Date: 2016-02-08
From: Erwin, TN

To: Poplar Creek Farm and Hostel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light snow

I slept great last night but Slipknot said he was up most of the night. Maybe I was snoring or something.. ?Anyway, we went to McDonalds for breakfast. This is a rest day and we¢re expecting a big storm to come in later today. I don¢t like the term ¢Zero Day¢. I don¢t really know why¢¦ maybe because mean people say things like ¢You¢re such a zero¢. Oh well.. I¢m resting today instead of zeroing. I decide to bring my car along with me this year to make "off the trail" stuff easier. I can store extra food and supplies in it and it¢s pretty useful on a day like today. After going to McDonalds we drove around to find a laundromat so I could clean my stinky hiker clothes. While waiting for the dryer to finish I searched on my iPhone for a different (better) place to stay. The Super 8 is ok decent. It¢s just that last year when I got the big norovirus thing I ended up at the same Super 8 for four or five days¢¦ just laying around hoping I¢d feel better. It doesn¢t seem to bring back any pleasant memories for me. I looked on AirBnb and found what looks to be a small hostel that¢s near Indian Grave Gap which is the next road crossing on the trail. It¢s called Poplar Creek Farm and Hostel. (Turns out it¢s also in Awol¢s book) They gave me directions to get there, just drive East into the mountains for about 15 or 20 miles. So now it¢s starting to snow and I¢m finally heading into the hills to find this hostel. I¢m a bit worried about driving in the snow but figure if I can make it up there. Based on the AirBnB photos it¢ll be a nice place to wait out the snow storm thats supposed to blow for the next two days. I¢m about a mile from the hostel when my car decides it¢s had enough of this white stuff and it refuses to go any further up the hill. Tires are spinning and I¢m going backwards.. you know the drill. Just then I see another car driving toward me that stops and does a 3 point turn to go in the same direction as me. ¢Are you looking for the B & B?¢ says Mike, the hostel owner who apparently came out looking for me.¢Yes, B & B, hostel, whatever¢¦ I just want to get in out of this cold blowing snow storm. I then explained that I didn¢t think my car was going anywhere - perhaps I should just leave it by the side of the road.¢Let me give it a try.¢ He suggested. ¢I don¢t know if I can do any better than you, but maybe I can.¢ Somehow he expertly guided the car up the hill using some finesse with the gas pedal instead of just jamming it to the floor like I was doing. He also found and pressed some sort of magic ¢traction¢ button that I was clueless about. Maybe I can read my owners manual to pass the time at the hostel. So with Mike¢s help I made it here - and it¢s SO NICE. Turns out I¢m the only one here so I have the run of the place. There¢s a big living room with a wood stove, an outfitted kitchen, a big bathroom, and my own room with a snug looking queen bed. I forgot to mention that I stopped at the Food Lion to stock up with a few days of food to cook. (That¢s the one downside to this hostel, it¢s not near town). I am safe, warm, and inside a warm hostel while the snow is piling up out the window. Life is good.