Date: 2009-04-28
From: Slide Hollow Stream, TN

To: Kincora Hostel, TN
Miles today: 14.9

For my Mom: I arrived at label #9 - Dennis Cove, TN on 4/28. I can't believe I forgot to tell you that I finally left North Carolina behind yesterday. There wasn't a sign or anything, but according to the map that state is finally behind me. I've been following the state line between North Carolina and Tennessee since the Smokies. I'd get to a road and there would be Welcome to North Carolina sign and then at another road a sign that said Welcome to Tennessee. It is good to finally have the second state totally behind me. Today I hit the 400 mile mark. Yeah!! My official mileage so far is 412.6 miles. I knew when I got up that I had to reach the hostel today and I had to get there early enough to make the town run. If I didn't make it in time for the town run, then I'd have to zero and go tomorrow night. So I hiked like I had a mission today. There weren't any views to distract me. The one thing I did notice as I climbed down to the hostel was that the trees are starting to have leaves. I've seen flowers, but this was a first to see the leaves coming out on the trees. Spring really is coming. It was another beautiful day by the way and I'm loving it. I finally got to the road and there was a sign saying the hostel was just .2 miles to the left. I'm starting not to believe signs that post mileage and I was skeptical as to the true distance. I caught up to Tanglefoot and we walked, surprise surprise, .2 miles to the hostel. We saw the mailbox on the road, but just a driveway and no house. Oh no how long is the driveway? Alas it ended up being very short and the hostel was hidden behind a few trees. Lovely setting for a hostel. For a suggested $4 donation, I got a tentative (the bunk house was full), shower, laundry, cooking facilities and a shuttle to town. Great deal! I sort of set up my tent and ran to take a shower. Shower was much needed and felt blissful. The hostel only has one shower and I was surprised to be able to get in so quickly. After my shower I was able to do my laundry without waiting. I was surprised about that as well. I found a t-shirt to wear in the hiker's box (box where hikers put stuff they don't want - free to anyone who wants it), so I wore that and my rainpants while my clothes were getting clean. I received an email from Sondra from Piney Flats, TN that she had mailed me some magic to the hostel. Sweet! I got the box and it was stuffed with awesome snacks to include Zero and Snicker bars. I took what I wanted, then Tanglefoot took a few things. I then took the box to the porch where all the other hikers were hanging out and laid it on the floor and said free food. It was like a bunch of pirahnas attacking. It was truly a site to see. I think the box even had teeth marks on it when they were done. Ha. Thanks Sondra for the great Mail Magic!!We stuffed six hikers plus Bob, the hostel owner, in the extended cab of the truck and ten hikers in the bed of the truck for the ride into town. Thanks to Sondra's mail magic all I needed were some first aid supplies. My major buy was dinner. I didn't see any restaurants close to the store that I wanted, so I got fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, pinto beans, sweet cornbread, and cherry cobbler from the deli. I also got a large chocolate milk to wash it all down. Yummy!I'm glad that my nose doesn't work properly. On the ride back to the hostel I asked one of the other hikers how he had enjoyed his shower. He said I haven't taken a shower yet. What do you mean you haven't taken a shower yet? He had gotten to the hostel way before me. The shower is the first order of business when I get to town! The Kincora Hostel and the owner, Bob Peoples, were great. He doesn't allow alcohol and it is a good group of hikers here tonight. They were much quieter than in earlier hostels and they turned in early. Tomorrow I start towards Damascus, VA. Long day, but looking forward to putting another state behind me.