Date: 2010-04-06
From: Cosby Knob Shelter

To: Green Corner Road (Standing Bear Hostel)
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: clear sky

I woke up about 5:10 am just enjoying the cozy warmth of my bag and rolled over with the intention of getting another hour of snooze time. About 5 minutes later someone¢s cell phone started beeping non-stop. Woke almost everyone up except the wrestling team. No one claimed ownership of the offending phone so I unzipped my bag, put on my shoes, found the offending backpack, walked it over to the edge of camp and threw it over the side of the mountain.I was up for the day so ate breakfast, picked up and left about 7:00 before the rest of the wrestling team got up. So there was the case of the missing backpack. (Actually, I threw it in the woods up by the privy, so anyone who went could hear it beeping). TRAIL TRUTH #14 ¢ NEVER, NEVER wake up a thru-hiker. There are consequences...Got a good start. After an 800¢ climb over 2 miles, and then a long, long down from 5,000¢ to 1,500¢ over the next 7 miles. It was an easy grade and I was able to take it quite fast. Did the 9 miles in 5 12 hours, taking a half hour lunch break.As I lost altitude, spring seemingly unfolded in front of me. Spring wild flowers abounded including trilliums and violets, then dogwoods and redbuds. I stopped at one point to look back at these Smokey Mountains that had so intimidated me back at Fontana Dam. They were big, the snow was challenging and exciting. I remember times moving my feet forward just a few inches at a time for what seemed like hours and finally understanding why those intrepid mountaineers climb to Base Camp 4 up Everest in what appears to be slow motion. The northern-half of the Smokies is rugged and beautiful.All the trials and tribulations of the first 160 miles of this trail were all in preparation for the Smokies. So my 800¢ climb this morning at 4,200-5,000 feet was done quickly and without a break. I couldn¢t have done that only a couple of weeks ago.As I came to the bottom of this long, long downhill, I came across Pigeon Creek, which the AT followed for awhile. One waterfall after another entertained the eyes and ears and when I came to the place to cross it, I stopped, took my socks and shoes off and sat soaking my feet in the cool, cool water with the waterfall right behind me, wildflowers exploding along the banks of the stream and a delicate lavender butterfly fluttering in the dappled sunlight. Ahhhhh, bliss.Ended the day at Standing Bear Farm, a most unique hostel. You stay in the bunkhouse, wash your clothes with a washboard, put them through a hand-operated wringer and line dry them. You have 24-hour access to the general store and keep track of the items you take, writing the amount on an envelope and turning it in with your payment before you leave in the morning.A group of hikers were partying late by the fire near the kitchen area. There were some grumbles from the early-to-bed people in the bunkhouse.But when one of the boarded dogs. a Weimareiner with separation anxiety from her owner, started howling about 11:00 pm sounding like a coon dog hot on the trail, we all started to laugh. One of the Standing Bear employees brought the dog into his bedroom and settled her down for the night.