Date: 2017-05-09
From: Overmountain Shelter 

To: Highway 19E/Doe River Hiker Rest Hostel 
Miles today: 9.2

5/9Overmountain Shelter to US 19E/Doe River Hiker Rest Hostel 9.2 milesTotal miles: 393.7Today was a day of surprises and a little bit of adventure. As predicted, the rain began around 2:00 am and continued steadily until about 4:00. I got up at 4:15, expecting to get an early start to make it to the hostel, 9.2 miles away. The rain had stopped, and I was ready earlier than I expected, so I decided to hike out in the dark. True to form, I missed the turn off to the return trail, and by the time I got things sorted out, daylight had arrived. This was for the best, since I had a wonderful view of the shelter as I climbed away from it. The rain started again in earnest at about 7:00. Crossing over Hump Mountain was an incredible adventure. Hump is actually a bald, and the rain and wind were so intense that I oftentimes had to stop, dig my trekking poles in, lean into the wind, and try not to get blown over. It may have been the most intense hiking of my life. The contrast to yesterday's balds was complete. Yesterday, my views were of distant mountains. This morning, my view consisted of what I could see of the four feet in front of me with my right eye. The gusting wind blew the hood of my rain jacket over my left eye. I had to hold my hood to look up to keep the wind from blowing it back and risking losing my hat. My visibility was often no more than 15-20 feet. I talked to one hiker who doesn't use poles, and he told me he was blown over by the wind five times. Immediately after cresting the summit, the wind largely abated, and the rain slackened soon after. The rest of the hike to 19E was muddy and slippery, but nothing really unusual.  I arrived at the highway a little before noon.  My plan was to hike the 0.3 miles to a hostel, but Dave from Doe River Hiker Rest Hostel was there handing out trail magic (sandwiches and oranges).  He offered me a shuttle ride to his hostel near Roan Mountain. The deal was too good to pass up. Imagine my surprise and delight when I learned that his hostel is located on Old Railroad Grade Road, right along the old right of way of my railroad. Every time we are in the area, my family and I always drive down Old Railroad Grade Road to get a bit of the feeling of what it was like to ride the train.  In places, the cuts are so narrow that a car can barely get through.  It's a wonder how the train fit. Dave is a most gracious host, and I have had a wonderful, restful day today. A group of us drove into Roan Mountain for wood-fired pizza at the  Smoky Mountain Bakers. I ate a delicious pizza with Ribbons, Mountain Goat, Jaba, and Buck. Buck and Jaba are a father and son team. Ribbons is thru hiking with her husband and their five children.  Mountain Goat is from Germany. After eating, we went to the local grocery to resupply. I now have enough food to get me to Damascus, which I plan on reaching in five, maybe six, days. Tonight, I enjoyed visiting with fellow hikers and with Jax and Hazel, the hostel's two dogs. I have everything just about ready and will get an early shuttle back to 19E to resume my hike. Today was truly a surprise-filled, adventurous, and wonderful day.