Reprieve from Cold
Miles: 10
Last night I woke up to snoring and I was like “but I’m away from everyone how is there snoring?”… right? Well, the loudest snorer ever pitched there tent right near mine. It’s kinda like when a man who is pee shy goes to the furthest urinal and someone goes just two over. Not in your face right next to you but just barely in the what are you doing zone. That and my Amazon sleeping bag that said rates for 20 degrees but clearly isn’t didn’t contribute to my sleep. In the bright side I met a group of section hiking dentists who thought it was funny how I left my toothbrush at the last shelter and educated me on dental hygiene. And I bummed a squirt of their toothpaste. Later I ran into Lobo, a thru hiker that finished the trail and returned to do trail magic. He cooked me a quesadilla and we chatted. He also just so happened to have a toothbrush unopened and toothpaste on him. He gave it to me. Huge W. Everyone in the Gang of Shootas reunited at Standing Bear Hostel. I met a hiker too who started in the Smokies on a whim and got all his gear from a hiker box… shoes and all. He also confidently eats and spits out every mushroom he finds. The squad gave him the name Cream because he likes cream soda. We had so much fun tonight at Standing Bear Hostel. The first marshes where mallowed, finally. This gracious gentleman also dropped off a ton of free resupply food (including the legendary Gatorade bars). I may or may have not had my first cigarette around the fire (sorry mom) but I don’t really get addicted to things don’t worry. I can see the appeal though, smokers. Smoke em if you got em. Green got gifted his harmonica and we all got pizzas. Motorman and his girlfriend peeled off but will join later. Zero carried the party. Our big crazy plan is to do two big 17+ mile days in a row to get to hotsprings nc in time to get this massive airbnb mansion that split up is really reasonable for our zero day. So yeah we have to cover ~35 miles in two days starting tomorrow. I’m only okay with it because everyone is but I’m not like the rest of the group. I don’t think I’ll ever have 18 miles be the norm. It’s just too much for my body. Anyways early day tomorrow. Today was awesome. Tonight I sleep in a hostel bunk not in the soup sapping 30 something degrees. Mad respect for Gus and Green they decided to just leave and push a mile to camp in the cold to save money. Couldn’t be me. I will avoid the cold no matter what! Okay goodnight guys thanks for tuning in.