Date: 2005-04-25
From: Walnut Mountain Road

To: Dennis Cove Road (Kincora Hostel)
Miles today: 13.6

DAY 45The hostel was a beehive of activity this morning. Everyone was getting ready to continue on the Trail. I was undecided up to the last minute before breakfast. Finally I decided, ¢Go for it!¢ Regardless of the pain in my shin, I am somehow going to make it to Damascus, Virginia. After breakfast I settled up my bill with Mr. Hill. I hugged Mary Hill and thanked her for all her kindness and wonderful meals during my seven nights at Mountain Harbour. Mrs. Hill is a warm and nurturing person. Her husband can seem to be cold and aloof. However, he has been good to me during the past week. He did go out of his way with shuttles. I told Mrs. Hill that I plan to return someday to stay in the B&B. Mr. Hill shuttled a group of us back to the Trail at Walnut Mountain Road, where I had started yesterday¢s walk back to the hostel. As I started my hike northward on the snowy trail I was amazed. I felt no pain in my right shin. I was so elated. There was still snow on the ground, but it was a nice day for hiking. I reached Moreland Gap Shelter at about lunch time today. I was already 7.5 miles from my starting point and still no pain in the right shin. Skylark and Nu-B were already at the shelter. I told them I planned to go to Kincora Hostel for the night, about six miles ahead. They were going to push beyond and camp somewhere on the Trail. (¢Why tent if you can stay in a hostel?¢)As I neared Dennis Cove Road the snow had disappeared and I walked through some open fields. When I reached Dennis Cove Road, I turned left and headed toward Kincora Hostel. After I walked a short distance westward on the road, I came to a dilapidated looking building on the right side of the Road. I went inside thinking this was Kincora Hostel. There was no one in the building and no sign that it was a hostel. So I quickly backed out. I continued on Dennis Cove Road until I saw a mailbox on the left side of the road. A short driveway took me to the Kincora Hostel building.Kincora Hostel is quite a rustic looking log building. There were no signs of life outside the building. I went up to the porch to what looked like the entrance to the hostel. I tentatively stepped inside.Big surprise! There was Rocky sitting on a couch with The Blondes, B-Money and Jukebox. Rocky had a shocked look on her face as it she had just seen a ghost. She exclaimed, ¢Oh my God! It¢s Swamp Fox!¢ We hugged each other like long lost siblings, as I had not seen her for over five weeks. We had quite a joyous reunion, as I remember she was about the first person who talked to me on the Trail many miles ago in Georgia. She had encouraged me back then to stay on the Trail, during my early difficult days. In the weeks since my Day 8 on the Trail, I had gotten as much as 50 miles and four days ahead of her and her hiking partner, Hareball. Then as a result of my five Zero Days at Mountain Harbour Hostel, she was now a day ahead. This is her second night at Kincora as she slackpacked today, south from US Route 321 back to Kincora Hostel. Hareball has gone to a hotel in Hampton, Tennessee, with ¢Pathfinder¢.Rocky offered to make me a ¢treat¢, which was a bowl of ice cream with strawberries, provided I washed up my dishes. I very much appreciated her offer and it was a great snack to go with dinner tonight. Tonight in Kincora Hostel, besides Rocky and The Blondes, are Sowega, Andrew, and ¢Doc Narly¢. Later in the evening, my ¢friend¢ August came into the hostel and cleaned out the hiker box. Bob Peoples, the hostel owner, came by and asked for volunteers to join him tomorrow doing trail maintenance work. He leaned on me rather heavily to volunteer, but I was adamant in my refusal. I have already lost five days due to my shin problem and I want to get to Damascus before this weekend to pick up a mail drop. Any other time, I would be happy to help. The Blondes and Sowega did agree to join him tomorrow for trail work. After dinner, Rocky, Sowega, The Blondes, and Andrew and I sat in the living room of the hostel and chatted late into the evening. We talked about the Trail and life in general. I told Rocky that she was somewhat responsible for keeping me on the Trail after I came into Helen, Georgia, on Day 6 of my hike. She related some of the difficult times she has had on the Trail. The night I went into Gatlinburg, she had to tent in the snow in the Smokies. While I was warm and comfortable at Mountain Harbour during the recent snow, she and Hareball were struggling to get to Kincora. Andrew told us of his adventures, past and future, as a long distance bike rider. He has sponsorships by various suppliers and vendors. His is sort of a professional long distance biker. It has been a very enjoyable evening spent with new and old friends of the Trail. It is great to see Rocky again. I am elated that I feel absolutely no pain in my right shin.