Sunday June 17, miles today 15.7, miles from Springer 238.7

We got up late and started on the trail late.  Mike, Ray, Maniac and his daughter were on the trail before us.  Major Tom was still suffering from blisters so he got on the trail early as well.  We stopped for coffee at a former helipad with a nice view.  We caught up with Major Tom, Maniac and his daughter at Deer Creek Gap.  Major Tom had his shoes off and had problems with his toes.  We had met Maniac and his daughter on the way up into the Smokies from Fontana.  Maniac had hiked the AT a couple years earlier, he and his mid twenty daughter were section hiking the national parks.  The daughter did not have a trail name.  During our chat at the Gap she admitted to spending time saving the snails that had made there way on to the trail from us clumsy hikers by removing them to safer places.  We stopped at Cosby Knob shelter and again Maniac and daughter caught up with us.  This time, the daughter described saving two snails and being a Matchmaker.  At that point I suggested her trail name should be Snail Whisperer.  After a little discussion it was agreed on, she now had a trail name.
 

Tower at Mt. Cammerer, June 17, 2018

We took a little side trip for lunch a climbed to Mt. Cammerer to a fire tower.  It was a rocky climb but the trip was worth it.  We lunched on the balcony.  We then continued on the trail determined to get to Davenport Gap and possibly stay at Standing Bear hostel.

When we arrived at the Gap we got enough cell service to call for a shuttle.  A pickup truck half full of debris arrived and the driver told us to get in the back.  When we arrived at the hostel we saw a what appeared to be a combination hippie/redneck commune.  We put our gear in the bunk house and were shown around.  They had a shower that sometimes had hot water, an outhouse, a communal kitchen, a laundry room with a sink and wash boards and a pretty modern dryer and small store run on the honor system, you wrote down what you took and paid for it when you left.  They did have beer.  They had a work for stay program where if you worked you got a bunk, if you worked hard you could get a meal and if you worked really hard you might get a beer.  It appeared that all the employees were on the work for stay program.  We got some beer and cooked some frozen pizzas.  We never really unpacked our backpacks, just got out our sleeping bags and laid them on the bunks when we were ready to sleep.

Welcome to Appalachia, Hostel/Commune, June 17, 2018

Cozy accommodations, June 17, 2018