Date: 2019-05-26
From: Partnership Shelter

To: Long Neck Lair Hostel
Miles today: 11.6

Today I got out late, but I knew I was headed to my hostel, so it would be a short day. It started uphill. I ran into Caboose and her daughter on the uphill, which was awesome!! I hiked with them for a bit and then went ahead of them. There was a nice view today and then a long downhill that ended with an old schoolhouse and a museum. I ran into some people from the shelter at the school, Mad Max and Two Sticks. There was trail magic inside the schoolhouse, provided by a church!! It was great!! There were bins and bins full of medical supplies and toiletries, snacks, candy, and soda. I loaded up on some of it and hung out for a bit. Tugs and Tank Top and Raisin showed up and we took some pictures. I was laughing because the name of the school was the same name as my company back home, which is a private tutoring company. Working from the trail now? Haha. Caboose and her daughter showed up and said they were going to the hostel I was. We all left separately, but I found them again. We hiked through some pretty meadows and out onto train tracks again. Up the hill we could see two mansions and I actually took pictures because they were nice homes, but then realized one of those was the hostel! Wow that was a nice-looking hostel. I saw a turtle on the way there. Of course we had to go all the way around because why would the AT ever take you anywhere directly? Haha. We came out at the road and there was not much there, just a gas station and Mexican restaurant. We walked to the hostel on the road. This was truly the nicest hostel I¢ve ever stayed at. We walked up the driveway and met a bunch of alpacas!! It was kinda funny because one peeked its neck around the barn and then they all did and came towards us. They¢re funny-looking creatures haha. We took pictures and enjoyed this sweet surprise! We then came up to the house and met the owner. She was friendly and said they were headed to a dinner, but that some other folks were coming back from the store soon. We set up our tents and looked around. This place was incredible inside. It was clean and had a big, beautiful kitchen. I wish I had known sooner because I would¢ve loved to get food and cook here. They had one private room that was beach-themed and then just tenting and the use of the facilities. I totally could¢ve zero¢d and was really tempted to. It had been a week since Damascus and I was a bit tired from all the heat and bugs. But I was telling myself it wasn¢t time to zero and I should push on.The people from the store showed up. Mama¢s Boy was there (he¢s now Danran), Birdman, a British guy named Jukebox, and a girl named CW (for counterweight). CW already hiked the trail, but had come back for a reunion with some friends and met Jukebox. And a whirlwind romance ensued. The two of them were planning to get married and he thought he could move his job to the US. I mean to each their own, but 3 weeks of knowing each other... they did seem very happy together and on the same page, so maybe it really is meant to be. Someone told me the other day that it takes a certain kind of people to come out here and do this, so maybe if you find romance out here, it¢s meant to be. Natural selection haha narrowing down the weirdos who would hike this whole trail and putting them together!! Haven¢t found my future hubby yet haha but I don¢t think I need someone as crazy as me. A day-hiker will do. Haha. Anyway, the British guy was debating giving up his hike to be with her and that part would not happen for me. If I¢ve got my whole life with someone, I¢m not going to pass up opportunities I may never get again. I hope he continues on, but again, hike your own hike. If his journey was meant to end here so he could be with her, so be it.CW is awesome and decided to do some trail magic for people at the hostel. She bought a bunch of food including fresh meat, veggies, and potatoes. Caboose, her daughter, and I wanted to check out the Mexican restaurant too, so we figured we¢d do both and see how much we could eat, maybe saving some for tomorrow. The Mexican restaurant was really good and cheap, but they didn¢t have any margaritas! Strike two with Mexican restaurants down here! So disappointing! We saw Tugs and Tank Top in the restaurant. They were debating the hostel, but were afraid Raisin wouldn¢t do well with the other animals. We said goodbye and ate our food. The menu had a million options, which always overwhelms my indecisive self. I didn¢t finish my food on purpose to save some room for the food at the hostel, but Caboose and her daughter ate a lot of their¢s. Caboose said it was Mother¢s Day in Sweden so she was happy to have had this dinner with her daughter and I felt a little awkward. We had all talked about going to the restaurant so I never felt like I was intruding, but now I felt a bit like the odd one out. Third-wheeling for life folks! We went back up to the house and I had some of their food too. It was really good. I miss chicken on the grill and corn and potatoes. Fresh food like that is just the best. I was definitely more full after my two dinners. CW and Jukebox were talking about plans tomorrow. He slackpacked 13 miles today and she drove him, since she has a car here. She was going back to the place he slackpacked to tomorrow, so again my mind started scheming and I asked if she could take my pack. She was totally willing and offered to take Caboose¢s pack too. This was my second free slackpack deal. I have a talent haha. I was now excited for tomorrow, especially since I was craving a zero and this would be close to one. I also hadn¢t organized my food bag and this would give me time to tomorrow when I arrive to the place that¢s holding my pack. We finished dinner and cleaned up and then relaxed for a bit. We all decided to play UNO for a bit outside on the back porch. The view was stunning and there was a hot tub and tables and chairs to sit and relax. We played a few rounds of UNO and then it started to pour. My rain fly was open because it was sunny before, so I sprinted to close that, and CW had left her car windows open. We waited a bit and everyone stayed inside drying off. I was colder now and pretty tired, but we decided to finish the game. And guess who won?! Me!! It was a bunch of fun and we all went to bed. It was late and I was wiped still. I was looking forward to slackpacking though. The fireflies were everywhere and lit up the sky all night. Little Debbie