Date: 2017-05-04
From: No Business Knob Shelter 

To: Erwin, Tennessee (Asheville by car)
Miles today: 6.2

I have been able to catch up on all of my text journaling and have added many photos this evening. I think I have the new system figured out. Today's journal entry:I set an alarm last night for the first time.  We wanted to get into Erwin early to arrange for a shuttle to get us back to Stephen's car in Hot Springs. Rain is in the forecast, and we hoped to get to town before it began. Stephen also wanted to try hiking in the dark.  So we were up at 4:00 and on the trail by 5:50.  We hiked by headlamp for 30 minutes until the sun came up.  The 6.2 miles into Erwin were some of the easiest I have seen. The only ascent of any size followed an old forest road, so we made good time. There were beautiful views of both the town of Erwin and of the Nolichucky River as we drew near. We met Peregrine along the way. He is an Eagle Scout from Maryland who worked on staff for three summers at Philmont Scout Reservation. We took turns posing for and taking photos at the overlook site. We made excellent time and made it to Nolichucky Johnny's Hostel by 9:15. We arranged for an 11:00 shuttle with Shuttles by Tom and spent our waiting time relaxing at the hostel's common area. Marie, our driver, was very knowledgeable about hiking in general and the AT in specific  (she is a section hiker and her husband is a triple crowner) and the forty-five minute drive went by quickly. Yes, five days to walk it (over numerous mountains, of course) and forty-five minutes to drive it.  We got back to Hot Springs and drove to Asheville  to meet Stephen's friend, Chance, who we helped celebrate his birthday, his graduation from culinary school, and his job finding (as a chef at Sea World in Orlando) all in one go.  Chance is lucky to have been born on Star Wars Appreciation Day: May the Fourth be with you.  We relaxed at the hotel for awhile, eating the Taco Bell that Chance brought and doing my laundry.  After this, we went to several craft brew pubs and ate dinner at the Foggy Mountain Pub, where I broke with tradition.  Instead of a cheese burger and fries, I ordered a mushroom Swiss burger and fries. We enjoyed time at the Foggy Mountain Pub, the Twin Leaf, the Burial Brewery, and Wicked Weed's Funcatorium (sour beers).  While we were there, we learned that Wicked Weed was bought out by AB just yesterday. Sigh.  I was able to talk to Becky, Sandy, and my mom since I finally had good phone service. I learned more about the intense flooding at home. I also contacted Lillian at school and learned that all of our students and their families are safe. We returned to the hotel before deciding that perhaps a trip to Waffle House was in the cards. I had two eggs, a buscuit, hash browns  (covered, smothered, and capped), and a waffle. Ah, hiker hunger. We returned to the hotel where I worked on catching up on my journal. It began raining in the early evening.  I was admittedly glad to not be in my tent. I'll return to Erwin tomorrow and will either head back on the trail in the afternoon or take a zero at the hostel and strike out on Saturday. Stephen drives home tomorrow. It has been a wonderful experience hiking together this past week. My daughter, Becky, plans on joining me for a week further down the trail, probably in Vermont. It's early morning (4:00) as I write this, and I'll wrap this up to get a few more hours sleep. Rumor has it we are going to a Biscuit breakfast shop that offers a flight of their favorite gravies. Oh, and the hotel offers a continental breakfast beginning at 6:30.  Ah, hiker hunger.