Date: 2005-03-25
From: Erwin, TN MP 339

To: Zero day in Erwin, thoughts from Scarecrow
Miles today: 0.0

The trail has changed a lot since 2003, and continues to change. Don't think for a second that I'm alone out here. Have you seen how many hikers there are just on trailjournals alone? There's 10x more who don't have an account. Hikers share a special bond like war veterans. We all know what it's like to have wet feet for 5 days, run out of food, smell like death, and have every bone aching. We also realize the rewards of the wilderness and climbing mountains. From this we get a massive "trail community" of hikers; not only presently hiking but also so many alumni. Today while sitting on the front porch, Stumpknocker and HippieLongstockings showed up. I met them in 2003 and apparently they never LEFT the trail. With each year there are hundreds of new alumni (finished or dropped out) who do day hikes, leave trail magic in places, show up in towns, etc. That being said, there's twice as many hostels (primitive cozy places where hikers can dry out, shower, laundry, and hang out at minimal cost) now than were available even two years ago! Between Erwin and Damascus for example (about 120 miles) had two hostels tucked away in the woods somewhere. Now there's like SIX!! I talk to hikers all the time who say "What do you know about the new hiker place in Hampton, TN?" and I'm like "you're kidding, right?" Most hostels (usually a garage with bunks, or a barn) are owned by hiker sympathizers or past thru-hikers who simply haven't been rid of the hiker bug, and can't stand to be away from the trail and its prestige. Trail clubs that maintain and route the trail are constantly re-routing it over ungodly-steep terrain and pointless ruggedness trying to weed out the sissies, but the trail grows in popularity all the time. Many of the shelters I've revisited have been renovated. I'm not complaining, just giving some insight. It's nice to have so many options for towns/hostels to stay in (and for emergencies, it's a safer trail) but the woods are crowded! It's only a matter of time before there's hot water and 110V outlets at 5 mile intervals. I'm excited to get my hammock tent when the weather warms a bit, and avoid the shelters altogether and camp in the deep woods where nobody will find me. Shorts, E, Alan, Bayley, KB & SB, Snowdog, Kado, and Wels left this morning, but I stayed an extra day in Erwin. They're young speedy folk who're always like "Let's go 20+ miles today!" After Damascus, VA the terrain begins to smooth, and the days will be warmer and longer. The big mile days will come! I'm not in a rush. If there's one bit of wisdom I've gained from the '03 hike, the more time you spend in the woods, the more happy you'll be! Making it to Maine doesn't ensure you had a good time; for as soon as you're home, you wish you were back out there, wishing you hadn't walked so fast! Aww, man. This one made my heart sink... There's a beautiful view in the Smokies called Charlie's Bunion, a rock outcropping only 50 yards off the trail with a 1000 foot drop below and an incredible view of which photos you'll soon see. Later that evening, some of the thru-hikers listed above were sitting at the shelter, and I said "Man, what a view from Charlie's!" but nobody responded. They were so intent on time charts and mileages that they didn't even bother to drop thier packs and walk the extra couple steps to the view, which they'd just spent all morning climbing! ARGGG!!! Ok. I'm done. Everyone can hike thier own hike. As much as I enjoy the company of the people i've met thus far, I'm not going to spend all day, every day cramming miles, drenched in sweat, and my muscles on the verge of tearing from their sockets. I've seen many many hikers take a bad step while "full throttling" and end up going home with a bum knee or broken bone... This is first hand experience from a salty thru-hiker. The AT is still rugged and wild.