Date: 2012-04-19
From: Mountain Harbour Hostel

To: Vango/Abby Memorial Hostel
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Yesterday after arriving at Hwy 19 around 12:30 wet but finally warm I had a road walk of .3 of a mile to the Mountain Harbor B & B and Hostel. It turned out to be the best hostel I have stayed in. They converted the top of a barn into a hostel. The lower part still has animals in it but there is no odor or sound from below in the hostel. The hostel has a loft area with 4 beds and the main level has a bath, living area/kitchen and a small room with a king size bed. All the beds have the mattress and box springs on the floor. The place is spotless. They have a wide selection of food to eat or cook there as well as some limited resupply items. Up from the barn/hostel is the B & B. It is very nice and you can have breakfast which I did. It was fantastic. Everything made from scratch and buffet style. YUM Thanks Mary and Terry.For the past several days I have run into an Appalachian Trail Legend; Model T. He has hiked the trail 4 or 5 times, written two books, and speaks often at events. What a nice guy. I really enjoyed getting to know him. I have met several trail legends. Miss Janet in Erwin, Ron Haven in Franklin and of course Winton Porter at Neel Gap. I am sure I will meet more as time goes on.I left the hostel after breakfast not knowing what to expect from my knee and shoulder. My shoulder was better and didn't really bother me that much but the knee let me know that it was not ready to hike without a fight. The pain was worse but mainly on the downhills, not so much on the uphills. I stopped for lunch at Jones Falls and Model T was there. We talked a little about my knee and he says the only thing that will correct it is rest. After lunch the knee and shoulder was better. I don't know if it is getting better or if the ibuprofen just kicked in. What ever it was it made hiking easier. I had planned to do 12 miles if possible and I did the 12 miles finally stopping at Vango/Abby Memorial Hostel. Another unique place. I don't know the history behind it but I intend to look it up. I am in the hostel by myself with one other hiker upstairs in a private room. They just suggest a donation amount and you can by food and resupply. You can also do laundry and take a shower. I passed on both of those as I had done both just the day before. There is another hostel 12 miles away and I plan to hike there tomorrow. My plan was to stay there Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night. Saturday I was going to get them to drop me off about 10 miles up the trail and I was going to slack pack back which would be easier on my knee. Sunday the weather was going to be cold and stormy so I was going to take the day off and rest my knee and then hike out Monday. I looked at the weather forecast tonight and it now looks like the weather won't be as bad as expected. Now what should I do? I think I will see how my knee does and if it is not too bad I will just stay one night and hike out Saturday. If the knee is not good I will take a "0" day on Saturday to let it rest and hike out on Sunday. If it is really bad I will take a "0" on Sunday and hike out Monday. Buy the way I passed the 400 mile mark today. Working on the big 500. It's 9:30...Way past my bedtime. Good night.