Date: 2017-05-27
From: Sam's Gap

To: Spivey Gap
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 25Saturday, May 27, 2017 Sam¢s Gap (318.4) to Spivey Gap (331.8)Miles: 13.4 miles in 7.75 hours with two breaks2017 AT trip miles: 331.8Total AT miles to date: 1625.1Weather: Pleasant, threatening showers that never materialized, 60sDinner: Pesto chicken pasta, fresh green beans, amber beerHikers: Cindy Lou Who, Shane, Ragnor, Thirteen and saw Screech and General Hendricks, whom definitely jumped ahead) at Uncle Nolichuckies Hostel when I picked up my food dropWildlife: Heard a Barred OwlToday went fast, was interesting and Kay performed a little trail magic at the end of the day.At the top of the first peak, I stopped to upload four days worth of blog posts, thanks to the excellent coverage. Turns out there is some sort of nearby sub-division. I had been running into a suspiciously high number of non-hiker looking walkers and was confused about access because I thought the next road crossing was another dozen miles distant, where Kay is picking me up tonight. I finally asked an older couple, neither of whom were carrying water, and walking with two dogs. Yup, there was a road and a bunch of houses just over the ridge, all of which was clearly visible from atop Bald Mountain. Cindy Lou Who, last seen zeroing in Hot Springs with General Hendricks, caught up to me as we neared the summit. At the very top of the bald, there was a wedding in progress. We watched for a bit as it ended and it sure seemed like it might be a hiker wedding as it was held right by a white blazed post, but alas, we weren't asked to partake in any post-ceremony refreshments. Dark clouds were beginning to gather (the meteorological ones, not the anger kind). We headed on.Before descending, I said goodbye to Cindy Lou who would be putting on more miles today and getting ahead of me. Then FaceTimed the family back home. The predicted rain never materialized and I caught up with some other hikers within the last two miles including, Thirteen, another woman from Wisconsin. About 20 yards shy of meeting up with Kay, I rolled my left ankle and thought it might be resprained. We'll see. Kay had brought strawberries from the farm stand she had visited today and made instant friends with several hikers¢including a weekend section hiker that seemed a little too appreciative for having only been out one night thus far. He acted like he¢d been through-hiking on rations for weeks or months vs. a day. Red flag. I think I speak for everyone when I say he was a little out there¢not necessarily dangerous, more like someone who could fill a conversation with his own ludicrous narrative, his irrefutable banter; someone who can suck the air out of the room, and was quite possibly into conspiracy theories. For example, he casually mentioned how easy it would be for someone, anyone really, to advertise a hostel on the side of a van, then kidnap the unsuspecting hikers instead. Red flag. Then he mused about the benefits of leaving the leaves on the strawberries and proceeded to pop them whole in his mouth. Red flag. Yeah. Not camping by this guy. He should be off trail by the time Kay heads back home, plus¢news can travel up and down the trail faster than a case of Novo Virus, so his reputation has likely already proceeded him.I picked up another food drop at a hostel I thought I'd be staying at prior to Kay¢s visit, that now isn't completed necessary, and saw Screech, who hiked there, and General Hendricks, who Cindy Lou said had stayed behind at another hostel down trail. Clearly something is afoot. I'm fine with people who decide to skip ahead, I just was very surprised to see him ahead of me.