Date: 2003-07-17
From: Rustys Hard Time Hollow

To: Rustys Hard Time Hollow
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Close your eyes and imagine the coolest, neatest place you have ever been. Then multiply the coolness times 100.....you still are not even close to Rusty's!! :) Let me explain...Rusty's is a hostel for thru hikers.... kind of.It is a farm with no electricity or phone, with springs providing the water. For a thru hiker, this kind of place is right up our alley. We don't need electricity or running water. We just appreciate having a roof over our head and a chance to sit in a chair and talk to neat people. But, the thing that makes Rusty's so special, is Rusty!! This man is wonderful! First of all, he is ecclectic and unique. I guesschosing to live out here without the 'modern conviencies' sets him apart from most people! :)And he has a wicked, sly, intelligent sense of humor! From the time you turn down his road, there are signs everywhere...hanging on trees, walls, inside the outhouse, etc. Sayings like "Whenever you want to visit, there is always someone here" mix with, "If ya don't leave, ya can't come back".   Humorous, honest, welcoming and stern....these signs tell you exactly what is what here! I was nervous about meeting Rusty, cause he is truly a trail legend! And he is famous for either liking you or not liking you! Either way, you will know without a doubt where you stand!:) Of course, that is what all the rumors say....what I can tell you is that Rusty has a huge heart, and the only people I can imagine him not liking are people that come here and take advantage of him and his kindness.   Rusty is a man of serious faith, and there is a gentleness about him that I think comes from really loving the people, animals, and land around him. However, he does not suffer fools gladly! If you come in here lying about who you are and where you have been, he will know it. Rusty is amazingly generous with his home. His land seems to go on forever, and there are lots of different buildings. There is a spring house with wonderful fresh water and tons of chickens, roosters, and guineas running around. The main building has a back porch with over-sized chairs and tons of books. It looks out over a giant, and I do mean giant, garden that sits down in a bowl of mountains.   Can you see how wonderful it is?! When we got here our old friend Pirate was here. I had heard that he was staying at Rusty's and I was carrying a present.....cough medicine, if you will....for him and was glad to get a chance to deliver itin person! :) Also there was Hillbilly, who we had met at the RockBridge Gap Visitors Center, and Deteour, who we had not seen since we were at the Four Pines Hostel in Catawba. Along with Rusty, we had a really fun crowd and the evening was wonderful!   Pirate cooked us all hotdogs for dinner and we woke up to the fattest, lightest pancakes I have ever had! Good, company, good food, gorgeus country....I finally understand why so many people get sucked into Rusty's Holler. Detour himself has been here for two weeks! We will have a hard time limiting ourselves to one days stay, but tomorrow we have to hike on. However, I can already tell that my time here will be among the most special on the trail.   The world would be a better place if there were more Rusty's out there! :)