Date: 2012-04-19
From: Overmountain Shelter - Red Barn

To: Mile Marker 404.0 - Vango/Abby Memorial Hostel
Miles today: 21.3

Day 25 - Thursday, April 19thHiking Days 19 / Nero Days 5 /  Zero Days 1Start Location: Overmountain Shelter - The Red Barn Mile Marker: 382.7 Ending Location: Mile Marker 404.0 - Vango/Abby Memorial HostelMile Marker: 404.0Time: 9h 50minMiles: 21.3Weather: Started cool, just on the edge of cold.  Elevations had a cold breeze that made a cold windchill.  Never really made it to warm which made it the perfect hiking weather. The day started a bit earlier than I wanted it to.  Although I was able to get asleep after the smoke from the fire below finally cleared out of the upper section of the barn, my full bladder was keeping me from falling back asleep.  This time it turned out to be a good thing.  About 4:15 I started hearing the crunching of cuben  fiber above me.  I hung my pack but knew it wasn't really protected from the mice like it should be.  My pack was right next to Dundee's pack, also made of cuben fiber.  I shined my light and saw that rat bastard dart away.  But me, being nice and cozy in my bag, laid right back down like I took care of the problem.  But I knew I did nothing to prevent another advance.  It took all of 30 seconds of darkness until the crunching began once again.  Up I went, put my bag where it should have been to start with and went back to sleep.  I told Dundee of the pending doom and he examined his pack and put it right back where it was.  By morning his gorp had fallen prey to the little rat bastards.  Also, it ended up that Steve-O had a sock torn into.  I don't know what other damage there was but my gear went unscathed.  The couple next to me got up and out by 5:45.  Dundee also got up at that time as well.  I think that is early for him.  Later in the day he told me he couldn't sleep because of the mice so as long as the couple made the first move, he jumped right in.  I took advantage of all the commotion as well and got up and eased my bladder situation.  I know I too should have packed out but 1.) it was dark and I don't carry a hiking lamp.  And 2.) the shelter lamp I have is nearly dead since I could not find a 6v battery in Erwin.  No big deal since I still have my little squeeze pack light that will work until I get my package in Damascus.  I took a picture of the valley from the barn and then all of a sudden my phone turned itself off like the battery was dead.  I know I turned it off in airplane mode so even if it became turned on accidentally it should not have lost the 50% battery life I remember it had.  So I turned it back on and it showed the battery was dead.  This really sucked because After finding some horrible news out in the morning, I have not had any service.  I need to know more about what had happened.  I was headed to the trail then decided as long as a privy was close I would enjoy the wide open valley view it has from the sitting position.  On the trail late, just before 8:00. My mind was racing.  The news has the capacity to take me off trail.  My goal is to hike 21+ miles to a new hostel.  With the rain I know the b&b and hostel ahead would have been to capacity with about 25 people.  With only 6 bunks at the new hostel and only 12 miles to hike from the b&b, I figured at least six in the group would hostel hop to the new hostel.  This will then place them another short day of 12 to get to the Kincora Hostel.  So I was thinking if I took a short day of 10 miles, I could go to the b&b they all just left instead of the 22 miles to where I think they all are headed.  I also once again ate the last of my food and need to resupply.  The amount of food I am carrying is actually zero. No meals and no snacks.  If I need to get off trail I need to know earlier rather then later.  And with my phone dead I will need to charge it.  I went back and forth on what to do.  A mile before the turn off to the b&b an older gentleman was doing a day hike up the hill.  We stopped and talked for a minute.  Then he pulled out an orange and asked if I would like it.  I did, so I accepted it.  On the way down the hill I started to peel it then ate it.  It was very tasty.  I realized I stopped thinking about the horrible scene I was picturing all day in my head.  It was a nice break from that.  All because of an orange.  When I look back at it, something so simple such as eating an orange had such a big influence on my mindset and the actions for the rest of the day.  I decided to stop a short distance later at an open area where a shelter had recently been removed.  This is where I ate the last of my food which consisted of a Ramen and a tuna packet.  I decided oh screw it.  I will go to the new hostel and if it is full I will just resupply, charge my phone and camp further down the trail.  While eating I thought I would turn on my phone and see if the issue this morning with the dead battery was due to the cold or something.  Low and behold, it turned on with 40% charge.  It took a bit but I received my messages.  Among them was one that to me indicated the horrible situation may be just a notch better then I thought.  So I kept going and figured 5 more hours wouldn't matter.  And it is indicated the hostel has wi-fi. Stil, l the entire way my mind went back and forth.  I came up with reasons why I need to get off trail and take care if the problems at home.  Sometimes all the time you have to think while hiking is good but in situations like this it can drive you insane.  And that's what it is doing to me. So when I arrived at the new hostel it was empty.  I actually got the private room for only $15 with a big fluffy queen sized bed.  When I gave my resupply list to Scott, the proprietor, I think he had a heart attract.  I think he is used to hikers getting a pizza or a few candy bars.  My list totaled $40 of items since it not only was food for tonight but supplies to get me my three days into Damascus.  I did however have to eat my chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream first since the refrigerator was broken.  This hostel is an interesting place.  It could be nice but is in a rather run down condition.  I think it is not better attended because there is some description in the companion guide referencing this place as a nudists option and alternative lifestyles.  This is not in my book but another hiket showed it to me in his  This place is turns our to be the farthest thing from that.  It us much more like the Standing Bear setup.  Although there were things like a washer and dryer and shower, each thing did seem to be off.  Not just physically off but each one had a squewed feature about it.  And hand written on the wall in market where directions about each item.  I think the companion guide description must be a misprint.  If so, a major one since I think it is causing bikers to avoid it.  It really was a good stop.  Just a bit odd in a couple areas but trust me, not nearly as odd as many things you come across out here. In either case, I took my shower and did my wash.  Didn't dry because it was made clear that although you could dry, it was better to hang your laundry out.  So I did a version of that up at the bunkhouse.   A hiker named Granbob was also there now. He took a bunk for $5 and a pizza for $5.  So for $10 the price was right.  With me in the private room he had a nice stay for $10.  I ate my food, dried my cloths and went to bed.  As it turned out there was no wi-fi.  There was Internet but that would not help me much to connect my phone into.  At least we were able to get the weather for tomorrow.  The hiking should be ok tomorrow but rain and colder the next day.