Date: 2012-05-14
From: Hiker Inn Hostel

To: Hiker Inn Hostel
Miles today: 0.0

I slept in until after 7:30, got dressed and walked out of the hostel in search of breakfast.  I took the Creeper Trail which offers the town a huge opportunity to bring in tourism dollars.  Several bike shops exist whose sole purpose is to shuttle folks to the top so they can ride back down the hill to town.  I crossed the bridge and the river was swollen and gushing, there were a few saturated tents set up along the banks, and a soggy, forgotten 12-pack of Bud Light elevating the reputation of hikers everywhere.  I found Mojo's Coffeehouse out east of the main part of town and examined the joint.  It was quaint, looked like it catered to hikers and was most likely the only game in town for good coffee.  I ordered a chai, a big cinnamon roll, and a sun-dried tomato bagel with eggs, veggies, and Swiss cheese.  I asked the owner for some metal silverware and he happily obliged.  Delicious.  I ate at the bar and talked to Bison and a few other hikers who were up early.  I walked next door to  Sundog, the only outfitter in town to open before 9am.  I had seen the owner and the girl working just a few minutes earlier getting coffee.  I checked out the goods but couldn't get any acknowledgment from them.  I even walked right by them.  They didn't even glance at me and I decided to put my things back.  They were busy talking about the proliferation of various newgrass bands, which was entertaining but ultimately lost them my business.  I was on my way out when the owner approached me and we chatted for a moment about his upcoming sock sale for Trail Days.  Two-for-one Fits-brand socks was a deal I couldn't pass up.  I told him I would be back over the weekend.  I walked back to the hostel along the puddles on the gravel path in the grey, drizzly fog and asked Paul if I could stay another night.  My feet were soggy, it was raining pretty good by now, and I was gonna take a zero.  I went to the Mt. Rogers Outfitter with my pack and picked up the correctly-sized ULA Catalyst.  I took everything out of my old pack and put it in my potential new pack.  It all fit and it felt good.  I bought a new titanium pot and some fuel as well.  They gave me a box for my old pack and I took the opportunity to send a few more things home, including my stash of Advil.  I paid for the goods, sealed up my box, and walked down to Post Office.  I mailed the box for $12 and felt really great.  Things were all coming together and the sun was finally shining through the clouds. I walked down the street with my new pack holding all of my gear and saw Josh.  We walked down to the Lazy Fox B&B and split up.  I went back to drop my things off at my hostel and ran into Simple-see and his partner Serena.  We chatted about their hikes in the Grayson Highlands, gear, life choices andI tried to convince her to stay the afternoon.  She stuck to her original plan and cruised home but Simple-see met Josh and I down by the river.  We drank wine, played music, ate gingersnaps, and talked the afternoon away.  I met a guy and his small husky dog, Zypher, rocking a sweet Ruffwear pack.  I also met Papillion and her dog, Yo-Yo, who managed to ditch his REI pack.  Papillion was now carrying everything for the two of them.  The woman who owns the Lazy Fox is really sweet and allowed hikers with dogs to camp in her backyard and it was nice to see so many of them.  It rained off and on as big clouds swept through but we eventually hid in a large gazebo when it started pouring.  I offered to buy a round at Quincey's and we walked down to the pizza place, a natural hiker gathering.  Josh wanted to play some pool and we grabbed the table.  I held it for four games, including one against this hiker, Lucy, who was talking trash about beating so-and-so on some previous night.  I played solid defense and left her with four balls on the table.  I played Simple-see and I could tell he had played a time or two and finally Josh took it after that.  It killed him to have lost it so early and he needed his revenge.  Simple-see bought the first round and I picked up a few orders of fries.  I had their Gaelic Ale, which was mostly forgettable and left to make a phone call.  No service anywhere.  I had heard rumors of a bar of coverage up by this random gas station but no dice.  So I threw some money onto a Skype account and talked on the Mojo wifi while the rain splashed around me.  Nice to have options.  The lightning was pretty across the sky and against the big green mountains where I would be headed in the morning but as it got closer I put my umbrella down and walked toward the hostel.  It wasn't late but it wasn't early and I was in limbo.  I bought some gallon Ziplock bags and went back to Quincey's.  Potato skins, a tomato+ bacon+turkey sandwich, and a 1554 made up my dinner.  I chatted with some other hikers, uploaded some journals and walked home at 10pm.