, the rain in still coming down. Tomorrow is supposed to be a fifteen, then into town Friday morning. I may turn it into an eighteen if I can get a hotel room.
On a good note, Anchor and Miss Cattywampus are here. I thought they were a couple of days ahead, but they apparently zeroed them in Gatlinberg. It is good to see them again.
4/16/15 - I slept soundly last night, something I haven't done much of out here due to moonlight. Yesterday really beat me up. Everything was still wet and cold this morning. Just how bad was it? Ok kids, let's play Rained Out Hiker!
First, get you some quick drying gym clothing, no cotton fabrics. Now, go to the gym and work out until you've soaked your clothes. Then, go spray yourself in the shower until your clothes are drippy and your socks and shoes are full of water. Wring out everything and put them on a bag until you get home, then put the bag in the fridge overnight. If your spouse/mom complains, this is for Science! You can roll your pants, socks and shoes in mud if you want extra credit.
This is best done on a day when the nighttime temp will be in the low to mid 50s, but you'll still get credit if it's below 70. In the morning, pull your wet stuff out of the fridge, put it on while standing on your back porch, then without going back inside to warm up, walk down to the corner store or around the neighborhood until you warm up. Preferably you should walk uphill, because all hiking shelters are built at the bottom of hills. Congratulations, you now know what rained out hikers go through!
I was supposed to walk thirteen miles to Deer Park Mountain shelter, but decided that if it rained again this evening that I would prefer to be rained on in town, even if I was tenting on a hostel lawn. So I walked to Hot Springs, 18.2 miles. Wilson and I got two of the last three bunks at Laughing Heart Hostel on the edge of town. Turns out this is the weekend of the Hot Springs Hiker Fest and the town is packed.
4/17/15 - I'm pretty much reattuned to a normal schedule again. Come sunrise, I have to get out of bed. To at least complete necessary biological functions. Which is fine most days, and conducive to making miles on trail but not wanted on rest days.
This weekend is the 20th annual Hiker Fest in Hot Springs, so I'll be going to the spaghetti dinner tonight to support a local charity and then to a trail talk by Doug Elliot about gensing and other edible plants later.
We've caught Sam I Am, Dusty Pilgrim, Spirit and Sisu Sookie (of the Minnesota Twins); they left out this morning. Realistically they are still two days ahead, but it was good to see them. Sookie's sister went home at Fontana I think, she decided trail life was not her bag.
Sublime, Wild Turkey, Huck, Hound Dog, Beerman, Ms Cattywampus and Anchor, the German Twins, Tortoise, and many others are in town for the Fest. Cindy Loppers came in but is really only at Standing Bear Farm due to a badly twisted ankle and decided to go back for peace and quiet while healing. She will catch up I'm sure. A guy named Princess is here as well. He's named for the children's Mylar helium balloon he picked up on the trail. It had gotten away from somewhere and finally landed in GSMNP where he picked it up as trash to be disposed of properly. Why he decided to carry it still inflated I don't know.
We looked at the weather and when Coed and Tucson might get here and decided to wait out the rain due Sunday. Probably we'll get rained on Monday too, but whatcha gonna do?
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