Date: 2017-04-15
From: Davenport Gap shelter

To: Standing Bear Farm/Hostel
Miles today: 3.6

From Fatboy:The last shelter at Davenport Gap had metal fencing enclosure. Is the fence there to protect the hikers or to protect the bears? We all likely smell about the same. Our night was spent tenting on a slope so we practiced our slip -n- slide technique one more time. I will never take for granted the privilege of sleeping on a level surface again! The weather was considerably warmer so getting dressed in the morning wasn't as numbing as it has been recently. I'm really going to enjoy having warmer weather for many reasons. We left the Great Smoky Mountains National Park this morning. Our destination was a measly 4 miles away. That's what I thought. My mind wasn't right and that was one of the hardest "short" hikes for me yet. We did go through some of the most beautiful wooded areas we've seen yet. There was a big creek with a lot of great camping sites beside it and a larger variety of wildflowers than we've seen anywhere. Ginger is such a joy to be with and her excitement with each new flower she discovered was a joy of its own. We left the forest and walked along an interstate access road and through an underpass to discover the trail going up a steep set of stone stairs. We read that the trail crossed a creek and intersected the road again before we walked about 100 yards up the unmarked gravel road to the Standing Bear Farm Hostel. The second I hit the road I started counting paces. See, I already said my mind wasn't right. When I had counted 100 foot strikes with my right foot and still didn't see any buildings I started to engage in the mental challenge of acting like an adult. Sometimes I'm even successful with that. The hostel did come into view and the first building we saw was a treehouse overhanging a small stream. Ginger was smiling from ear to ear and said she wished we could sleep there. Her joy and good nature are impossible for me to resist so my mental state improved immediately. We approached the entrance to the hostel and asked the man sitting near the office area if there were any private rooms available. He said we could stay in the treehouse and I was almost speechless. Ginger scores again! I sat down near a fire area and Ginger brought me a huge candy bar and a Mountain Dew. Saying I was happy would be a big understatement. She's my best friend and wife for many reasons, not the least of which is her constant kindness and generosity. We moved our packs to the treehouse and checked for our mail. I was happy to find they had received my Amazon order of KT Tape and benzoin spray. Maybe I'll be able to protect my skin enough to continue taping my foot so it doesn't destroy itself over the next 11 states! Where there's a will there's a stubborn farm boy who isn't ready to quit just yet. We were relaxing near the common area at the entrance when I looked up and saw Janet. Janet and Alan were the trail angels who gave us a ride from Clingman's Dome to Gatlinburg. They had stopped at a trail crossing and asked a group of hikers if anyone knew where Fatboy and Ginger were. Tequila Sunshine and Happy Feet were among that group and told them where we were and Alan and Janet drove to the hostel to pick us up and take care of us! I never have experienced anything like this before and maybe never will again but I'm sure enjoying it now. Janet and Alan collected us with our dirty laundry(which we washed at Alan's cabin and showered) and took us to dinner at a buffet. I entered a food coma at this point but I do remember them taking us back to the hostel where we found our friends, Tequila Sunshine, Happy Feet, and Foghat. We enjoyed catching up on recent events with our friends and retired to our treehouse a short while later. The futon in the treehouse covered the hatch leading to the ground when converted to a bed so we were in for the night. It was fun being together in a private structure again. We've missed our shared time.