Date: 2019-04-06
From: ScottyÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Solar Hostel 

To: Stealth Camp site
Miles today: 14.8

Saturday Day 48, Scotty¢s Solar Hostel to stealth camp site beyond Laurel Fork Shelter. 14.8 miles.I had a very good nights rest at the Hostel last night. I had a private room  upstairs while the rest of the crew bunked together downstairs. I was too tired to feel guilty. I don¢t think everyone else like their stay as much as I did. I woke up to roosters crowing, wild turkeys gobbling and the hounds of Baskerville howling early this morning.  I forgot to mention we missed the trail coming into this hostel last night, I was hiking with Pushing 60 and Boomerang and had made it down to the bridge at the creek when we realized we had somehow missed the unmarked trail. We backtracked back up the mountain found the trail and made it to the hostel. Well this gave us an advantage leaving this morning as we did not have to climb up the mountain to leave but was able to take a deer trail along the creek back to the bridge. the trail today was a lot of ups and downs some call them puds (pointless downs) i actually like as the give me an opportunity to recover for next ups.We saw several waterfalls today, this part of Tennessee is absolutely stunning. Our day ended at Laurel Falls a great park where day hikers can come and enjoy the falls and many hiking trails. We saw many hikers and fly fishermen enjoying the great outdoors, many stopped to talk with us and were very interested in our hike. the at winds through some beautiful rock cliffs and up down massive step climbs. the reward is amazing as trail runs by laurel falls alongside creek for challenging hopping base of before spiraling back mountain to shelter. this would be a day hike i highly recommend. https://www.fs.usda.gov/recare...So when we got to the shelter site we realized the tent sites were scarce. So Q, RG, Sting Ray decided we would hike in a bit and stealth camp by the creek. But first we were surprised by an amazing young couple that brought us homemade pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, mac and cheese and other trail magic items like plastic baggies and TP  they even offered to hike out our trash . These two had southbound last year and decided to do trail magic for us. I¢m blown away by the good hearts of these strangers helping us hikers out. How can I say this ...There are all different socioeconomic levels out here on the trail some have no extra money and scrape bye with the minimum, others have money but the reality is there are no stores to buy stuff on the trail, we are all socially leveled out here to the most basic hierarchy of needs, and appreciate the smallest gift like a cup of water or a piece of candy old and young, poor and rich  we are all the same and appreciate Trail Angels so very much!!!My wife and Snuggs¢ wife Kenya and our good friend Amy recently did trail magic up on Flagg mountain, in Alabama near her father¢s home, feeding several hikers including Nimble Will Nomad. I also hope to be able to give back one day as well but for now I am humbled and grateful for the magic so many provide. Tonight I¢m in my tent by a beautiful mountain stream. My bear bag is hung... btw where are the bears??My pad seems to be holding air, more news in the morning.Life is good, I thank you all for your supportive comments in the guest book. I read them always and appreciate you so much!