April 2nd - Day 29 - Leap Frog Cafe to Greasy Creek Friendly

Fresh Grounds is up at three or four in the morning. I think he may have run into town to get more supplies, but by the time the troops have mustered, he is whipping up banana pancakes, bacon, and home fries faster than comprehension. I am hiking by 9 AM. The first bump of the day is a bald that has a 360 degree view, we see our next climb up ahead; Unaka Mountain. Unaka is a unique mountain on the AT, I am sure that all thru hikers can remember Unaka just by the name. the summit has no views but instead is completely in coniferous trees that block out all sunlight. It is one of my favorite summits, we sat and ate lunch in a silent beautiful mountaintop forest.

The AT headed towards Unaka Mtn.

WE hiked about 16.5 miles total today to get to greasy creek gap. The hostel was another six tenths of a mile off trail. AWOLs guide says go east on the jeep road. to the west there is a very distinct road bed, but to the east there is a campsite and some rhododendron. Rambo was hiking in front of us and missed the turn off. Mama Bear, Blink, Live, Halfmoon, Dan, and I venture off trail to where we hoped there would be friendlies. We all each considered heading back to the trail at some point on this spur trail. between the derelict building and garbage dumps, this didn't seem like the right place. sure enough we eventually came upon a bunkhouse with trekking poles outside it.

Greasy Creek Friendly

Since reading about this place in AWOL on the Appalachian Trail, the co-proprietor's husband has left and she is left working to try and buy him out. There is a crazy neighbor who seems to hate hikes, and probably just anyone in general and the two have been at war since the hostel opened. In truth both parties and a little mentally unstable, but there is nothing wrong with that, aren't we all a little crazy. Connie, the owner, sells smiley face stickers that you can immediately exchange for a beer or glass of wine, as long as you promise that you are of age. Her way of getting around liquor laws. I liked rockets approach of ignoring legality completely, but this is kinda fun. So I buy a couple beers and we sit out on the front porch cooking and eating and watch a thunderstorm come through. Good times are had by all.

April 1st - Day 28 - Erwin, TN to Fresh Grounds Leap Frog Cafe, Mile 348.8
Slept in until 8AM. Caught the 9AM shuttle into town, Uncle Johnny's is located on the outskirts of Erwin. Re-stocked on lunch foods. I've been eating pepperoni and cheese in a tortilla. I weigh my pack before I start out. It checks in at an all time high for the trail of 40.5lbs. Turrrrrible,

I don't leave uncle Johnny's until twenty of two. Real late start. We only hike 8 miles. Blink, Live, Rambo, Halfmoon, Mama Bear, Dan, Turtle, and I are here for the night. I love Fresh Grounds but my pack isn't getting lighter. Tonight is another banner night on the AT. Here is the excerpt from my journal:

"Legendary man, legendary night. Fresh Grounds made popcorn in a cast iron skillet and set a laptop out and we watched "the Other Guys" under the stars. Eight thru hikers & a trail god sprawled out on tarps and in sleeping bags."

Photo courtesy of Fresh Grounds Leap Frog Cafe Facebook. Handsome Dan(on cooler), Turtle, Goliath, Live-n-Learn,Rambo, Blink, Halfmoon, and Mama Bear (clockwise).

"Fresh Grounds is getting exhausted from 3.4 week of cooking for thru hikers for donations. I feel like he is pressure by the support and lack of support he has gotten. Even non-hikers contribute dollars to keep the Leap Frog Cafe open. Last year he went 808 miles up trail. but he is going to take a week off." Fresh grounds had a rough stretch this year. He had to put down his dog, and he got hit by an 18 wheeler all within two weeks and he still went out and put on hiker feeds. Fresh Grounds is a truly amazing individual. We caught him on a bad night. Someone the night before had messed up his cooking system and he is dealing with a lot of external problems. The hikers and community keep him going but also create pressure and problems. Its truly amazing what Fresh Grounds does and I don't think he gets enough respect for it.

Fresh Grounds recommends we stay at the Greasy Creek Friendly tomorrow night. He knows the proprietor Connie well and speaks highly of the place. We would not be disappointed.

March 31st - Day 27 - Bald Mtn. Shelter to Uncle Johnny's Erwin, TN
Got a late start on trail, everything is pretty frozen up here. Not hiking until 10 ish. I catch up to Walk Worthy who has been following the NCAA march madness. He informs me of UCONN's come from behind victory against Michigan. As the hike drops in elevation the temperature gets more bearable. with the sun out, one could say its almost hot. the last 10 miles before Erwin are beautiful, I love the smell of pine forest and this section before No Buisness Knob traverses through plenty of it. At the shelter Live and Learn and Blink catch up. they are slack packing today after ditching out of the snow yesterday. I meet Halfmoon and Mama Bear a mother daughter team who are slacking with them. Only six miles left until town.

View into Erwin, TN from the trail.

I rent a bike from Uncle Johnny's and ride to the Valero to buy beer. The south is weird about their booze. The north is very open about their alcohol problems, they don't use laws to try and stop them. The  two mile bike ride on the flat is more than I wanted, but I owed squirrel a beer. We spend another night having a great time, sitting by the fire talking. Rumors around that fresh Grounds is set up only a few miles down trail. Should be an exciting day tomorrow.

March 30th - Day 26 - Devils Fork Gap to Bald Mountain Shelter
I walk outside the shed we are staying in and see all white. Oh good, there's snow again. The other hikers staying in the shed are Walk Worthy and his nephew.  We all eat and gear up for the trip out into the cold. We get the second trip out the trail head are the wind is whipping snow into the air and its cold. Two hikers decide they'll wait it out another day. Dan and I march onward. As soon as we are under tree cover the wind dies down and we just have to deal with the cold and snow drifts.

Handsome Dan geared up for a walk in the snow.

Its a burly hike once on the ridge up to Hogback Gap Shelter. Periodic drifts up to our knees and we are breaking trail. We stop for a late warm lunch at the shelter and chat with Journeyman. he tells us that they had 10 people last night crammed into an eight person shelter, and that one hiker slept in the doorway. That hiker was Live and Learn, who undoubtedly got caught in the rain storm and stumbled into a full shelter. Journeyman and I have an unexpectedly meaningful conversation about life and travelling. He is zero-ing at the shelter to try and dry some gear out.
Sam's Gap is less than 2 miles further and a previous thru named Yonder (AT 07) is set up with trail magic. I meet back up with Dan cram 3 brats down and we make a final push eight miles up and over Big Bald.

Dan and I are good hiking partners, both logically minded with similar life experiences and opinions. We share musical tastes and coordinate our Ipods on this climb to "Joe's Garage" an album by Frank Zappa.

The summit is well earned, we push hard to get here. Long cold uphill rewarded by a windier, colder summit. Fueled on Adrenaline and snickers bars. I will never tire of 360 degree views from balds. 

Big Bald summit victory.

Sunset looking back at Big Bald

At the shelter we run into Ginko from Germany, Professor Turtle, Grease and his parents. Ginko draws elaborate sketches in the shelter logs and, Professor Turtle writes blurbs about flora and fauna of the trail, sometimes with samples included. Its been a long day, but I can't be happier to be on the AT.

March 29th - Day 25 - Hemlock Hollow Inn to Devil Fork Gap
Dan sorts out a slack pack from here to 20 miles up trail at Laurel Trading Post. Its a nice hike, but I am itching to get back out into the woods for a night. Laurel Trading Post cost 32 dollars for dinner and a bunk, and not even a shower. $32 for little more than I would have gotten in the woods. There are six bunks in a one car garage bay and the heater is broken. The bunks are a two by four frame with chicken wire and a thin foam pad to sleep on. I don't blow up my Big Agnes pad for fear that it may pop. I do eat a burger, so it evens out a little. If I hike the trail again I will stop at neither of these places. 60 dollars more I could have spent supporting other hiker institutions like The Doyle.

I guess my point is there are all sorts of accommodations on the trail. Sometimes you need a shower or want to get out of the weather. Sometimes you don't need to stay inside. There are some places worth staying at regardless of conditions. There are also some places I would avoid at all costs. In my experience there are places, more so early on in the trail, that nickel and dime the shit out of hikers. Maybe Ill start a running list of the stay and not stay places on the AT. I did a lot of research before my hike but only heard of a few dos and don'ts for hostels. Kincora for example, is a great place to stay, run by a great man who truly cares. The Doyle Hotel, its rough appearance and owners can be a lot for some people to handle. but you live in the woods and these people really care about hikers. If I could do anything about it I would have more lodging dollars go toward Pat and Vicki at the Doyle than places like Hemlock Hollow and Laurel Trading Post. Save it for people who care.

March 28th - Day 24 - Rich Mountain to Hemlock Hollow

"No decision is a wrong decision on the AT"

This is the conclusion Dan and I come to sitting on the porch of the Hemlock Hollow Inn. Everything works out.  I got a hot shower, not that I deserved it only being out one night. Four Fingers is here, so Live opted against staying. Gandalf, Midnight Sparkle, Copperhead, and a few others are here. Chainsaw is the caretaker here, the irony in the name comes from the fact that he is missing more than a couple front teeth... Its a good night, sitting around a campfire with new friends and beer. I take a very sketchy shuttle into town with an obviously intoxicated Chainsaw, not the best judgement on my part, but I needed those Swiss rolls. There are very many hostels on the early part of the trail so it is too easy to get sucked into the comforts of the real world, but eventually everyone learns the real fun in the AT is out in the woods. Save the hostel dollars for when you really need it.

March 27th - Day 23 - Hot Springs, NC to Rich Mountain
Pack up at the hostel with the intent of leaving town. A mail drop from Bozeman is still not in so I wait with Dan and Live at the Hikers Ridge Ministries. Queen Diva is the trail angel in charge of this wonderful institution. She bakes cookies for and takes pictures of hikers coming through and is all around just a good human being. We would watch her facebook page later on through the hike to see how many hikers were coming through.

Its getting later and later on in the afternoon. My mail drop still hasn't come in. Word of the community dinner reaches our ears. Sunbear, Packrat, Dan, live, and I decide to stick around to eat and then night-hike out of town to avoid lodging costs on one more night in town. What a great idea.

Many friends show up for the community dinner. At 7:30 the sun starts to fade and five thru-hikers head up the mountain. This is my first night hike, and the first of many great night hikes. It starts off with a beautiful sunset over beauty spot.

Sunset over Hot Springs, NC

I hadn't met Packrat until today, but he shares wild stories from his previous through hikes including my personal favorite about the time he was taking a vow of silence and got pulled over by the cops for crossing the Bear Mountain Bridge too many times. He also talks about frequently pulling off trial to explore for caves. Dan renames him sling blade for his accent and appearance and every time we pass a cave together we call out for Packrat. He is a good kid, I imagine he is consistently misunderstood. I don't quite understand him...

A moment that will stay with my for the rest of my life takes place as we are resting on a bench by a small pond. The frogs are out, but all else is silent. Delirious but full invested in the spirit of the hike, Dan whips out "Freaks come out at night" an 80s rap song by Whodini. This song perfectly captures this moment, and would become the theme of many night hikes to come.