Date: 2006-04-16
From: Cosby Knob Shelter

To: Standing Bear Hostel
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: light rain

Bama called today to wish us all a Happy Easter! She arrived at Cosby Knob about 3:30 yesterday. Since pretty much the same folks were meeting at the shelters on this section, as one would approach the shelter, everyone would holler out, "Hi, Bama!" or whatever their trail name was. It got to be like the bar on the TV show Cheers and everybody got into a cut-up spirit and had fun before the dinner hour and bedtime. However, later on, this one hiker wandered in; Bama said he looked like he was in a trance. He sat on a log outside the shelter and wouldn't speak or look at anyone. Oly, being the eldest and sorta the father figure of the group, walked over to try to speak to him. He wouldn't say his trail name but said he was from Alabama and mumbled a few other things. Oly told him Bama was from Birmingham and of course, Bama just had to go over and interview him. He told her he was from LA. She said "Oh, yeah, Lower Alabama, are you from near Dothan?" He said, "Somewhere like that." And with that, he didn't speak again all night. Bama joked to the others that maybe he was a key evidence person in the federal witness protection program. He kept to himself and at dawn this morning, he was up and gone before anyone else got up.She caught up on the Cherokee National Forest Chilhowee Recreation Area story about a large black bear attacking and mauling a woman and her 2 yr. old young son, before dragging off and killing her 6 yr. old daughter. A terrible, terrible story. Thankfully it's actually a very rare event and only the first known death by bear attack in Tennessee since 2000 where a Cosby woman was killed in the Smokies. I asked Bama not to hike alone until she could get free of the Smokies. The bear has still not been captured.Bama said she feels like she has been climbing Mt. Cammerer all morning and misses the great views of the section before Peck's Corner. But the weather has been beautiful and luck has really been with her, even though it's dry. Hiking for hours and days in the rain is something most hikers dread. But some say, "Hey, it's raining, I'm wet, so what?" Better people than I.On to Standing Bear Hostel. The original destination was originally Davenport Gap and Mountain Mama's Hostel, but Bama's not sure she wants to make another off-trail trek right now.Update: Bama has decided to go to Standing Bear Hostel with everyone else. She said there was an area about halfway between Cosby Knob and Davenport that was a riot of flowers, oakleaf hydrangias and dogwoods (perfect for Easter)- a real walk thru the garden. At one point on the trail, Bama saw Peter Rabbit hiking down from one of the vista and as he was hiking past her (at 6'4", he moves fast), Bama said, "Well, there goes Peter Cottontail hoppin' on down the bunny trail!" Appropriate for Easter. After a short break at Davenport Gap Shelter for snacks, she headed downhill toward the Pigeon River and I-40 and is now officially out of the Smokies. Bama arrived at the Standing Bear Hostel at 1:15. She says the place is really nice and has supplies, too. Nokia took Curtis' (the owner's) van with Bama, Oly, Trusty and Piper into Hartford, TN for cokes, snacks and ice cream. Bama also bought a pizza to cook for dinner. In all, there are about 25 thru-hikers staying there tonight and plan to have a big campfire. Bama saw Josey again and met Fish, Good Time Charlie, Grandad and Comfortably Numb from Alabama (who turned out was the mystery man from the night before) and was a nice guy. Everytime he sees Bama he hollers out "War Eagle." She hollers back "Roll Tide!" You have to be from Alabama to understand this. Bama's next scheduled shelter is at Roaring Fork.Bill