Date: 2007-04-15
From: Cosby Knob shelter

To: Standing Bear Farm
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: moderate rain

Today started kind of weird with the ¢early risers¢. They get up an hour before anyone else and make a lot of noise while packing. Wish they would be more considerate for those that want to sleep in a little. Even with ear plugs in they are noisy.   Since we were all awake by 0730 it was time to get ready. M&M started the day off being the first one of our group on the trail about 0830. The majority of us didn't get going until 1045. We had a short hike today but were waiting to see what the weather would do first. Not long after starting the rain began then the wind picked up. It was cold out if you stopped hiking, so we kept moving as much as possible. By the time we reached Davenport Gap Shelter we were pretty soaked and cold. The temperature had dropped to about 34 degrees on my thermometer. I started the day with gators on and they helped keep my calves warmer in the cold weather. We didn¢t stay long and only got water if you needed it. The weather has turned for the worse now as we reach a road at the end of the Smoky Mt Park Boundary. It¢s pretty desolate and we only see two vehicles. The longer we stay here trying to decide to hitch or hike on the colder we get. We decide to hike on and start to warm up again. Doodle¢s leg has been bothering her and she has slowed down. Coach stays back to hike with her and the rest of us continue on. The rain lets up and the mile and a half to I-40 goes by quickly. I see Genesis hiking back without his pack and he says he is going back to help Doodle if she needs it. I am about a quarter mile from the highway when he passes me. The others are waiting under the overpass and we all wait for Coach, Doodle and Genesis. After everyone is here we continue the last mile to the Standing Bear Farm hiker hostel. The last half mile is where the weather drastically changed from sprinkles to snow. The flakes are coming down and covering the ground by the time I walk up to the hostel. I¢m cold, soaked and tired from today¢s hike and ready for a break. We meet Willow who is also a hiker and she gives us an idea what we need to do. We drop our packs and look for space in the bunk house. I just want to eat and re-supply also. There is a supply room here where you can re-supply but it has already been raided pretty good. The only heat we could find is from the 40W bulb here and Genesis, Mat© and I stand around it trying to warm our hands. I cannot say we had an idea what was going on here because it seemed nobody else knew either. We eventually decided to get a shuttle into town for food and hotel. We get into town and are dropped off at a Mexican food restaurant where we all order big meals. Genesis is so hungry he orders the main course twice, plus dessert. Mandy¢s boyfriend Ian meets us here and is a musician too. He joins the live band for one set and it is awesome. After eating we are being shuttled to a Motel 6 in town and as Doodle and I are checking in we get a call from Mat© saying to wait. One of the band members, Pat, has invited all of us to her home in Newport, TN for the night. Awesome! She is a very generous person to open her house to 6 smelly and dirty hikers and we all have a goodtime while there. What a long, long, long day.