Date: 2015-05-04
From: Lake Watauga, TN

To: Lake Watauga, TN
Miles today: 0.0

Although sleeping in a tent on a skinny foam pad has gradually transformed me into someone who can sleep on literally any service, last night's sleep on a couch in the lake house of William and Bushwacker was one of my best of the past month. I awoke at 9:00am to the voices of Bushwacker and Moosehead chatting upstairs. More noticeable than the noise, however, was the smoky smell of bacon and sausage floating down the stairs into the basement from the kitchen above. We quickly headed upstairs and was spoiled yet again to another one of Bushwacker's delicious feasts.The granite countertops of his kitchen were lined with warm, flaky biscuits, scrambled eggs, fried eggs, crispy bacon, sausage, gravy, homemade strawberry jam, OJ, and milk - some of the most desired treats of thru-hikers on the trail. As usual, the amounts of each prepared food was beyond plentiful, leaving hungry hikers wishing they were able to eat more to make Bushwacker's efforts worth it. With stomachs full once again, we spent the rest of the morning updating our journals, relaxing, and watching William show off his drone-flying skills. Watching him thread it like a needle through surrounding trees and other miscellaneous obstructions was really impressive.Around lunch time we grabbed a cooler full of beer, leftover BBQ chicken wings, and headed back on the lake. The entire afternoon would disappear before we knew it as we explored more of the lake, Moosehead and Burnsides gave a rope swing a go, BBQ chicken wings and beer was consumed, and a blue sky and hot sun was enjoyed. We eventually tied up with 2 other boats - friends of Hobble, William, and Bushwacker - and hung out for a couple hours listsning to music, catching up, and talking about our hike. I realized near the end of the day that I developed a bit of a sunburn, but not one that should cause any difficulty once hiking resumes.We returned to the lake house around 6:00pm where we split up to take care of our individual chores, something always needing done even on an off day. I backflushed my water filter, stocked up on water, showered, threw in my socks for a second trip through the wash, rotated my gadgets through their charging cycle, and am now currently finishing this entry before dinner.Bushwacker aims to cement his hospitality into our trail magic lore as he currently prepares dinner nearby. The menu tonight includes: salad, corn on the cob, loaded baked potatoes, and healthy portions of New York strip steak. I can confidently say that it'll be an amazing meal even before it's prepared. As I write this entry, a Coke resting within arms reach, I watch a man confident in his domain prepare a meal for a handful of strangers. It's much too kind. I think back to my own childhood and how lucky and spoiled I was to have a cook as great as my mother is. Tonight as I share another great meal with great company, I not only send a nod to Bushwacker and William, but also my own mother.The guys are calling me over to play so e Texas Hold'em so it's time to wrap this entry up. Here's to warm days on the lake, cold beer, bellies filled with steak, parents who can cook, and hospitality you can only hope to repay one day.