Date: 2021-08-24
From: Boots Off Hostel

To: Boots Off Hostel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I had intended to go to bed last night at 8:30, but instead headed to the deck area to play cards with Quiksilver and section hikers Goldbond, Polaroid, Lois and Clark - two couples out for a week of hiking who I had warned of the snake yesterday. We talked about hikes, trips, places we¢ve lived while we played cards and just enjoyed a great evening with perfect weather. If there in one thing I hope to retain from the trail, it will be to keep enjoying the random and unplanned moments that can speed on by if I¢m too glued to my own schedule. With nothing much on the menu for the day, i spent the morning reading and then the staff here at the hostel hooked me up with a foot basin and I grabbed some Epsom salts from the hiker box and had a good soak. *EXPLICIT CONTENT WARNING*. I did end up with two fewer big toenails than god gave me after a half hour soak. Had to happen. The blisters I got two weeks ago doomed them and now they can heal and regrow properly. This isn¢t an unusual thing for hikers, but it is a little unusual for this to pop up after 1400 miles. I blame the pedicure. Around noon Quiksilver and I made the five minute trek downhill to Watuga Lake and found a nice shady picnic table to enjoy the view and the 88 degree temps. We had been there about 20 minutes when we noticed a minivan cruising through the parking lot with the sliding door open. The van parked and who should get out but Quiksilver¢s neighbor James and his 5 year old daughter Ryan. They had made the two and a half hour drive from Charlotte, North Carolina to surprise Quiksilver and bring some trail magic. And what magic!  Pizza, salads, fruit, snacks and some beer!!  We had talked more than once about how we had likely seen our last trail magic back in Maine, as we were now way out of any hiker bubble. And lo and behold - some of the best trail magic of the hike finds us!  We spent a few hours at the lake as Ryan played in the water and we passed the time. What a great afternoon. Back at the hostel I had my resupply box waiting for me (can¢t say thanks enough to my wife and my youngest for shipping these out to the trail) and once again I have far too much food. I also ditched my Katadyn water filter and changed to the Sawyer squeeze that most everyone uses out here. I¢ve loved the Katadyn for it¢s simplicity, but as the water sources have become more sketchy, the Katadyn just plugs too fast and then the bag leaks. So for the last 430 miles I¢ll have a new system to master. My sister asked in the guest book if I¢m feeling good about my decision to flip flop. Answer: I am. It¢s been made better by having met Quiksilver and Iceberg way back in Vermont and getting a SOBO hiking buddy in Quiksilver. It would pretty lonely out here otherwise as I¢m ahead of most of the flip-floppers and true SOBOs. As an example: we stayed at the Yellow Deli hostel in Rutland, Vermont and had 6 of us there. With the NOBO bubble up in the northeast right now, the Yellow Deli had 65 hikers there one day last week. I¢m very, very happy I¢ve stayed out of the mega crowds. We are hiking out in the morning to cover 34 miles to Roan Mountain, Tennessee and then we¢ll have our noses pointed towards Hot Springs, North Carolina, hoping to arrive on September 2nd. But, as always, one day, one step at a time.