Date: 2005-05-06
From: Overmountain Shelter

To: Elk Park, NC
Miles today: 8.7

I awoke and headed out toward Elk Park, interesting intersection here when I came to US 19 E. If you go right you are off to North Carolina, if you go left, Tennessee. What a hard choice, two of the most beautiful states in the South, and a man has to choose. Only because I had to pick up a package, pre-mailed to Elk Park (remember it was a name I could easily recall), I automatically went right. Eventually I went to both towns, I figured why not? The Post Office in Elk Park was closed at the time and was scheduled to re-open again at 1 PM. There in front of that Post Office, I finally got to meet Ms Janet from Erwin. She was shuttling a hiker North. I told her I wanted to come by and see her but her Hostel was full. Evidently she cannot turn anyone away, she is good people.    While waiting for the post office to open, I went to a local restaurant and had by far, one of the best cheese burgers to date. Cheese burgers were one of my main staples on the trail, either that or pizza. I went to a place called the "Country House Restaurant". There I met up with Turbo Joe and was introduced to two hikers named Funnel Cake and Inspector Gadget. They were young hikers and I bounced along the trail with them for a short time. I lost contact with them and do not know if they completed the trail or not. As of that time though, the only thing important to the four of us was food. For less then $7.00 dollars each and one hour later we waddled away. We were "Happy Hikers" indeed!    Afterwards Turbo Joe and I picked up my package and went to shop the local shops for all the little things we needed. Funnel Cake and Inspector Gadget went back to the AT. A few dollars later we moved West toward Tennessee ourselves and soon arrived near the trail head. Turbo Joe headed on "up the trail" and I went to the local Hiker Hostel. It was time for a shower. Not that I really needed it, my clothes could have lasted another week or so however, "Ode de Hiker Funk" was kicking in.      I stayed at the Mountain Harbor Hostel. What a great place. There were horses living below us in the stable, and everything there was comfortable. What else could you ask for ? Terry and Marge Hill run the place. They are Trans-ports from another state and set up their B&B there near a stream in a beautiful location. That is what is nice about this country, the "American Dream" is still alive and well, it just takes the right moves at the right time to make it in to a reality. Trust me, I was living the dream. Here was a nice place indeed, good people, hot shower and warmth so again, what else could you ask for. There at the B&B was Dirty Harry, Underground, Spirit, Strider, Speck and Pete (Syracuse Pete). Pete was a two time AT hiker who was there just for the fun of it. 60 years old and a free spirit through and through. He gets bored at home, packs up the apartment and hikes. Nice Pete, real nice.    10 dollars for the bed, 5 for breakfast and 3 for laundry (that I did not have to do). All around, after the experience on Roan Mountain, it was well worth it. Dirty Harry spent the next day there as well. He did big miles and even did a better time up Roan then me. Later on he did the "Four State Challenge" where again a hiker touches a foot in each state within a 24 hour period ( VA, WV, PA and MD ). I think he pushed it to hard though. He left the trail and talked about coming back, like so many others, but I do not think he made it. To bad, he was a strong hiker. After about another month or two, I heard nothing else of him for the rest of the trail.    As for me, I was still holding my own. I did hike two marathon distances in a row following two strong young female hikers further up North. Again that is another entry. For now though my distances were fair in length so I was not complaining. After all it wasn't about the big miles, it was about the trail and the people you meet. Eventually I did do big miles but by then so was everyone else. The terrain supported it. VA was, in part, smooth and easy going. No VA is not flat by any means but, it did have its places that were conducive to "Big Mile" days. More on that too, later that is.      My spirits were up because I made arrangements to "link up" with my daughter Shannon in Damascus Virginia. The plan was to meet at "Dots" at the edge of town at noon on the 13th of May. The back up would be to meet at the outfitters across the street. I would check back on the hour every hour till we met up with each other. I also told her to bring her tent, sleeping bag and pad plus three days of clothing. Damascus was only about 75 miles away for me and about a nine hour drive for her. I planned on being there in about a week, she could be there in a day. I was now back on a time line with days to spare. A nice place to be when you are on the trail, that is when you are not in a rush to get somewhere (no stress). You can take the time to see some things.... I saw lots of things....