Date: 2021-05-21
From: Uncle JohnnyÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Hostel, Erwin TN

To: Cherry Gap Shelter 
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: clear sky

May 21 - Uncle Johnny¢s Hostel, Erwin, TN to Cherry Gap Shelter - 17.3 miles (253.4 trip miles) - 37227 steps My thoughts on the hostel did not change overnight. It is very convenient and the people running it are nice, but it needs some work and a good cleaning. Another washer and dryer would help as well. The office didn¢t open until 830 which is late for me. I ate my super high calorie cinnamon thing from Walmart and a package of Pop Tarts and waited. I had no room in my food bag so I left the remaining Pop Tarts, some peanut M&Ms and the remaining cinnamon roll things for other hikers. When the office opened I got right in and paid my tab and was on my way. I weighed my pack, now that it was fully loaded, and it came in at 25 pounds. That¢s great with all the food I had. I was expecting 30 because that¢s what it feels like. One more thought on hostels that is just my observation. They seem to be a black hole for many thru hikers. Everything is easy at them. There¢s easy food, drinks, no work, etc. Many hikers have a hard time leaving. I realize every hiker has to hike your own hike (HYOH) but if you are going to make it to Katahdin by October 15 when it closes, taking 3 or 4 zero days at each hostel won¢t work for most. The hikers at Uncle Johnny¢s that had taken multiple zeroes are the ones, at least to me, that can least afford to lose hiking days. So, as usual, leaving town is an up. Today¢s up out of Erwin was pretty tough for the first 2 miles. It was steep and ran along a nice creek for a good part of the climb. It was only 4.4 miles to the first shelter of the day. I stopped to rest and eat the apple I packed out. From there it was a steady ascent until a dip into Indian Grave Gap. At this road there were some hikers I¢d seen at the hostel. They were doing a 20 mile southbound (SOBO) slack pack hike today. Slack packing is where you get a ride out somewhere down trail with just a day pack of essentials. This lighter load allows you to move much quicker enabling higher miles hiked. You then end up back at the place you¢re staying for another night. It works for the hikers and the place of lodging. In talking to these hikers I learned that water would be sparse for some miles. They offered to let me have some of theirs since they would get some in 2 miles. I accepted. That was very nice of them. Trail magic just when I needed it. I ate some jerky and M&Ms and started the climb. The next stop would be Beauty Spot, another bald mountain. The climb was about 1100 feet and very hot. The trail is on the south side of the mountain and had few trees. The extra water was welcome and needed. The views at the top were good but not as good as past balds. Next up was a dip down then another 1100 foot climb up Unaka Mountain. But at the bottom of the dip there was a small spring where I could again top off my water. Unaka was also tough but I think my lungs are getting better at the climbs. Most forests are hemlock (I think) in this area. At the top of Unaka it was a dark mossy pine forest. I was expecting elves and nymphs to be wandering about thinking I was Frodo Baggins or Samwise Gamgee. I stopped for a snack among the pines and needed to decide whether to stay or hike on. It was only 445 and I came here to hike. So move on to the shelter it was. I covered the mostly downhill 3.4 miles quickly. There¢s a few people here. I ate a noodle pack and some snacks, set up camp, got water and it¢s now almost bed time. Tomorrow I should get to another high mountain, Roan High Knob. The extra miles at the end today should help. I believe after Roan the big mountains are over for a while. I may also get up earlier to try and beat the heat. Until tomorrow.