Day 42 – A Kincora Detour

We arose from slumber at Mountaineer Falls shelter in good spirits. Everyone slept well, no wildlife were seen or heard from. Breakfast was poptarts and carnation instant breakfast packets with instant coffee in water with creatine. Not quite the continental breakfast from the day prior but not awful.

We started hiking around 9, my body felt slow to start but within the hour we were cruising at a steady pace. We had 18 miles on the agenda. The first 9 flew by and we had lunch at Moreland Gap Shelter.

While eating lunch we perused the FarOut app that we use as a map. It tells us where water sources are, shelters, tent sites, hostels, views, etc. It’s basically one stop shopping and while looking at the map we found a hostel with a recommended donation of 5$ for the stay. Rabbit needed a resupply of food and we decided this fit the bill and was only 2 miles short of where we intended on stopping.

We walked the 0.2 miles up the road to Kincora Hiking Hostel. The house looked borderline abandoned when we arrived, one side is fully covered in ivy vines up the walls of the house. We were greeted by a sweet older gentleman named Bob Peoples. He’s an eccentric kind hearted man originally from Boston. We tried our Boston accents out on him and he gave us his seal of approval that they were passable. He even told us the story of how his daughter got put in speech pathology classes because of the Boston accent while he was in the military.

Bob drove us into town for a food resupply and we had great conversation. We had both been stationed in Honduras during our time in the service so we had a lot to talk about. I called my girlfriend from town and told her we’d be at a hostel and would call her that evening. When we arrived back at the hostel I realized there was no wifi and also no cell service. Sorry babe.

Bob also works as a trail volunteer maintaining the AT and is super knowledgeable about everything in the area. While planning out our stopping point for tomorrow he told us the story about how a girl was killed at Vandeventer Shelter and how it’s haunted. So naturally that’s where we will be staying after 18 miles tomorrow.

Bob is quite the naturalist and has a picnic table outside with cat food in multiple bowls to feed his 2 cats as well as the family of raccoons that live under his house. He informed us that raccoons are the 6th most intelligent animal species after humans. After gorging ourselves on our resupply and subway sandwiches we turn in for the night.

There’s a number of thank you cards in the rafters from former thru-hikers. Bobs been in business for over 25 years and was one of the first hostels in the Southern portion of the AT. I make a mental note that he deserves a card if/when I finish. I’m hoping to see some raccoons before we leave tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Stow away in my pack for Day 43 on the Appalachian trail.

 

 

Trent

I’m glad we met years ago at Ft Irwin and I’m glad we’re still in contact years later. Thanks for letting me crash with y’all on my road trip 2 years ago. I wish the trail took me closer to your neck of the woods to see you again. You and the family are welcome anytime in San Antonio. Hope you and yours are well.