Date: 2003-04-29
From: Davenport Gap Shelter

To: Standing Bear Hostel
Miles today: 3.3
Weather: scattered clouds

I woke up to a stuff sack filled with clothes hitting me square in the face. At first I thought someone was mad at me for snoring, but then realized everyone in the shelter was asleep and snoring. It turned out a girl on the top bunk dropped it. Woods has been having digestion issues, and we planned a pit stop at a new hostel. There is another hostel in the area called Mountain Mommas. She has quite a reputation of being rude and making hikers sick with food poisoning. So we headed to Standing Bear Hostel. I got out first which means I collect all of the cobwebs that are across the trail. After about a mile, there was a great cascading waterfall. Since this was day number 3 of my 6 days to Hot Springs, I couldn¢t resist a quick bath. Woods came by, so I quickly packed up to chase after her. Her mom said I should stay close through Northern Tennessee because there are bootleggers around here. Me not wanting to run into them alone hurried up to catch her. The trail crosses a major highway and we ran into some guy asking us for directions. I know real well how to get from Georgia to here by trail, but I know none of the roads. I pulled out all of my maps and I was actually able to get him to a casino on an Indian reservation near Gatlinburg. After we headed across the street, we traversed a set of stairs. As we did, Woods noticed poison ivy everywhere. We were really careful, and made our way to a stream. I took yet another bath, but this time it was to make sure I don¢t have poison. I haven¢t gotten poison ivy, and I don¢t think I get it, but I don¢t want to chance it. I got poison oak a week or so ago, and it got infected. While I bathed for the second time, Reason strolled by. We headed 200 feet up a road to a farm. This place is great. As soon as I saw it, I knew Woods would want to stay. I¢m in no hurry to get to Hot Springs, and couldn¢t resist it. It looks like a hippy commune for hikers. All the buildings are made from cut timbers and rough cut wood. There are supplies here and the use of the honor system. I had a cheeseburger and a Bass ale within 15 minutes of getting there. They shuttled us into town to get pizza and beer. I was waiting in line behind a doctor to pay with a check. The doctor pulled out a rectal thermometer to fill out the check. When he realized it was a rectal thermometer, he said, ¢Oh crap, some butt hole got my pen.¢ Back at the hostel, they provided us with steak, salad, and baked potatoes. I had to cook it, but I prefer to cook my own steak. It was thick and so juicy. I will be reliving that steak for days. I¢m staying in a cabin straddling a large stream. Very cool, but it makes me want to pee. After dinner, there was a mason jar of moonshine being passed around. They really do have bootleggers around here. Moonshine is not that bad at all. Mixed with Mello Yello, it is quite smooth. My ankle doesn¢t hurt much at all, and I haven¢t been taking pain killers. I reduced the amount of Advil I was taking which turned out to be a mistake. I swelled up as big as I¢ve seen it. Overall, I feel great, like I could hike 20 miles every day. I¢m going to try after Hot Springs. Just 3 more days until I get to see Jessica.