Date: 2005-06-16
From: Campsite .3 miles after Trico side trail

To: Bears Den Rocks (hostel)
Miles today: 21.1
Weather: scattered clouds

...Just as we crested the top of Buzzard Hill, we saw an odd sight...a man standing on the side of the trail with a piece of luggage. Our first thought was TRAIL MAGIC! But that was not the case. Bug thought that maybe this guy was up here with expensive camera equipment taking photographs, but when we inquried, he replied that he only wish he had a camera with him. Something just did't set right about this guy! I mean he was nice enough, but he kind of grinned nervously at us with this toothless smile. We asked him the typical questions that hikers ask each other out here upon meeting. Questions like: "How far have you come?", "What's the trail like ahead?", "How far are you hiking?" He didn't quite know how to answer and gave some peculiar answers. We quickly decided to move along, although not fast enough for Bug's taste. It got even more strange as we headed up the trail and spotted another piece of luggage sitting there with a tent perched atop it still in its! original packaging.After we had started down the mountain, Bug asked why in the world I kept the conversation going as long as I did, when all he wanted to do was get out of there! The way I saw it was that if the guy was unstable, I didn't want him to find me rude. There's no telling what was in those suitcases! Bug and I began to question whether there were any hikers ahead of us that turned up missing...thankfully no, but he did have a month's supply of canned food inside. Since I was ahead, I was constantly checking behind me to make sure Bug was still back there. This guy was that off...seriously!As we continued to hike, I informed Bug that I would feel better if we were around other people tonight. We had originally intended to camp at a viewpoint about 1 mile past Bears Den. We were both pleased about the miles we had accomplished for the day, so we went ahead and hiked into Bears Den Hostel which is owned by the ATC. Bug and I definately made the right decision! I'm not quite sure what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't a stone mansion tucked away in the mountains of Virginia. This place is beautiful! It was built as a summer home for some wealthy Washingtonians back in the 30s, and after trading hands a few times, was donated to the ATC.Lori (Queen Diva) was quick to invite us in and make us feel right at home. She is the caretaker and does a fabulous job in running the place! We had decided to tent on the lawn rather than staying in the bunkhouse, so we went outside before dark set in to set up house.When we started back into the house, we were quickly told we were welcome to an all you can eat pizza dinner, compliments of Cycle Hiker's sisters who had come to visit. What a wonderful welcome! Cycle Hiker's sisters had surprised him, and Train's family was up for a visit as well. It was one big family reunion. Apparently Cycle's sisters have been keeping up with our journal, as has Lori; it made us feel so good to meet people we don't know who have come to care so much about us. Pixie and Pine Dragon are here and Pine Dragon is feeling a little under the weather. From what we understand, something is going around on the trail, because others have been sick as well.From the looks of things in the kitchen, I think Cycle's sisters must have bought out the local grocery store. When we arrived, they had already been there quite a few days and had been feeding hikers every night! They had some extra pints of Ben and Jerry's and when they heard I was wanting to buy my usual pint, they insisted I take one of the ones they had. I felt so bad, since B&J is not cheap ice cream, but they insisted. Bug and I had the Uncanny Cashew and it is a flavor I would recommend to anyone.Thanks so much to Cycle's family and to Lori at Bear's Den for the wonderful and much needed R&R!!!Bear's Den Hostel was not an intended stop for us, but like so many of the others that happened like that, it has ranked among the top places we have stayed on our hike. Anyone planning a hike on the AT should most definately stay here!About the strange man on top of Buzzard Hill....many people at the hostel had their own stories about this guy which I will have to share