Date: 2014-05-13
From: Tentsite Overlooking Watauga Lake

To: Campsite just before US 421
Miles today: 24.4
Weather: broken clouds

I got started early and hiked over the Lake Watauga dam where I took the attached picture. Then it was a long steep climb up to the top of a ridge. On the way up I passed an older guy who was just breaking camp. He reminded me of Jimmy Carter, and when we briefly chatted, he sounded just like Jimmy Carter. We leapfrogged a couple of times when I stopped for water, then I left him behind. I don't think he was the real Jimmy Carter though! About midafternoon, it rained lightly as I caught the edge of a thunderstorm that passed ahead of me. Then, as I was approaching a road crossing, I came across some trail magic left in the woods by a local church. Church Trail MagicI had a soda and a couple of Little Debbie cakes! Shortly afterwards, I came to the road and I could see someone across the parking lot had just finished packing up from doing some trail magic - barbequing I later learned. After I crossed the road I entered a park like setting, and there were a couple of awnings set up right on the trail with several tents set up nearby. More trail magic! This was a group of former thru hikers, called Riff Raff, who set up just before trail days each year to serve trail magic and support hikers by driving them to/from trailheads so they can slackpack some of the sections before Damascus. They then relocate to Damascus for Trail Days. Riff Raff Trail MagicSitting under one of the awnings was Acorn! She had left the hostel early yesterday and hiked 27 miles, plus a side trip to check out the Kincora hostel. She had stopped at the Riff Raff awning to get out of that thunderstorm that just missed me but went right over the Riff Raff site. I got some cookies and topped off my water and after a brief chat hiked on. There was another thunderstorm coming and I wanted to get ahead of it before it passed through.I misjudged that! I got rained on hard and long! After about an hour of hiking in the rain, I came to a shelter where I stopped in to wait out the rest of it. The shelter was packed with folks doing the same thing. Had some fun conversation and I briefly met Sixty and Ready, a mother daughter pair from France. Grant from Philly, whom I had met with Acorn a week or so ago, was there, too.Shortly the rain stopped and I left with a hearty farewell to my shelter rat mates who waited to make sure it wasn't going to start again. A few minutes later it did start again! This time it was light and didn't bother me after what I'd been through earlier. The rain stopped and I came to a tent site marked in my guide where I planned to stop, but it was small and a couple of women were already there setting up. So I hiked on another mile or so and found a very nice unoccupied spot with room for several tents. It also had a fire ring where someone had left a container of starter fluid for me! So I set up my tent and started a fire. With all the wet wood, I don't think I'd have been successful without the fluid! Thank you unknown trail angel! As I was starting the fire, Sixty and Ready came in and helped as they also set up their tent and hammock. Then Acorn joined us and then Grant, too. We had a cozy time around the fire chatting and eating. Grant, Sixty, Ready and AcornThat's my tent and Grant's in the background.Ready is thru hiking and her mom Sixty is heading back to France after Damascus. Sixty's husband, Ready's dad, is American and they all live in France. Then it started to sprinkle and we retreated to our tents for the night.The miles I've done the past two days will make for an easy hike into Damascus tomorrow. :-)