Date: 2013-04-18
From: Wayah Bald Shelter

To: Tellico Gap, Aquone Hostel
Miles today: 8.4
Weather: broken clouds

Last night was one of my best night's sleep on the trail yet. It rained throughout the night, and the sound of the raindrops hitting my tarp while the light wind gently rocked my hammock made for a good night. Today we started off in a dense fog. The world was ethereally beautiful. We walked, and walked, and walked. That's what we do. Coming up on Cold Spring Shelter we got a surprise. The shelter sits right on the trail. That's unusual, most shelters are off the trail down a side blue-blaze trail. But we came right up on the back side of this shelter sitting right on the trail itself, and then as we walked around to the front of the shelter, there was more trail magic! Two guys from an outdoor company called Yeti were there with all kinds of snacks, jerky, seasoning packets, bracelets, etc,etc. They also could give advice on trail gear, etc. Very nice guys, and a pleasant diversion for us. At Burningtown Road Gap, I caught up with Nightingale. We don't actually hike together very often, she is usually ahead of me and we catch up at rest breaks to compare notes, etc. She said she guessed this would be where we part ways, because there was another storm forecast for tonight, and she says she is a fair-weather hiker, and was going to get off the trail at the next hostel, which was about 5 miles further down the trail. I was sorry about that, because it has been fun having a hiking partner, even though I knew it was only going to last another day anyway, until the NOC, when she leaves to go home for a job interview. But then she said I should come to the hostel with her. It is only $20, but I was not going to spend any more money after my unexpected $50 in Franklin, so I declined, and said I would go on to the next shelter. Then she offered to pay for my night at the hostel. I declined, but she encouraged, and so here I am--at Aquone Hostel. I walked part of the last 5 miles with a hiker named Little Janie, and it was a very nice conversation and a great way to pass the time. The trail took a LONG, STEEP, downhill to Tellico Gap. So long, and so steep, that my toes are all bruised again. Ouch! At the bottom we met Steve (Wiggy) a Brit who owns Aquone Hostel with his wife Maggie. He drove us like a madman down steep winding roads and to his hostel, which is absolutely lovely, and very luxurious. We ate a great home-cooked dinner (meat loaf, mashed potatoes, and brocoli) and met two gentelmen hikers who are here for the evening as well. The plush surroundings feel strange. How can you spend one night in a hammock in a cold rain after eating couscous and going to the bathroom outside, and the next night it's like you're in a resort?? The trail is a strange place.The forecast for tomorrow is for, guess what, rain and thunderstorms. I don't want to wait out a day here, as nice as it is. I'm a hiker, and a hiker needs to be hiking. I will hike in rain, as long as there is no lightning.I promise I will try to get some more photos up. My phone seems to take forever to upload photos, and I usually run out of time before I can get them all up. But now I am inside, warm and dry, with an electrical outlet, so maybe I can actually post them tonight.