Friday, I awoke at the hostel around 4:30 a.m. There did not seem to be any particular reason, aside from the large group of smelly, snoring hikers who were in the same room.

I really enjoyed the quiet of the early morning. I have been craving a bit of solitude, and the time helped me think about myself for a bit and stretch for a while (not to mention eat some leftover ravioli for breakfast). The early risers started doing just that, and we talked about where we were headed for the day. Truck and I decided to hike together again and leave the endpoint to the gods to decide. After some brief business at Neel’s Gap, we were off.

I have started hiking in the mornings without trekking poles, for fun I suppose. Believe it or not, I almost did not bring them along, despite the encouragements from many. Let me just say that I am glad I did, and I appreciate those who told me to do so. If you are considering a thruhike, and considering poles, bring them.

In the midst of hiking, we encountered some trail magic, led by King Tut. He was a talkative and generous fellow, and offered food, crocheted hats, drinks, and chairs. It was a perfect break in the day to grab a snack and talk with him.

The day was easy enough, compared to yesterday’s hike, which was nice, as my first few blisters were starting to sneak in. They are nothing concerning, but it was comforting to be gentle on them. We stopped early at Hogpen Gap. There was a nice clearing for camping just before a road crossing. I ended up taking a nap in the sun after scouting out the area. Pretty rough afternoon, I know.

Before we ran out of light, we decided to scout out a shelter we had passed. It is over a mile off of the trail, so the majority of hikers pass it by, as it seems not worth the extra walking. The walk there was absolutely beautiful, and the shelter was great: secluded, clean, with great views nearby. When we arrived, we filled up on water and found that someone had left some Dr. Pepper inside! I had not tasted the soda in some time, and it was a welcome taste.

The hike back to camp, especially with no pack, was leisurely and enjoyable. Spent the night around a campfire with some great folks, talking about the great mysteries of life.

The following morning, Truck and I cruised out of camp only to find trail magic at that road crossing, not a quarter-mile from where we slept. “You boys wanna hot dog?” Somebody asked. I can’t say the last time I had one hot dog before 9 in the morning, let alone two, but let’s just say the question was a rhetorical one.

We sat around the campfire, enjoying the food and conversation of our beloved fairies before continuing on, truly an awesome way to start the day. We aimed for the shelter just shy of Unicoi Gap and hit it mid afternoon. Unicoi Gap is a popular place to jump off the trail into town for a bit, and with the predicted rain, that was just about everyone’s plan. The rain also made sheltering for the night quite appealing. We set up a campfire and had a lively bunch to enjoy the shelter for the night. Rhythm, Nick and Anna from Massachusetts, Tatanka (for whom I penned a poem at his request) and his son Jason, Flinch, New Heights, and Truck. A few section hikers joined us in the evening, and I hung around the fire until my eyelids were closing. Not too concerned about the coming rain, as my plan is to get off the trail for a bit, so we will see where the adventure goes from here.