Date: 2017-04-02
From: Big Stamp, TN

To: Uncle Johnny's Hostel (Erwin, TN)
Miles today: 17.4

Day 26: Big Stamp, TN to Erwin, TN - 17.4 miles:Up and shuffling in my tent just before 7am, I was set on covering the ~17.5 miles into Erwin, TN. Toepick quickly packed up in silence and hit the trail as I was folding up my tent. I found a spot slightly downhill from where I camped, among a field of large boulders, and dropped out all the trail magic from the previous afternoon into a nice little cat-hole. By 7:45am I was on the trail and heading on. Within a couple hundred yards, the trail opened up as I crossed a small grassy bald, offering my last grand view until I neared Erwin in the afternoon. To the east the sun was in the process of transitioning from orange to a bright yellow, lighting up a cloudless sky. A thick fog hung low in the valley below like a lake of clouds, a few of the tallest mountains rising out like thick tree-covered islands.The first several miles would consist of two sharp declines that, by looking at the guide, had me worried for my knees. However, I'd quickly find they weren't as dramatic as the guide suggested, making the going easy. The first seven miles passed quickly as I zoned out, listened to music, and enjoyed the occasional view of the cloud-lake. A couple hours later I reached a small stream and stopped to drink half a liter and top of my water bottles. As I did so, I heard a familiar voice drifting over from a nearby road. As I crested a small hill up to the road, I saw the back of Tank standing in a small group with a table and camping chairs, the tell-tale sign of trail magic. I approached and introduced myself to Bear Bags, a 2016 thru-hiker, and his wife Mrs. Bags, along with their dog Porkchop. For the next hour and a half I would slowly slip into a late morning food coma, my second in the last 12 hours.Bear Bags will begin culinary school this upcoming Fall. Today, I was able to enjoy a simple meal prepared with talent and love only an aspiring chef can create. With a hot plate consisting of potatoes, green peppers, onions, and ground beef in one hand, and an ice cold Yuengling in the other, I knew I would remain firmly planted in my chair for the immediate future. With the sun shining down and warming my skin, I would chat with Tank, Tin Man, Moonshine, Space Jam, and the Bags' as bagels with cream cheese, chips, and donuts were passed around freely. Toepick and Odin would also arrive and would enjoy their share of magic as well. After receiving a little food himself, Odin would fall asleep on the ground next to my chair.With it already nearing noon and still having 11 miles to cover, I motivated myself to return to the trail. With a full belly tossing with potatoes and beer, sweat dripped from my eyelids as I huffed my way up and out of the gap. Passing Tank, Toepick, Moonshine, and Space Jam in the process, the miles passed quickly as the trail remained relatively flat as it meandered in and out of valleys along the long ridge line leading down into Erwin. The sun beat down on me as I wandered my way around mountains, occasionally passing through darkened tunnels of rhododendrons, momentarily finding relief in their shade. Just over an hour and a half later I reached No Business Knob Shelter where I treated myself to a 10-minute water break after making good time. As the only one who could maintain my speed, Space Jam and I chatted a bit before continuing on together.With six miles remaining, we crushed them out, stopping only once to enjoy one of my favorite views on the trail. Within two miles of Erwin, a small edge of the ridge offers a view of the mountains above, a rushing river below, and the towns of Erwin and Unicoi spread across the valley floor below. Two years ago Safari took one of my favorite pictures of the trail, with me sitting atop a small pine tree on the edge of a cliff, at this spot. I was happy to see the tree was still standing, and has not yet toppled over the edge. With no hikers around to take my picture in the tree again, I simply grabbed a shot of the tree and view, moving on quickly down the mountain afterward. Within 20 minutes I was exiting the woods and strolling up to Uncle Johnny's Hostel. At 3:15pm, it was a good feeling knowing I had crushed out just shy of 18 miles in seven and a half hours, less time when counting the time spent at the trail magic.After speaking with the hostel caretaker, I reserved the last cabin, basically a small room with a bunk bed, small TV that plays only VHS tapes, a microwave, and a mini fridge. Unsure if Toepick planned to stay at the hostel, I reserved it anyway since dogs weren't allowed to stay in the bunkhouse. I threw my gear in the small room and immediately went to take a hot shower in a separate shower house. With nothing more than a bottle of conditioner and a used bar of soap, I made it work. I spent the next hour sitting in a swing on the front porch, occasionally petting a dog of unknown age, but assumed to be approximately 15-17 years old, named Jerry Garcia. Having previously hiked the AT himself, he has since been a fixture at the hostel and can be found sleeping on an old dirty couch each night in the bunkhouse. I can currently see him from my top bunk position, his legs sprawled across the couch and some hiker's pack.When Toepick, Odin, and Tank arrived, I showed them to the small cabin and we decided to go in on it together. However, later in the evening the caretaker told Tank he'd have to leave and go to the bunkhouse since three adults and a dog in one little cabin is a little much. There's a reason this trail is also known as the nickle-and-dime trail. Not wanting to make Tank leave, I packed up my gear and would join the other hikers in the bunkhouse instead, leaving the two of them and Odin to enjoy the comfier confines of the small room. I was pretty set on enjoying Camp Nowhere on VHS, so I'm pretty bummed out about that.Between 5:30pm-8pm, a group of hikers were shuttled into Unicoi to eat dinner at one of two places, a Mexican or Italian restaurant, and resupply at a Walmart. Everyone chose to eat Mexican. As a dozen or so of us sat around a few tables, NASCAR playing in the background, the banter grew louder, especially when the alcohol arrived. I zoned out, unable to focus or take much interest in any one conversation so, after downing two glasses of Coke, I put down a $5 bill and left, walking over to Walmart instead. I'd roam every aisle, looking for something new to try on the trail, but ultimately failing in the process. Needing enough food for five or six days, I purchased what seems like a ridiculously heavy amount of food - candy bars, beef jerky, beef sticks, breakfast bars, tuna, as well as a bag of kettle chips and saltine crackers to snack on later.At 8pm, with the last of the day's light fading behind the mountains in the west, we were shuttled back to the hostel, singing along to Elton John's Tiny Dancer and Rocket Man in the process. It's now nearing 11pm - some hikers are sleeping or attempting to, and others are outside drinking beer and chatting loudly. A moth repeatedly bounces off a light near my head. Jerry Garcia just moved and resettled himself on his couch, his first movement in over an hour. Tin Man is on his phone in the top bunk across from me, most likely fed up with the crappy WiFi signal. Tank is outside telling stories, dropping plenty of f-bombs in the process.The weather tomorrow calls for rain all day, and the next week in general seems poor - more rain and even a chance of snow. Not again. Depending how the weather is in the morning, I will be considering another zero, as are several hikers. Time will tell. For now, I'll wrap this entry up and hope none of the 10 hikers sharing this room snore. It's good to have dreams.