Date: 2007-04-01
From: Cosby Knob Shelter

To: Green Corner Road
Miles today: 10.4

It started raining around 5 this morning, but by the time we started on the trail at 8 it had all but stopped. The first 8 miles to Davenport Gap, which is the northern most boundary of the Smokies, started out with a long gradual climb and then the rest was all downhill with lots of rocks and roots which were slippery because of the rain that had fallen and continued to fall lightly at intervals. I started out with a rain jacket but soon took it off because I worked up too much of a sweat climbing. I got just as wet under the jacket from sweat as I did without it with the little rain that fell. When we started north from Davenport Gap it was a pretty steep climb and then down to a beautiful stream flowing down the mountain over rocks. Along the trail we saw our first mayapples along the trail and lots of trillium---yellow ones and white ones. So much more green down at these lower altitudes. This hostel was a bit of a shock to us at first. The bunkhouse is dark and close. But we both had a hot shower and have clean clothes in the dryer. We baked a pizza from the freezer and it was sooooo good! And we have filled up on sodas. Hikers here are Flint, Hobo, Magellan, Hermes, Smiley, Pooch, Tom Dooley, Footpump, Catapillar, Cedar and Flower Lady, Widowmaker, and others. Cedar and Flower Lady are from Maine and have a flower/plant nursery but have closed it down so they can walk the trail. Pooch and Tom Dooley are hiking with 2 dogs but had to board them while they hiked through the Smokies as dogs are not permitted in the park. Tomorrow their dogs are being delivered here and then they will hike on. Flint shaved Pooch's hair pretty close today and it looks really nice. Magellan then had a close haircut--Hobo did hers. Then Dorothy had to have hers done. Hey! Hair is a nuisance out here!! Why these guys want to grow their hair out here is a mystery to me. I haven't really looked in the mirror yet but I don't care---it will grow out soon enough. We have pictures of Magellan and then me getting our heads buzzed. Then Pooch, Magellan, and I had to have a photo of our new "dos". This evening we have had hot dogs on buns with mustard at the campfire here. Wow! They were good. I have drank and eaten plenty today. Now they are roasting marshmallows. Sixty hiked in today but justhiked out for a couple more miles to a campsite. She had her pack on and hiking poles in hand when a hiker came to the trash can to throw away his leftover pizza crust he didn't eat and Sixty saw it and her eyes widened and she said, "I'll eat that crust if you are going to throw it away." And she picked it up and ate it. Toto then said he went to the privy and Flint was there. Flint asked if Toto had any toilet paper, as if he was waiting for someone to come along. It has been a good relaxing day here and I am glad we stayed. The only thing I have not appreciated is the music some have been playing and the smoke from the smokers. The smoke has been a problem in the shelters, too. There are a lot smokers on the trail. We seem to be showing up at all the same shelters, hostels, etc. Tomorrow is a couple of tough climbs. We want to do 14 plus miles but we may not be able to do it. I am so much slower on the climbs that I lose a lot of time. Toto is always waiting for me at he top of the really tough ones and then we have a break. Of course, his breaks end up being longer than mine because he waits for me to get there. It is nice to have him waiting for me, though. It is cooling off now and will be dark enough to go to bed soon. We need to get out of here early if we want to get a lot miles in.