Date: 2018-03-27
From: CosbyÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Knob Shelter

To: Standing Bear Hostel
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: clear sky

An INCREDIBLE hiking day today!!! Got out around 8:25 this morning so we could get to Standing Bear Farm in time to catch a shuttle into town to get Next Step an insert for his hiking shoe. Next Step and I had agreed that if we had to pay for a shuttle we would just stay in town. Now don¢t get me wrong, I have developed a strong fondness for my fellow hikers, but the thoughts of sharing a bunkhouse with 19 other hikers did not sound appealing. As Next Step previously mentioned, shelters are mandatory in the Smokies. Last night was no exception. As I laid there for what seemed like HOURS listening to the 16 other snorers at different levels and intervals, it took all of my self-control not to sit up and yell at the top of my lungs, ¢WOULD EVERYONE PLEASE ROLL OVER ON THEIR SIDES!!?!?!?¢. But I was able to refrain. Can only imagine what my trail name would have been if that had happened!! We had about 10.5 miles to hike and we weren¢t sure how the conditions would be today. We were in for an amazing surprise...THE SNOW AND ICE WAS FINALLY GONE!!! Started off with a bit of an uphill and then down, down, down. I was praying that my knees would hold up. But with the sun shining brightly, nothing could get my spirits down today. I was just so thankful that we were almost out and it was all I could do not to run down the mountain! I¢m not going to whine, but I¢m not going to sugarcoat it either, I was a bit traumatized by the snow storm!! I had to psyche myself up to get back out there on Sunday. And then when we still had ice on the trail yesterday, I really couldn¢t get out of the Smokies fast enough. As we came out we had an even bigger surprise...Smokey Mountain Angel!!!! She was a trail angel set up just as we left the National Park and had a big cooler filled with Cokes and Mountain Dews. She had Reese¢s Cups, Milky Ways, powder donuts, chips, Slim Jim¢s, and every other kind of snacks known to mankind!!!!! It was JUST what I needed to push on to Standing Bear Farm. After we posed for a You-tube video that Smokey Trail Angel was posting, we said our good-byes and pressed on. After heading up the other side of the road we were rewarded once again for our day¢s journey! A complete 180 from the snow storm we faced less than a week ago! The trail meandered through the woods following a rushing mountain stream. The birds were chirping, the sun was shining, and a perfect breeze was blowing. There were small white, yellow and purple wildflowers blooming and we even saw our first butterflies of the season. I just can¢t imagine a more perfect scenario!! I hope that I would have appreciated it anyway. But I can only think that it seemed even more amazing because of the trials we faced last week! And isn¢t that how it goes?!?Soon we started hearing a sound we hadn¢t heard in a long time...the sound of an interstate! We would cross I-40 today, our first interstate! All of these firsts!!! We then hiked up, up, up to get to the gravel road leading to the hostel. A guy was sitting there in a van and asked if we wanted a ride up. Hello?!?!?! We jumped in, Next Step in the front with the two Boston Terriers, and in just a matter of minutes we arrived at the hostel. The hostel owner, Maria, assured us that she would find Next Step an insert, so we made the mature decision to NOT go to town. I hate when we act so responsibly!!!!!! But we didn¢t have to stay in the bunk house. Instead, we will tent camp next to the stream!!! Now THAT is the sound that will put me right to sleep. This place is awesome!!! I even got to wash my clothes on a washboard!!! My mom will be so proud.  We had the best frozen pizza for lunch, and Next Step is going to whip us up some eggs, sausage and toast for supper. Just before we started to cook it up, Rhino, one of the employees, handed Next Step a Walmart bag with some new inserts! I just can¢t imagine a better day of hiking! Finally, we hung with our core hiking group throughout the Smokies¢Close Call, Spirit Man, and Heartburn. We also camped with some new acquaintances the past couple of nights¢Flint & Steel,  Fin & Happy Feet, and a hiker named Mel from Sydney, Australia. It may be a temporary thing, you just never can tell.--Which Way Elevation Data:Ascent ~ 1,410Descent ~ 4,550Grade ¢ 10.5 Weather:Day ¢ 65 degrees / Partly CloudyNight ¢ 42 degrees / Cloudy Over the Horizon: Max Patch