Date: 2019-05-12
From: Moreland Gap Shelter

To: Boots Off Hostel
Miles today: 9.1

Today we were all slow-moving. It was not raining when we woke up, but it started to rain before we got going and that delayed us. Today 25-Mile wanted to go to Boots Off Hostel to do the slackpacking deal. I was still indecisive because I didn¢t know Prometheus¢ and Hot Sauce¢s plan, but I was down to go to Boots Off and check it all out. It was 14 or so miles away, but there were two options to get off at a road crossing and a side blue-blaze trail before that. The road crossing cost money for pickup, but the blue-blaze did not. I didn¢t want to pay for a shuttle, but I also didn¢t want to go the whole 14 miles or so. We were all a bit rocked by the murder, and now I knew Prometheus was leaving, so I was emotionally dying. I decided to get off at the blue-blaze or the road crossing, but not go the whole way. The whole way included a huge mountain at the end anyway and I didn¢t want to do that today.Prometheus headed off first and then 25-Mile and then Hot Sauce. The rain let up and I called the hostel from this one place behind the shelter that got good service. They had me down with 25-Mile for bunks, but were prepared to pick me up now from one of those spots. At the same time, I got a text from Prometheus saying he was getting off trail too and going to Boots Off. I was so pumped because he originally was just planning on going to the next shelter, and I was worried about losing him with the whole slackpacking deal. I started to pack up and saw Tom and Hiker Dan, who were also headed to Boots Off, and Hobo too! Tom and Hiker Dan said there had been a fight at the hostel last night and that someone stole someone else¢s identification and cards and then that person punched him in the eye and gave him a black eye. It was a loud mess and I was disturbed to find out this happened the same night we all found out about the murder.There was also a guy named Hattrick that had been there last night, and another guy named Andy, who didn¢t seem to want a trail name. A not so wonderful surprise came with my morning when I looked over in the shelter and saw ¢Sovereign¢ in red ink on the wall, with a drawing of an eye and a tower. ¢Sovereign¢ is the man who murdered the hiker and injured the other. He was literally here in this shelter and signed the wall in red and it was so creepy. I was ready to get out of there. But I also wanted to scribble out this asshole¢s name. I left it, but was so disturbed after seeing it.I headed out late, but again made good time. Tom and Hiker Dan were slackpacking from Scotty¢s to Boots Off, and I actually passed them, with pack! I was feeling really good. Tom yelled that I was kicking their asses. Maybe my body is finally adjusted to the pack and the weight and the trail?! Trail legs for real?! I powered through the little hills and came  to the road. I decided I could keep going, but it was a wet day. The next part was along the water and it was pretty, but slippery and muddy. I saw a girl inching her way down the rocks, and I totally understood. It was a bit of a mess with all the mud and water and rocks. I had my hood down and didn¢t see the white blazes turning at one point, so I went the wrong way down the blue-blaze bypass. I realized and turned around, but it was an annoying detour, and getting off trail or lost at any point scares me. I found the part where I missed the blaze; it was a sharp turn left down a hill so I¢m not surprised I missed it. I headed down, but it was all slippery rock steps. There was a family coming up and the kids looked absolutely miserable. One was having a total meltdown. I understood lol the kids had towels and bathing suits and were trying to climb these rocks in the pouring rain with sandals on. They had clearly been swimming in the falls, which I was about to see, but it was not a great day for that. The mom gave me a look of death just because she was probably realizing her mistake of trying to take the kids to the waterfall on a day like today, and I could imagine it would be a LONG walk back to the car for the family. I made it down and the waterfall was awesome. Definitely the best I¢ve seen on trail so far!! My phone was wet, and even with the waterproof case was giving me trouble, but I was able to take a few pictures and head on. It was rocky and slippery along the water and I thought maybe the bypass was the way to go after all, but I would¢ve missed the falls. There was actually one part of the trail that had about a foot of rock path right against the water, with a rock face on the other side. So I held the rock face and inched my way around, trying not to fall in the water. It was treacherous! I was expecting to pass a shelter and have that as a landmark, but I didn¢t see it. I must have missed it with the rain and my head down and everything. I arrived at the blue-blaze trail. I was soaking. My clothes hadn¢t dried the night before of course, ahh the trail life. So I had put on dry clothes and my rain coat, but was just a bucket of water all day. I decided to get off trail here and skip the big mountain for today. It was a long blue-blaze, but worth it. I got out at a parking lot and called Boots Off. It was free and they came and picked me up. I arrived and they showed me the bunkhouse. It was very small, but cool. It had outlets at every bunk and the bunks had different colored curtains for privacy. I  didn¢t see Prometheus and was confused. I texted him and he said he had arrived there, but that they were full and he and Hot Sauce had to go elsewhere. I was so upset. I lost them again and now I wasn¢t going to see Prometheus just days before he¢s leaving. I settled in despite that and went to take a shower. I don¢t blame the hostel, just the time of day, but it was the coldest shower. It was miserable. I had been soaking all day and just wanted warmth, and the showers were cold. I froze my way through the shower and put on as many dry clothes as I could find. The dinner shuttle left at 6. It takes you to McDonald¢s and Subway, but I don¢t like either place, so I went to Dollar General and got a frozen pizza to heat up. There isn¢t much in the town of Hampton except a gas station, massive gun store, and those three stops I mentioned earlier. We headed back to the hostel and I quickly put my pizza in the little toaster oven. It took forever, so I socialized with everyone while I waited. I met Wild Violet and Flowers, and then there was Hiker Dan, Tom, Hattrick, Andy, 25-Mile, and Wes. There were a few more, but I didn¢t catch their names. A group was playing spoons. I haven¢t played that game in forever, but I passed for now because I was feeling poopy. 25-Mile was going to zero tomorrow and I was going to slackpack the 7 miles I didn¢t do with the big mountain yesterday. We weren¢t sure about the slackpack into Damascus, but I was thinking it through. I ate most of my pizza, but Hattrick finished it for me. I had some ice cream too. When I¢m at a hostel for a few days, I¢ll splurge on ice cream because I can have it multiple nights. Prometheus and I texted and he was at this house-turned-Hostel with Hot Sauce and it sounded so cool. I was jealous and wanted to be there too.I headed to bed late since I just have a small slackpack tomorrow. It was such a cold and wet day and night and I¢m still freezing. The air-conditioning is on in the bunkhouse. Hoping it warms up and dries out soon!!Little Debbie