Date: 2017-04-08
From: Kincora Hiking Hostel (Hampton, TN)

To: Iron Mountain Shelter, TN
Miles today: 24.5

Day 32: Kincora Hiking Hostel, TN to Iron Mountain Shelter, TN - 24.5 miles:Our group didn't shoot for sleep until nearly 1am last night, after both hiker midnight and actual midnight. I climbed into my bed on the bottom of an old worn bunk, happy to have at least scored a wool blanket to lay between myself and the battered mattress. Within a few minutes one of the hostel cats, a light orange one, joined me. It crawled under my sleeping bag and nested next to my hip, softly purring against my right hip. It let me pet him for half an hour or so, tilting and pushing it's head into my hands the way cats do, before disappearing. After a very restful night, though shortened due to staying up late, I woke this morning with the cat again purring at my hip. I assume it returned at some point in the night and I let it back into my bag, but the heaviness of sleep kept me oblivious. When I woke and began moving just after 7:30am, the cat jumped up to the vacant top bunk above me and would sit warming itself in the early morning sunlight until I left just over an hour later. As I was leaving Bob Peoples was just beginning to hand out assignments to volunteers and volunteer hikers alike during a major renovation of the hostel today including the installation of new showers, new wood flooring, and new carpeting. Sugar and Supertramp were still asleep when I left, and Booty stayed behind to help with the renovation, mainly because it involved a free lunch. He was undecided if he was zeroing again, or wouldn't the trail after half a day of work.I set off into the cold morning alone and would remain so for the majority of the day. After returning to the trail, it gradually dropped into a deep gorge, walls of large sharp-slanted rocks rising above on both sides. The trail turned intonation series of rock scrambles as it dropped deeper, eventually reaching Laurel Falls, one of the nicer falls on the trail. Continuing into the gorge, it briefly narrows to a point where the trail skirts around a rock wall jutting out into the flowing water, the rush of water only a foot or two below and to the side of my feet. The trail continued in the gorge until it reaches a point where the AT cuts right and goes up what appears to be the vertical wall of a mountain, or continues straight as a blue-blazed trail, the distance to US 321 via the blue-blazed trail only being a mile long, nearly five miles shorter than going up and over. However, with the white blaze of the AT leading me to the right, I would begin what appears to be one of the most pointless six miles of trail, literally going up and immediately back down a single mountain. It does offer the first tree-obscured views of Lake Watauga below, but is otherwise very forgettable.After climbing down the other side, I finally reached US 321 that I knew ran directly in to Hampton, TN. Although I knew most of the terrain today would be relatively chill, the climb over Pond Flats Mountain and the thought of climbing the ridge out of Lake Watauga left me feeling hungry. I soon had my thumb out and in 20 minutes was picked up by an employee of nearby Boots Off Hostel. When he rolled down his window, i immediately noticed his Packers beanie which made him alright in my books without having said a word. When I asked for a lift to McDonald's, he said that's exactly where he was bringing a Sobo hiker who was sitting next to him. Fifteen minutes later the Sobo hiker and I were sitting at a table with breakfast. For me it was a sausage and egg biscuit, a bacon and eggs biscuit, two hash browns, and a Coke. The Sobo hiker, who's name I've forgotten, told me he's been hiking since July 4th of last year, but has been taking his time by visiting a lot of hostels and movie theaters. He guessed he'd be done sometime in May, 10+ months after beginning.As I finished off my breakfast, my phone and tablet charging in a seat next to me, I stood to throw my trash away and noticed the lunch/dinner menu was now active. My immediate thought was that I'd be doing myself a major disservice by not taking advantage of lunch. I soon had a McChicken, a McDouble, and a large fry. I'd down the McDouble and fries, but would pack out the McChicken to enjoy for dinner later. After spending just over an hour there, I decided I needed to return to the trail and make something of the day, now clear and nearing 60 degrees. With my thumb back out, it'd take just under 15 minutes before a small white pickup pulled over, a young husband, wife, and their child, and happily offered me a ride back to the trail-head. I climbed in the bed of the truck and enjoyed a quick, chilly ride back tongue trail.The trail would wind its way around several inlets of the small western corner of Watauga Lake, passing Watauga Lake Shelter in the process which seems to regularly be closed due to bear activity in the Spring. I'd quickly pass half a dozen hikers I'd never seen, but that'd be the most I'd see for the rest of the day. I reached Watauga Dam and imagined myself, like two years ago, crossing over it with Burnsides, Moosehead, Safari, and Rock Boat as we were filmed by a drone zipping around overhead. Today, however, I walked along by myself, admiring the lake glistening to one side, Pond Flats Mountain rising up on the far side, and the rockfaces rising on either side of the dam. Knowing I was close to reaching the Damascus Highway, the relatively flat ridge line running from Lake Watauga to Damascus, VA, I powered up the climb to the top, sweat dripping down my forehead and off my eyebrows.Other than an older woman I'd pass hours later, near the end of my day, the only other hiker I'd see would be Freight Train, a 40-year-old from Texas who I've flip-flopped with since leaving Erwin, TN, but never having really chatted with. He did his best to keep my pace for around half an hour as we chatted and got to know each other's basics, but he ultimately had to back off to his pace, and that'd be it for my day's interaction. Close to 18 miles in I reached Vandeventer Shelter where I took my first break for the day. I spent 15 minutes checking my guide, drinking water, and sitting on a rock outcropping a few feet behind the shelter that offers a solid view of the lake below, and a few large mountains in the distance. A sign posted at the shelter told me I had just under seven miles to reach the next shelter on Iron Mountain. With it only being 3:15pm, I knew I could reach it by 5:30pm so back to the trail I returned.Just over two hours later I reached the shelter where a NoBo and two Sobo hikers were sitting on a wooden bench, chatting and eating their versions of dinner. I quickly dropped my pack and dug out my cooler, slightly flattened McChicken and was happy with my decision to pack it out. Coupled with a handful of beef jerky, it made for a decent dinner despite not feeling very hungry. Another NoBo hiker would show, bringing tonight's shelter count to five. Two of them, however, are tenting, leaving me ample room to spread out in the six-person shelter. Lying in my sleeping bag and beginning my journal at 6pm, the sun still over an hour and a half away from setting, it'll be a treat to have all my chores completed before nightfall for once. However, I can't win them all, as is evident with one of the hikers in the shelter already in a sleeping coma, snoring loudly for half an hour. I should have known better because the only shelters that don't have at least one snorer is an empty shelter.I can feel my bones vibrating with each deep, bass-like rumble. Part of my soul dies with each one. I could always go set up my tent 100ft away...make that 200...but I'm too stubborn and physically tired. I'll instead suffer and hate my life through the night. Actually, before dark settles in, I'm going to go find a nice secluded place to dig a cat hole and imagine this guy's face as I release what equals out to be four greasy McDonald's sandwiches. That'll at least help me feel better about the situation.