Date: 2012-04-21
From: Elk River campsite

To: Hampton, TN
Miles today: 18.4

Got up about 7 am. Packed and started hiking. It looked like it was going to be a relatively easy day. Although, There is no such animal. We hiked away from the river and left our EMT asleep in his tent. Not to worry, he would later pass us. We hiked for several miles and damn if food wasnt the topic of conversation again. We ended up coming upon ole EMT sitting on iron bench; yep eating!! The kid's backpack, we later weighed it was near 50 pounds!! Mostly food!!! Anyway, there was a hostel right off the trail. We heard the owner had tombstone pizzas and other foods. ( icecream too!). So we decided to check it out. We got three pizzas, and other stuff. Went inside the hiker hostel and used his oven. While inside, used the computer and semi let people know we were still alive. Now, remember EMT, he was eating when we saw him, right? He came to the hostel with us. He ate a pizza, finished mine, potato chips, and two sodas!! I ate an icecream also. It was pretty good!!   We left and hiked on. A thunderstorm hit us and the rest of the hike was wet and slippery. We hiked all the way to the side trail to Hampton. F100 and Steady had gotten ahead of me. I wasnt sure what their plan was. I came up on Moreland Gap Shelter where I saw Turtle and Hare. Oh and EMT was there, yep, eat'n. The kid is an eat'n machine!! He said he eats about 4 lbs of food a day!! Anyway, I was told that F100 and Steady were head'n to Kinkordia Hostel, 6 miles further. It was 5 pm, I was cold and wet. I thought about staying at this shelter, BUT!! There were two female weekenders there. One of them had a beagle/baset looking hound that she was not trying to control and his muddy wet ass was running free all over the shelter. Ok, time for swamprat to move on!! I put on my smartwoool shirt and headed north. I managed to get enough signal to call my favorite lagistics officer, Dania. Asked her to look and see if there was anything in Hampton that had a bed. I figured I would hike until I heard back. If nothing was available, two trees along the trail would do just fine!! I was just about out of gas. Feet hurt'n, knees hurt'n, just plain old hurt'n. She called and said there was the Iron Mountain Inn. 50 bucks and the owner would pick me up at Kinkordia Hostel. Great, that would work. Now if I could just get out of the mountain by 7. I picked up the pace and actually caught up to F100 and Steady. They liked the sound of the place and decided to join me. When we got to Kinkordia, Ms Vickie was there waiting on us. She took us to a biker saloon to eat and was super nice. When we got to her Inn we couldnt believe what was in store. This place was incredible. It was not an inn. It was her home she turn into a bed and breakfast actually. I feel somewhat guilty to stay here, NOT!! Jay Oquinn eat your heart out. I stayed in the woods under the stars all week. Dania, I owe ya!! However, Ms Vickie is cooking breakfast in the morning and then is bringing us into town for re-supply. Dont worry, I will be roughing it again soon enough.    Ok, i think that catches me up on the journal. I hope to post more pictures soon. Just dont have enough signal here. So, good night and I will update tomorrow. Swamprat