Date: 2016-05-19
From: Iron Mountain Gap

To: Chestoa Bridge Nolichucky
Miles today: 20.1
Weather: light rain

After a delicious breakfast of French Toast and hot cocoa made with milk, they set off for Iron Mountian Gap with plans for him to hike southbound back to Chestoa Bridge in Nolichicky. There was trail magic at the gap where he set off from. A trail angel named Rob Byrd was there. He had a big white van with Casper on the side. When asked if he was a former thru hiker he told us "No, and I think y'all are nuts!" He told us he used to run a hostel and liked to help hikers. When he retired he moved somewhere that he could be near the trail to do trail magic daily at various gaps. He had a lot of stories about the different hikers who have stayed with him throughout the years including a story from just this week about a hiker named Zing. He always asks thru hikers if they've hiked before or if they know anyone who's hiker before. Rob Bryd takes photos of all the hikers who've stayed with him. Zing stayed with him on Wednesday night. When asked if he had hiked before or if he knew any thru hikers, Zing told him that he had actually been a thru hiker in 2005 when he was 10. Rob had him look through his 2005 yearbook to see if anyone looked familiar or if he was in it. It turns out that Zing's photo was in the book and he had stayed with Rob Byrd in 2005 as well with his family! What a story! While she was chatting with Mr. Bryd another thru hiker showed up. Her name was Prince Charming. Curious with how a woman recieved this name, she asked about it. Prince Charming earned her name by picking up a croc. She carried the croc until she found its owner. The man was so thankful to have his beloved croc back, thus he earned the name Cinderella which would make this woman Prince Charming. I love hearing how people get their trail names! After chatting a while, she left to hit up Johnson City and find a few things. Our air mattress deflated on us last night so we decided to upgrade our bed. She found a nice replacement at Target that was on sale. It's a week of finding good deals! She also set off to find him an armband for his phone and some headphones before lunch. She also went to a used bookstore...she however didn't have any success at even looking for a book as the woman at the front desk, Helen, was so chatty she never made it past the enterance before it was time to bring Sherpa lunch. Perhaps tomorrow she will find a book. She met up with Sherpa at Indian Grave Gap for lunch. It was nice to have lunch with him. We made old fashioned PB&J. While we were sitting there two thru hikers that we met our first week came up. They are nurses from Alaska! We really enjoyed their company. We told them our silly ankle story. They inspected her ankle and told us we were doing the right thing. They even said we were given a good brace for the injury. We hope to run into them again! After lunch she went back to camp to set up the new bed. It is an 18" mattress so it feels ridiculously tall in our tent but it is so comfortable we don't mind! Today was a leisurely day, she even had time to call her Mom CK before picking up Sherpa in the evening. She picked him up at Chestoa Bridge and he was tired and hungry! She however dropped him off to shower before dinner and bedtime so he didn't get the tent of his sleep clothes stinky! For dinner she made grilled cheese and he made tomato soup! We sure are enjoying our grill! We are hoping for a better night of sleep tonight with the new air mattress! Good Night!