Date: 2013-05-14
From: Elk Park - Mountain Harbor Bed And Bre

To: Watauga Dam
Miles today: 32.9
Weather: overcast clouds

5/13/2013 16.5From Mountain Harbor B&B/Hostel to Campsite mile 408.6Even when something negative happens think about all the amazing happiness you've had. The positive always matters more than the negative. - JKASo today I awoke and went to one of the best meals!! Mary and Terry's place Mtn Harbor has an amazing breakfast. Yes, you might think you spent $10 on breakfast, but wow it was amazing. Not because I'm hiking and was hungry, but because it was like eating at a 5 star restaurant. Yummmmmy!!!! This really has to be the best place I've stayed so far on the AT!!! I then was taken to the PO to pick up my mail drop from Lynette and Emily, and my 30degree sleeping bag that Alphus sent (not I just realized it was 30 at camp, I thought it was 25...ooo well!!). Then I had to leave for the trail. At the trail head who walks up? Yep And Stuff (Daniel) and Killer (Caitlin). I packed my mail drop stuff into my pack, and we went on our way. The trail was a great one today. No real big big ups, and we got some really good views as well again. We also got treated to some good waterfalls today, the best was Jones Falls. Reminded me of some falls I've seen in Glacier National Park. We saw a great shelter today that we stopped in and hung around for a few. Mountaineers Falls Shelter which looks brand new but was built in 2006. It has three levels!! So cool. Then we headed off to go to a hostel so And Stuff and Killer could get full and a few supplies. I want name the place, but needless to say it left all three of us a little ticked off. We sat for almost 2 hours waiting at a place that is "always open"!!! When the owner did arrive he didn't even apologize for the wait and to top it off he was more interested in talking to his friends that were there than helping us spend money at his place. Therefor, we did not buy anything and left. This was the negative of the day that we decided was not more important than our great day on the trail!! Super awesome if I have to say so!! So up yours "Negative" thoughts!!! Now me, And Stuff, and Killer are at camp about to call it a night. Ate really good (better than usual) thanks to the food supply. The Jolly Ranchers that Lynette and Emily sent were the bomb!!! Later!!!!! 5/14/2013 19.4From campsite mile 408.6 to Watauga DamMe, And Stuff, and Killer hung out and at breakfast this morning before leaving out around 9am. It was slow going for me today. I stopped to take my jacket off and apparently lost my hat. :-(I then caught up to Killer, but And Stuff had taken off, we didn't see him the rest of the day. We had some small ups and downs, that neither me or Killer were happy about. I think the thing that keep us going was going to Black Bear Resort for pizza and Chocolate Milk.... Yummy!!!!! So we finally made it and boy was it worth the .5miles there and .5miles back to the trail. (Yep we did mile extra today to get food and drink)... The rest of the day was so much better. The Falls were amazingly beautiful!! And walking by the river made the day pass by smoothly... Very peaceful. The only thing is that the trail is not marked very well, and both Guidebooks said we would pass by Laurel Fork Shelter (lie)!!!! It was on a blue blaze the other way than the trail went. And it took like 4 hikers and a southbounder to find the correct way... Very interesting moment. We then had a extreme uphill to Pond Flats (which BTW there is no pond???) anyway we made it down and headed to Watauga Lake Shelter. Where we did not stay due to there being no flat ground to camp. We then headed out and made it to a camp right before the Dam, and who was here??? Jungle Jim and a guy named Count mmmm??? I can't remember the second part? Dang it!! It's always fun hanging with Jungle Jim he's a great person on the trail! We are all in our tents and Jungle Jim is playing his ukulele, it's just a wonderful end to an awesome day!! Later!!!