Date: 2005-05-08
From: Mile 398

To: Laural Falls Shelter
Miles today: 13.2

Happy Mothers Day, In memory of my mother Dolores who passed away a few years ago. I thought of her just about every day. She was my best friend.   I was up at 6:15 and gone before the rest of the camp even got out of their sleeping bags. Last night was the first night that I did not wear my silks (light weight insulated underwear). The weather was turning warmer and eventually I would send them home. I did not put them back into my backpack until I was about to enter the White Mountains in New Hampshire.    White Rocks Mountain (4026 feet) was ahead of me and I wanted to get a jump on it. The terrain was fair and I made good time. The day was warm and I worked my way towards the Kincora Hostel. I ran into Messa at Dennis Cove. He was a hiker from Japan and this was the first time I met him on the trail. He looked a little lost so I asked if he was OK, he gave me the thumbs up and moved on North. At the Cove and to the left was the Hostel, to the right was the Laurel Forks Campground. I went to Kincora. Bob and Pat Peoples owned and operated the place, what great people and what beautiful horses they owned. Speaking of horses I ran in to one back down the trail earlier. What I mean by that is I found it's hoof prints and followed them along the trail. I also found where it spent the night and eventually caught up to it as it was being caught. Evidently it made the "Great Escape" and the owner found it heading North up the AT. I said to my self. "now there is something that you don't see every day, a horse being towed by a pick up truck".   The Kincora Hostel was a nice place but it was infested with hiker viruses. Most were there for trail days, had injuries or were just hanging out (place was inexpensive). I did what I needed to do, laundry, a food run, telephone call and then moved on. You couldn't even walk across the floor there were so many people. In fact there I saw a few "Fake" hikers, those who wore the clothing however, their waste lines proved they were not the thru-hikers they claimed to be. To each is own but, "you can't bulls##t a bullshi##er" and I am one of the best. I use to make my living reading people, I can spot the bad ones a mile away, it was indeed time to leave the area before my big mouth got me in trouble again. Later I found out that the Laurel Fork Campground was the place to go for me. Only because a lot of my friends went there instead of Kincora, that's the price you pay when you walk alone, no trail talk.   I also was alone that night at the Laurel Fork Shelter, I watched a beautiful sunset and ate a 12 inch sub that I carried with me from town. I had nothing to complain about, I was on the AT and loving it. I just passed through some of the most beautiful land I have seen yet, thick with blooming Laurel, great rock formations and trails plus water everywhere. Top that off with the fact that the sun was going down and the light that casted around wrapped everything in a orange glow. The Falls were outstanding and well worth making a note to do a day trip here. In fact when I met with my daughter in Damascus we did come back here and spent the day swimming and having fun right there at the falls. Now how is that for trail magic. I call it that because the memories we made never would have happened if it were not for this trail.    Another big mountain ahead of me and I was told it would be difficult, (the Pond Flats at 3900 feet). I found the next day that the trail was good with plenty of switch backs, no problem at all. The legs are strong and the load light. I was getting "use to it" more and more every day. It only took around 400 miles to do so. I was in my happy place...one sad note, I lost my spoon, bummer