Date: 2014-11-05
From: Iron Mountain Shelter

To: Wilbur Dam Rd. (Braemar Castle Hostel)
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: clear sky

The breeze came up overnight, and since the temperature did not go below the mid-40s, it helped melt much of the snow. We both found it hard to remember that the dripping off the shelter roof was not rain. We did manage to leave just after 7, but we both needed water so stopped at the spring a couple of tenths along the trail. The weather was good for hiking, and our goal was a noon lunch at Vandeventer Shelter. We went up and down along the ridge, occasionally having views of bits of Watauga Lake. The last few tenths seemed long, as I was pretty hungry.As we approached the shelter, two hunting dogs came up to us. Both had collars with owners' contact info as well as radio collars with antennas. No way we could eat, as these were very hungry critters. Traildog fed them his cheese and pepperoni, and I got out the remaining beef bits and tossed them on the shelter floor. Handing anything to them risked a bitten hand, though other than hunger, they seemed well trained and friendly. Traildog called thencell number of one owner, whose address was Elizabethton, several miles north. The other was from NC. Dave Holtzcamp was thrilled to know where his dog was and said he had been looking for him since Monday. He was surprised the dog had traveled so far. Traildog offered to bring the dogs out to US 321, but Dave said he could meet us at Wilbur Dam Road, not quite five miles from the shelter. We used my para cord and a line Traildog had to tie them to trees so we could snack and get ready to leave. The lines became makeshift leashes. I led the way, and Traildog followed with the dogs. Thank goodness they were trained! One dog seemed distressed every time I went around a switchback, until it became clear that Traildog would be going the same way.The hike seemed longer than the 4.7 miles, but eventually we came to the road and found Dave in his dog truck. He was very glad to see the dogs and lifted them into the compartments in the back. He then presented us each with a hamburger and a Coke, which we gratefully wolfed down. Dave is a real character. He is 75, was born and raised in the Hampton area, and had lots of stories. Traildog went to a neighboring high school, a rival of Hampton High which has always had an outstanding basketball team. Dave was on the team but said his sport was football -- played running back. He eventually became a high school football coach, both in Tennessee and Virginia. He now hunts bear, among other things, and owns over 10 hunting dogs. He and friends had killed two bear earlier in the week. One reason we got to hear Dave's stories is that I asked if he could take us to Brown's store in Braemar so we could check in to the Braemar Castle Hostel. He knew Sutton Brown, the owner, as well as Sutton's brother, recently retired as a judge. We got there, and Dave and Sutton caught up, then Dave drove us to the hostel. He insisted we each take $20, though we tried to say our finding the dogs and his feeding us and giving us a ride was already reciprocal trail magic. After more stories, Dave headed off to a friend's for dinner,Beverly Brown arrived home from work at the state water resources agency and got us settled in rooms. She gave us each a small space heater, because this end of the large building is not heated. She explained that the "castle" was once the local headquarters of the Pittsburg Lumber Company. They have been renovating it for 28 years, living in one end and using the other end as a hostel. It has private rooms with shared bath upstairs, and bunk rooms on the main floor. Each area has a kitchen and living room type space. We are the only ones here.After settling in, we went back to the store, chatted with the woman who works in the hardware area, and then bought a few items from thengrocery section, including some deliciously sugary pastries called "Ugly." I got a blueberry, a chocolate chip, and an apple Ugly. The hardware store reminded me of Fernandez's in Northfield, VT. Tons of stuff rather idiosyncratically organized. I suspect both the woman and Sutton could find anything. She said she asks people who don't know the name of a thing to describe what it is for or does, and she can usually figure it out.We arranged with Sutton to take us back to Wilbur Dam Road early the next morning and then walked about .7 mile toward Hampton to eat at the relatively new Laurel Creek Cafe. They have a fairly limited menu -- burgers, salads, sandwiches, and three dinner plates, with "Coke products" and water to drink. But it was not trail food! Then back to Braemar and to bed.