Date: 2018-04-12
From: Mountain Harbor Hostel

To: Laurel Falls
Miles today: 0.0

At the hostel tent site I woke up to the sound of the river flowing and an 18 wheeler jamming on it's brakes as it flew down the mountain road. What a difference! I woke up a little later than I expected around 730. Either my watch alarm didn't go off or my crazy dreams and weird sleep caused me to turn it off subconsciously. I packed up my tent quickly and stuffed everything in my bag to get over to the hostel for the AYCE breakfast. I didn't want to be late!By 7:50 I arrived and got coffee and orange juice before the food was ready. I charged my phone which I had mistakenly left on all night and was now at 18%- dang! When food was ready I was fourth in line. The first plate was home fries, pancakes, a breakfast taco and eggs. Next came biscuits and gravy with more home fries then I ended the meal off with two more pancakes and a few small donuts. Yum!I began my hike around 9am after walking the 0.5 miles back to the trail. The breakfast must have fueled me because I was cruising. Today's terrain was relatively "flat." I say that because even though my guidebook (The AWOL guide is the primary source out here. Anyone considering hiking or wanting to follow me more closely should purchase one!) showed small ups and downs, it's much tougher to hike those than just look at them and think they're easy. Kind of like corporate looking at something and saying it's easy when the ground level guys know it's not.I hit mile 400 today and at mile 400.2 took a side trail to a water fall. It was awesome! I had been swayed by other hikers writing "it's worth it," "you're a bum if you don't go," or my favorite was someone writing in the dirt "nature porn" with an arrow pointing towards the falls. Here I met stoic, had her take my picture and I was off.Today I wore my bandana in an odd way to attempt to keep sun off my neck. Not only did it do that but I also looked like a pirate which was an extra bonus! The temperature reached about 75 degrees or so and I hit another waterfall shortly after. Each time I took a mini shower in the water and used it to cool my face and wet my bandana. This is what the AT feels like!I followed a river along the bank bringing me back to my springtime runs in Stanley park back in Westfield, MA. I started getting really excited for an annual kayaking trip that Tom Mulligan, Mike Tryon and Chris Perkins and I have done on the Westfield River every year. We plan on doing it again when I hit MA! It was such a nice day. I took a break around 10 miles on a bench someone had miraculously brought up the trail and placed in a very scenic area then continued on. Eventually I passed the area where the group of us had planned to stay. It was so early, so beautiful out and I was feeling 100% that I left them a note saying I was pushing on at the shelter and continued another 6 miles or so. I eventually reached Laurel Falls,a huge waterfall in Tennessee! It was about 6pm by now so I kept an eye out for a place to tent. I was worried that it was too late to get a spot at the shelter a mile away and apparently there were no spots to tent there. I found a wonderful spot right by the river about a mile from the shelter. I set up my tent, ate dinner, stretched and took care of my feet. Soon enough it was time for bed and as I write this I'm laying in my tent listening to the river nice and warm after a long but rewarding 26 mile day!