Date: 2014-05-03
From: Davenport Shelter

To: Snowbird Mountain 
Miles today: 0.0

I didn't think yesterday could've been topped so soon but it already has. Had some great sleep last night despite a bear trying to get into the shelter last night, thank god for the chain link fence. I didn't see it myself but Guppy's friend apparently saw it in the middle of the night.   Yogi and I were up early and headed out around 6:50, it seems to get earlier everyday. Our plan was to have a light ten mile day with a resupply at Standing Bear to get enough to get us to Hot Springs. We took the first few miles slow, it was a beautiful morning and within the first mile we were leaving the Smokies. We strolled down the trail and crossed a forest road and the trail ran along a river so it was a nice peaceful walk, I had the Lumineers playing in my ear and that just made it that much better. We got to dirt road and a hard time finding the blazes for the trail, while looking I saw a sign that said 'Trail Magic' and decided to see if anything was there, I thought it would be a free soda or fruit. We go around the bend and there's two people setting to up tarps and yelled over to us,'Do you want some breakfast? We have bacon and eggs'. From that point on I knew it was going to be a good day.   The man was a former thru hiker,Soundbyte and wanted to do trail magic in spots he would have wanted when he thru hiked. It was a gravel road next to the Pigeon River which is a popular white water rafting spot as buses with people showed up later. It was a thru hikers paradise-bacon,eggs,muffins,fruit, snacks that you knew were fattening and didn't have to look at how many calories were in them, it was amazing. We stuffed out faces and waited for other thru hikers to show up which took awhile but thru started for trickle in. After a few hours, Delaware and the rest of the gang showed up and gorged as well. These trail angels were amazing, they let people charge their phones on their car, they drove people into town to resupply, whatever you needed, they were there to help out. Every time we tried to leave thru would entice us with more things and it got harder when the beer came out which we only had a few. After lunch, which was hamburgers and hot dogs we had to leave and hike for a bit. Honestly I would have camped nearby and chilled all night stuffing my face.   We hiked for a bit and ended up at Standing Bear Farms not too far after we started hiking. It was like a little hippy commune with multiple small buildings and the man running the place looked like an older Matthew McConaghy with longer hair. He have us a tour where everything was while chickens ran all around the place and thru hikers setting up camp. It was a very laid back place and to show that was the pantry for resupply was ran on an honor system-take what you need,write it on an envelope and put the money inside and give it to him,it was a sight to behold.   We finally left the place and hiked up and down two annoying mountains with nonstop uphills. We finally got to our camp which was a bald with 360 degree views of the area and also a FAA radar on top of the mountain, definitely not the usual campsite. We watched the sunset while having some more food and made a little fire. Another crazy day out here that was more eating than hiking but it was amazing. You can't predict how a day will go out here but they've all been different which keeps you on your toes.