4/21

Knowing the hostel was only 7 miles away I got up early and booked it for Kincora. The owner of this hostel, Bob Peoples, was apparently voted most helpful to hikers last year at trail days in Damascus, VA. With such a sterling reputation I thought I would pick up my package and at least stay part of the day if not the night. I arrived and was greeted by a goofy employee of Bob's named lumpy. Lumpy is the younger more responsible and with a better sense of humor version of rocket, a gentleman I discussed earlier in my blog. Lumpy gave me the tour and said Bob had gone into ton and would be back soon. I took off my boots and got comfortable and waited for Bob to get back so I could get my pacokage. 

Lumpy was nice enough to give me a few eggs from his stash in the refrigerator which I promptly used to make an omelette. Mornings at home i love before. 

Bob returned a short while later and I acquire my package. The items dad hipped to me he packed in pop corn instead of packing peanuts. It was definitely a little stale, that however did not stop 2 other hiker and I from eating the contents of the he the box over the rest of the afternoon. 

Toast and Big Spoon decided the were going to stay at the hostel that night but slack pack the rest of the day so we still got some miles in. Slack packing is leaving your stuff to be babysat at a hostel and getting dropped off further down the trail, then hiking back. Doing this allows us to still get some miles in without having to worry about carrying all the mess we usually would. We drove into town to buy a few supplies and dinner. Bob promised to put anything the needed refrigeration away for us after he dropped us off at the trail head. Dinner was decided as frozen pizza for me. The tiny market in Hampton, TN really seemed to be geared for hikers and then just essentials. Only 5 or so aisles with nothing in bulk sizes for the most part. I only bought enough food to get me to Damascus, VA where I knew I would stop and do a full resupply. I bought a few extra snacks and then we were off. The slack pack was a nice warm day. The trial took us past a waterfall and then a quick 8 or so miles later we were back at Kincora. The whole way back, our trip had built up our pizza's and a powerful hunger for them. Upon our return we were pleasantly surprised to find that a couple in the hostel had cooked a big pasta dinner for all hostel occupants. The couple from Korea was just showing some trail magic to other hikers while they both were nursing injuries. Pizza was moved to a breakfast meal.. Super healthy. I ate my weight in pasta and then Bob gave us all a whole cheesecake to split to add to the couple's provided dinner. I was terribly full. although with my metabolism burning as quickly as it is now, the feeling did not last long at all. I managed to get a little bit of reading done and before I knew it I was too tired to comprehend any of the words on the page I was attempting to read..