Date: 2016-04-25
From: Allen Gap

To: Firescald bypass
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: broken clouds

I slept in a hostal for the first time since the day before I started my hike. It was ok. Very different then staying in a hotel that is for sure. There were at least 25 hikers there. I slept ok and woke up around 6:00am. It was still dark so I waited until it started getting light before I got up. I had a coffee and got back in bed and caught up on a few sporting events that I have not been keeping up with. I eventually got up and went down to the town diner and had breakfast. It was a perfect sunny spring morning. After breakfast I went back to the hostal and grabbed the package that I was sending home and headed to the post office to mail it back. The outfitters store opened at 9:00am and I had some time to kill so I walked out towards the edge of town staying on the AT. I walked half way accross the bridge which a good size river flowed beneath. So that will be my begin or end point when I get back. Upon returning to town I stopped at the outfitters store and they said they again were doing free shuttles around the wild fires to the next gap about sixteen miles away. I went back to the hostal and got my pack and then headed back to the outfitters. I got a seat on the 11:00am shuttle and was on my way. Along the drive you could see some of the burned areas. When I got dropped off I had about a two mile gentle hike to the hostel where I had my brother mail my next resupply box too. I made the decision to just stay in my crocks. I had my arch support and inserts in them and they felt good. The big reason I did this is because I have developed a big bone bruise on the back of my right heel. It is very painful to even a slight touch. With the crocks that area doesn't get touched. So I headed up the trail and I had no problems as the terrain was easy. I made it to the Hemlock Hollow Inn Hostel around 1:30pm. The people running it were super nice. My package had not arrived yet. I did not have cell coverage so I used there phone and called my mother to check the tracking. I really did not want to stay there overnight. I wanted to get back on the trail. The tracking said my package was out for delivery and it showed up a little after 2:00pm. Several other hikers staying there had just come back with the co owner and they had five pizzas. I was just finishing repacking my bag and they said I could have some pizza so I had a piece and it was really good. Then the owner drove me back to the trail head. I offered twenty dollars for the mail and ride but they would not take my money. I think when I go back to finish that part of the trail, which is now closed due to the fire I will stay there with them. I headed back up the trail with my four days of food and two pair of shoes. My pack was very heavy. I was still wearing the crocks. It was all uphill for the first 4-5 miles. After an hour or so I ran up on Norway, Storm Crow, and also Garrett and Michelle, who are now Cup Cake and Burrito. I have not seen them since before Franklin. I had hiked and camped with them on and off when I first started. They started the same day as Norway and I. It was good to catch up. I ended up hiking with them on and off for the whole day. I made it to the first shelter around 4:00pm. I got water chatted a bit with other hikers and then headed on two more miles up to the top of the mountain. At around 5:00pm I made it to the top and started looking for a place to camp. Cup Cake and Burrito were hiking with me and they were looking to stop also. There was nothing good and the terrain was getting harsher and harsher. We were on a rocky ridge that just went on and on and on. We did have some rely good views which we stopped and took in, but then our search for a good camp site continued. At about 7:00pm we finally found a spot. A hiker named Older Dog was off the trail one hundred feet in a flat area. I asked if there were room for more and he said absolutely. So we had our camp spot finally. We all did out set ups and made our dinners and struck up some nice conversation. It is a very nice spot where we are. We are up high and you can see the valley floor all lite up in lights. It is really pretty. Darkness set in quickly and I cleaned my stuff up and went to hang my bear bag and in the process slipped and fell backward while landing right on an old root. It jammed hard Into my back and really hurt. I showed the others because I knew it left a good mark and they were all like, ouch! Cup Cake put some neosporin on it and a band aid on the part that was bleeding. We all talked a bit more and are now in our tents and hammocks. I ended up doing a lot more miles today then I expected too, but only because I could not find a spot to camp. I love where I am tonight.