Date: 2012-04-10
From: Cosby Knob Shelter - GSNP Day 3 - Tented

To: Green Corner Road Crossing - Standing Bear Hostel
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: clear sky

Day 16 - Tuesday, April 10thGSNP Day 4 - North terminus at 10:15amHiking Days 12 / Nero Days 3 /  Zero Days 1Start Location: Cosby Knob ShelterMile Marker: 230.1Ending Location: Green Corner Road Crossing - Standing Bear HostelMile Marker: 240.8 Time: 4h 24minMiles: 10.7 Weather: very cold in the morning - 35-38 some wind but warmer them yesterday.  Started with all my cloths on again but the layers came off much faster then yesterday.  Up at 6:30.  A relatively good night sleep.  Talked a bit last night until 8:30.  The shelter dwellers were already asleep.  Packed up, hit the privy, out by 7:05.  Still very cold but you can tell it is already not as cold as yesterday.  In just a few miles I had all my warmth layers off.  Most of the hike was a nice down hill.  With A short day planned it was a nice break from the push of the last three days. Heading to the Standing Bear Hostel.  This will be my third time here.  I think the best way to explain this hostel is to make reference to a screen in the Star Wars Movie when young Luke goes to town and there is every sort of thing going on.  People trading, buying, selling, smoking, eating, drinking, with all sorts of characters looking for trouble.  In other words, a real AT hostel experience.  Got to the hostel before noon. Hand washed my cloths, put in dryer.  Showers in one very scary shower but the water was hot so that was great.  Went to the food shed and started meal one.  Hamburger, peanut butter, green tea, cream cheese roll.  Going back now for eggs.  Three soft for now and three hard for the morning.  Plan on doing the run to the road stop if I could.  I guess the passenger ban is gone and only 4 people can go.  Odd.  Oh well, time for eggs.  As it turned out, the passenger van was in the shop for transmission work.  Only four spots in the ride.  As it turns out I bought myself a spot for 12 cans of PBR.  All-in-all, I want to go for the experience.  With me were Spiller and Mr.  Wrong.  Two hikers I have been pretty much with since Brown Fork Gap Shelter.  Dundee who was also in the shelter is a bit ahead.  Spiller and Mr. Wrong are both fun to hike with.  Go my Chickem tenders, beer and a new drill bottle.  The rest of my supplies I picked up at the hostel.  For a hostel stop I ended up spending a bit more then I wanted but once again the Standing Bear Hostel has proved again to be a real trail experience.  As it turns out, the guy I met the other day ended up here as well.  If was Strider.  A hiker I hiked off and on with through Maine in 2010.  He is the hiker who used a sign to get food and supplies.  I also gave him the hostel stay.  He also was the one who cooked his special recipe of deep fried zuzu.  He also was the one who got the great trail magic that included the orange crush as part of his gift.  He has been hitching the country for the last three year.  Now he hiked a bit and is getting off to work a 200 acre farm he inherited from his grandfather.  I not only wish him the best, I really think he will do well.  I think he may end up with the cat here Peeps and her Dad, pilgrim, black pilgrim. Saint and a cast of characters has made this stop still another memorable experience.  I think every night has the opportunity to write an entire book on.  I plan to write more detail at a later date.  Hiking life is good.  In-fact, life is good.