Date: 2017-05-20
From: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter

To: Standing Bear Hostel
Miles today: 18.4

Day 18Saturday, May 20, 2017 Tri-Corner Knob Shelter (222.9) to Standing Bear Hostel (241.3)Miles: 18.4 miles in 11.75 hours with two stops2017 AT trip miles: 241.3Total AT miles to date: 1535Weather: Partly cloudy in the a.m. to sunny, hot, humid in the afternoonDinner: Microwaved cheeseburger, yogurt, ice cream sandwich, Flat Tire beerHikers: Flash, Lewis and friend Emma, Super Mario (SoBo FlipFlop), Screech, dad and daughter NoBosWildlife: One big black snake and one baby oneThe Tri-Corner Knob Shelter ended up not making for a relaxing night. One person arrived around 11 p.m. well after everyone was down. One or more left at 4 a.m. I slept on the top deck above Flash, whom I know slept all night because he never stopped snoring. I also had a queasy stomach, perhaps due to eating two dinners. Or not properly filtering water. I also woke up rolled over and in an angle fairly close to one of the young Michigan guys. So yeah. A rough night. The trail today was mostly downhill¢which is not easy. Going up is actually easier¢at least from a joint and muscle point of view. Also toes. Out of the 18.4 miles, more than ten of them were downhill¢including a run of about seven miles. Parts of the trail were wet and squishy and boy did that ever feel good on the soles. While we expected rain again today, it never materialized.My motivation ended up being the Standing Bear Hostel, where a shower awaited. This was especially motivational as the afternoon heat was sweltering. My hands were sweating so much that I even formed a small blister upon the palm of my right hand. The worst part was the last three miles¢it was just getting long to be a long day. And did I mention the heat? At least the trail followed a pretty little brook that turned into a cascade. And then, trail magic! In the form of ice cold soda, water and/or beer! And chips. I don't believe I've ever drank a can of Pabst in four gulps like I did this afternoon. Delicious! Thanks Beer Angels!The hostel property itself  is very cool¢lots of stone work details, such as a bridge leading to the showers and privy. The shower stalls are constructed of cement and bottles like our cordwood sauna, the floors made of river stones. Bunks are built from wormwood tree trunks and there are reclaimed doors and tin sinks and fun details like that. I got me some more ideas and new plans for our cabin now! There is definitely a hippie vibe (including doing your laundry by hand using a washboard), but the staff seemed a bit zombie-ish and not in a hippie sort of way. They were mostly helpful, but no one seemed very happy. Maybe because they got stuck working this weekend during Trail Days which was being held in Damascus. But here is a mystery¢what happened to my black wool long underwear? Sure they were riddled with holes and I was going to toss them at the end of this trip, but not quite yet. Because I'm wearing a hiking skirt, they are my only ¢pants.¢ Last time I remember wearing  them was in one of the shelters in the Smokies. I pulled them off in my sleeping bag. They are not to be found in the few possible places they I expect them to be¢the clothes bag, the bottom of my sleeping bag, or loose (which would be odd) in my pack. Troubling. And poor form if I accidentally left them in a shelter.