Date: 2004-04-29
From: 2 miles south of Dennis Cove Road

To: Kincora Hiker Hostel
Miles today: 2.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Was going to just stop in here to shower, do laundry and move on, but when Scholar reminded me that Damascus is only three days away (10 mi/22 mi/18 mi), and that I wouldn't reach the P.O. before it closed on Saturday anyway, I figured I might as well take a zero (or "near-o") day here at this lovely, hospitable hideaway run by Bob and Pat Peoples on Dennis Cove Road. Kincora is the name of the Irish equivalent to Camelot. Pat and Bob are New Englanders who bought this lot and the log cabin on it eight years ago -- over the phone! -- and added the comfy hostel in the rear. Bob is responsible for trail maintenance between Damascus and Erwin (I think), and engages thru-hikers in trail maintenance jaunts several times a week. The trail work they've done is quite phenomenal, and Bob's got more than one plaque on his walls for being trail maintainer of the year. Pat has two horses, both grazing in the field opposite the hiker porch. This afternoon I sat outside at the picnic table making postcards out of cereal box cardboard and pictures cut from the many magazines in the hiker living room.The wall of the kitchen leading upstairs to the bunkroom is lined with photos of some of the thru-hikers who've stayed here -- most from atop Katahdin, though some SOBOs atop Springer. Nice touch! Hikers are grateful for the kindnesses shown them along the way -- especially for comfort, trips to town for food, and good company. I can't imagine I'd feel as at home as I do on the trail if not for the friends I make at these cozy hostel stops.Tonight's crew got larger and larger as the day went on. Rob and the Hobbits, me and Scholar, SamIAm, Luke, LudaChris, Zippy, Mojo and Hitch and their black lab Dexter, Crash!Bang!, VanGogh, Willy Wallace, Zach, Mouse, Indy, Pokey, Taiwan John, Switchback, Little Tree, Walking Stomach and Sauerkraut. Did I miss anyone? Several who were tenting out back decided to go to the other hostel in town, Laurel Creek, to get the benefit of beds and spoke highly of it also.Much off-trail time revolves around food (or "refueling"): All of us who shared in Zach Ewell's mom's care package to him -- chocolate nut cookies, lemon poppyseed bread, banana bread, and tamari almonds -- signed one of my homemade postcards to send to her as a thank you. Thank you, Gail! A hiker alumnus, Seiko, came through in the afternoon with half of a homemade cheesecake, which we made quick work of. Also a trio of section hikers came in to take showers then drive out. Walking Stomach and Little Tree baked a chicken with garlic -- a meal they'd been planning for days -- while VanGogh, a chef in Maine, made beef strogonoff from scratch. The rest of us ate pizza or went out to the Chinese buffet in Hampton. Despite the volumes of food consumed on and off the trail, it's hard to find a hiker who hasn't lost a fair amount of weight. I've already lost 21 pounds from my fat suit! It's nearly 10 p.m. and while the lights are out in the bunk room, there are still intense conversations going on in the living room downstairs (American politics mostly, but with a British perspective from the young Scot, Willy Wallace), and in the kitchen (calories per dollar versus calories per pound of pack weight -- so far the King Size Snickers Bar is winning both categories, though Pop Tarts are a close second). Several groups are planning to stay another night here to celebrate Celtic New Years with the Peoples -- a good old Irish boil-up with corned beef, cabbage, and cider. The other (modified) tradition is collecting the morning dew to sprinkle on us smelly hikers for health in the new year. Apparently it's also traditional to lead one's animals between two bonfires, for the same end effect of good health. Hanging from the flagpole are the Scottish and Irish flags, a sign which pleased Willy Wallace (of Perthshire in Scotland) no end when he walked up today. Together with Sauerkraut from Frankfurt, Germany, and Taiwan John, who is trying to bring his Taiwanese wife to the States, we have an international crowd tonight!