April 20 Thursday
Miles today 12.6
Total miles
Cosby shelter to standing bear hostel
Today is my oldest nephews birthday! He will be 12 and I can't believe it!! I remember when we went down and saw him and he was just a baby baby just born. And then when he was a toddler and I was sliding him around on a towel on the floor and he thought it was so funny and now he's growing up in school and activities and has a mind of his own. Time stops for no man.
We ended up at standing bear hostel and we're surprised to find a giant party! It was a big surprise for us but it was amazing!! Tons of people had brought lots of food, BBQ, varieties of meats, salad, breadsticks, spaghettini, beans, chili, someone said there was bear at one point, cakes, cookies, slush drinks, lemonade, home cooked everything-it was the best ever. We got there and there was tent camping available on the lawn, good weather, good people. They had a little shop onsite that was on your honor; you just went in and got what you needed and wrote what you got on an envelope and left money in the envelope and gave it to the host when you left. There was a campfire and a couple people that played guitar, a washboard with dryer if you wanted to use them, a kitchen with running water and dishes, a table with a huge power strip for charging devices, they had a building with bunks in it and then a slightly smaller building that was more private with a few beds you could split with a group if you wanted. There was a bath house with and indoor and outdoor shower.
Today we crossed a bridge and walked along the highway for a little bit, we came to a sign for highway 40 where you could go to Knoxville Tennessee or Asheville NC. Hard to believe we are so close and yet not close to home at the same time. And hard to believe that we have been on the trail for just over a month now. I miss people and my dogs and things at home but at the same time don't feel like it's been as long as it has been and am becoming used to the daily routine on the trail. I can see how they say it becomes a mental game after the first couple months. Like a honeymoon phase the newness wears off and you come to make the real choices on whether you keep going or not. The nice thing I hang onto is that every hill we climb or decend we won't ever do again, sort of bittersweet in a way, so I'm trying my best to appreciate every minute whether it's beautiful or challenging.
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