Date: 2016-05-13
From: 701.8

To: campbell shelter marker 712.1
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: light rain

Today is day 50, Friday --- also Friday the 13 th. Keri and I are currently sitting on McAfee knob. It is a beautiful day. Gosh what a difference good weather .and good company makes. There is a bear issue in this area so we are very restricted on camping options. Today we can only walk 10.3 miles. Or we could do 20 and that is not happening. So, let's talk about our stay last night at the HoJo. I actually look forward to the stories that come out of my hotel stays. The room had a no smoking sign but OMG... There had been smoking in the room. Oh well.. It had a bed and shower... So I can get over that. Watched a little TV catching up on the news... Always interesting. Around 10... Guess what I hear?? Just guess!! Yep, the guy in the room next to me... SNORING.. And I can hear him. I actually laughed and thought of this story:: A friend of my father, Buster B, is following my journal. When I previously spoke about people snoring he told one of my brothers... "Well, you tell Amy that Marvin (my Dad) snored with the best of them. And that whenever my Dad took Buster to the fishing camp he kept everyone up... With his snoring." So now, I will embrace everyone who snores and think of it as a sign that my Dad is near. That makes my heart smile. Moving on. Keri and I woke at 6:30 brushed our teeth and went straight to Bojangles!! CH turned me on to their biscuits when he came to see me in Erwin. Thanks CH!! Went then packed our gear and waited for Homer to pick us up. And what a treat it was meeting Homer. I just love meeting and talking to the shuttle folks. Homer is 74. He, his wife and two kids hiked the trail in 2002. He had a book in his car that someone published about their hike. He was married on top of McAfee knob 29 years ago!! And every anniversary he and his wife hike to the knob and have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. PERFECT! Ok... We finally started walking at 9! Late for me but hey... Meeting Homer was worth it. We made it to a road crossing and there was a news crew ( channel 10 out of Roanoke, Virginia). They asked if they could interview us regarding the trouble with bears in the next section. We first said, no. But the young lady asked again and we agreed. It was kept short... And then we moved on. The hike was so calm compared to what I have been doing. A welcome treat and I am so happy for Keri. Now since we have time to kill ... We are sitting, shoes off hanging out on top of the knob. We will cover 10.3 miles today and 15.4 tomorrow to make it back to Daleville. Oddly i feel a bit guilty about taking such a break in the middle of the day. This is a first in 50 days. I need to let that go and embrace the good company and wonderful weather. We will camp at Campbell shelter where there will be lots of other hikers due to the restrictions I spoke of. Also, someone who is following my journal, from NH, wrote and told me that a hiker in the smokey mountains was bitten, by a bear, while he slept in his tent. OK that info and it being Friday the 13... I will follow the rules and NOT camp where the rangers have said, "no camping." Even if slowing down sometimes causes me to get antsy. I need to remember what Woodchuck told me.... Patience is key to doing this trail !!! Ahhh- the lessons I continue to learn.