Date: 2011-06-05
From: Beauty Spot Bald

To: Greasy Creek Friendly
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: few clouds

Cowboy camping didn't work out so well this night, maybe it was the wind, anyway didn't sleep so well. Luckily the night wasn't too damp, maybe the wind at least kept the dew down. We get the fire going again with leftover wood to cook breakfast, burn-other-peoples-wood section hiker from the night before does go out and gather some wood to help.It's down off the bald after brekkie and through Deep Gap, then a 1000' hump up Unaka Mountain, the Cherokee word for white, it apparently has a large stand of red spruce (huh, red spruce, white mountain?) on top, you can't see much from the AT though, I don't get the red or the white part, it's steep to get up and no view so rates as a PUD in my dictionary.Looks like a cupla hikers ahead on the trail, seems to be a Dad in front carrying a big pack with boy behind him carrying a day pack, it turns out to be a couple and the guy is carrying his girlfriends pack, how nice is that! They stop to let us pass, nice indeed.We take our first break at low gap (clever name that) to calorie up and get some water, there ain't no water though, supposedly a spring, must be dry or a long way off the trail.The couple we passed comes up and....they have trail magic, apples, carrots and trail mix, the apples are amazing, sweet and juicy for tired and thirsty hikers. Jedi and burn-other-peoples-wood section hiker are accompanying, we're making good time, Jedi has a super light pack and we're motivated to get to the hostel for a real meal. We don't stop at Iron Mountain Gap, there are some workers there who've taken up the good sitting space and anyway want to keep moving, the guys seem friendly enough and nod to Jedi. Jedi and burn-other-peoples-wood section hiker follow us to the turn off for Greasy Creek Friendly, apparently it's a little tricky to find and the signs can be confusing, we'll find out why a little later.There's a sign and directions on a tree about 250 yards prior to the turn off, seems a little odd, turn right and down down down. Twists and turns, rocks and twig arrows point the way, and then a sign off to the right, it looks like a bit of dump from the outside (hostels on the AT often are) and we wonder if it's even open, she's very thin, bit old and insists that you must take off your shoes in the foyer, and wash your hands. She just gives me a pair of flip-flops to wear.The place is crammed with "stuff" from floor to rafters, Connie is indeed very friendly and just a little overbearing, also a germophobe, maybe from all the grubby hikers. She has cold beer though, an unexpected and very pleasant surprise, only Yeungling and Bud, oh well. We're really hungry so order appetizers and then sandwiches, then a whole pint of Ice Cream (Ben and Jerry's). We retire to sit out on the porch and a huge thunderstorm comes over, it had been threatening for a while and finally arrived, we sit with the dog hair and "stuff" and watch Roan Mountain disappear into the clouds and listen to the storm water gurgling down Greasy Creek, smoking and playing with the dog while rocking in the chairs.Connie talks about her unfriendly neighbor who puts up signs on the trail that the hostel is closed and chops up the water pipes from the spring with an axe. Apparently he hates the "hiker trash" as he calls them and has mean dogs. If he sees hikers arrive in the evening, he gets up early and starts the lawm mower so they can't get a good nights sleep.Speed Demon and Bear Bait get the room inside with the double bed, I head outside with Connie to the bunkhouse to show me around, it's basic but clean. She goes to bed while we stay up to watch a movie about vegans, worm tunnels and great beaches. She doesn't allow any food in the bunkhouse so gotta unload my pack in the house.