Date: 2008-06-03
From: Moreland Gap Shelter

To: Watauga Lake Shelter
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke up around 7 today, planning on doing 24 miles, but my shin still feels really bad. The hot spots are not hurting - I taped them up - but my shin is slowing me down. I met Triforce at the Dennis Cove Gap, they are moving on but I'm going to Kincora Hostel to get some food. I walk all the way there and they don't have food. I really should have looked at the guidebook before I walked the .2 miles there. So I walk .5 miles in the other direction to the Laurel Fork Hostel. I met Tailgunner on the way there and we decided to split a Tombstone pizza. I also had a Ham and Cheese Hot Pocket for an appetizer along with a Coke. It's weird that I hardly ever drank soft drinks before this trip, but now we all just pound them down every time we go into civilization. Water can get pretty old when you have to drink it all day everyday just to survive. There was a really nice guy working the hostel, and we talked to him for quite a while. He even gave us a lift back to the trail. Also, I weighed my pack at the hostel - 24 pounds. I started off with 31 pounds, and most people on the trail carry about 40 pounds. So I was pretty happy with my pack. I'm also down to 132 pounds, which means I've lost 9 pounds since I started. They don't call it the all you can eat diet for nothing. After getting dropped off at the trail, we hiked down to Laurel Falls, a huge waterfall with what looked like a great swimming hole at the base. Wishing I hadn't spent so much time at the hostel so I could take a dip. Next we started an almost 2,000 foot climb up this mountain that was completely out of the way of our intended destination for the day. And to top that off, there was absolutely no view at the top. And the immediate 2,000 foot descent did not make my leg too happy. Mule and I made it to Watauga Lake about the same time and stopped at the beach/swimming area to give my leg a break and wait on Cornelius and Dr. Z. When they showed up, we decided to take a dip in the water, which was freezing and felt glorious. We decided to send Cornelius and Dr. Z to hitch 2 miles into town to pick up some barbeque for the rest of us since its only 1.9 miles to the shelter. It's really nice to be able to take a break and get to relax by this lake. We're usually all miles, all day, and really don't get too much time for relaxing. So, it was really nice to sit in the grass and enjoy some pulled pork sandwiches with fries and coke. While we were eating a man came over to ask us about our hike. It turns out that he is Sutton Brown, owner of the local hostel, and a big part of the hiker community in the area. After eating and talking to him for a while, it started getting dark so we packed up and started heading to the shelter. My leg is starting to hurt really bad again, especially with all of the stumbling over roots in the dark. I made it to the shelter in pretty bad pain, threw my bear bag, and got into my sleeping bag. I really don't want to have to get off the trail, but if this leg isn't better by the morning, I just might have to. Better to take a few days off than to mess my leg up for good.