Date: 2010-05-24
From: Mountaineer Falls Shelter

To: Pond Flats
Miles today: 21.3

I forgot to mention that at Mountaineer Falls Shelter, someone changed the F for B. Made me laugh! Today's official AT mileage may seem short but I actually hiked 26.3 miles. You'll find out why shortly. I left the shelter early as I knew I had a lunch date in Hampton Tennessee, home of the Hampton Bulldogs. The walk was great, strangely it made me feel like I was in the Noosa National Park near my grandparents' house. Perhaps it was the warm air or just that I was very happy. I was not craving anything and I believe it means that my trail diet is fairly good. If I crave fatty junk food it means I am not getting enough calories. Often I crave coke but that is the result of being dehydrated. I passed Warren again today and he told me that as he lives only an hour or so away from the trail for the next 3 sections, his group would be going back to his house every night (he has 30 beds). He very kindly invited me to join them for the three days. How nice! But I'm trying to put in some higher mileage days so might not be in the right area. This was my first piece of trail magic. "Trail magic" is when something unexpected happens to make life good on the trail. A "trail angel" gives trail magic. My second piece of trail magic (although is it magic if you ask for it) is that Skink's wife (Skink was a thru hiker I met) has agreed to change my winter gear for summer gear. Another trail angel! My third piece of trail magic came later today. I planned to hike 1 mile off the trail to get to Hampton, to avoid hitching. I took a side trail and when I was almost at the car park, my destination, I took a wrong turn due to bad signage. I walked quite a while then saw some day hikers. I asked if I was going in the right direction and they said no. They were leading another lost thru hiker. Anyway I made it to the trailhead finally. Hampton is more of a road with a couple of shops than a town. I had to hike another mile to get to a food serving place (not sure restaurant is the correct term). There were only a couple of things on the menu. Bolonga and cheese, cheeseburger, grilled cheese or bean soup. I ate a grilled cheese, a cheeseburger and a serving of fries with a Pepsi (only choice was Pepsi or Mountain Dew). The owner looked at me as if that was a lot but I was not finished. I then ordered another grilled cheese, fries and Pepsi. It all cost 10 dollars and it tasted mighty fine. The owner could not understand why someone would want to hike the AT and said she'd never get my pack on her back. The locals have such strong hillbilly accents that I can't understand them. I resupplied and ate two ice creams and a coke. There are no fruit or veg in these stores but lots of pickling equipment and home brew kits. I sat on the ground to sort my food and to feel sorry for myself that I had to walk a mile back along the busy road to the trailhead then another mile to the AT. A local fellow started talking to me saying I was crazy to walk to Maine. He offered me a lift back to the trail! Woo hoo! Trail magic! He even offered me some handpicked rhubarb for the way but I don't have a stove so could not cook it. At the trailhead, he asked if I was going to the nearby lake. I said yes so he offered me a lift that way as he said it was far. I said I couldn't cheat and that I need to walk there myself! I trudged up a huge hill and you guessed it felt ill from the food! It does not digest, it would be like eating all I described then going for a run....not nice! However I felt great at the top after digesting and could have walked further notwithstanding the 26 miles I had already walked. Maybe I have my trail legs! I am tenting at Pond Flat. There was a sorry excuse for a stream but I managed to get clean in a murky puddle. No wonder I smell bad!