OmPi's Adventures

Sometimes you just need a day off to get you head back in the game. Today provided that for me. I woke up around 6 and hurriedly packed my camp so I could get down to the hostel when they opened. The last few days they had been booking up and it was a Saturday so I wanted to make sure I got a bunk but more so I wanted to just be able to relax.

Well relax I did from the moment I arrived I sat down with my hiking shoes off and enjoyed the day. As I arrived I crossed paths with Cole, Pantyhose, JT who I met at the camp fire at Tray Mountain, and a few others. They were all leaving on the next shuttles out and I was just happy as a GA peach to be sitting in a rocking chair catching up and relaxing.

As everyone departed I was welcomed in and offered a beverage. Nothing like a hot cup of coffee to warm you up, especially when you don't have it regularly. I settled in and took advantage of their wifi to update my blog. I also met tumbles who I would have packed out of there in an instant. Some of you may have already seen her of you are on my instagram.

I got a shower, laundry done (they even gave you scrubs to where so you could do all of your laundry in one load) and caught up with other hikers. I'm feeling better and better about knowing lots of people, both ahead of me and behind me.

Bob (aka sir packs alot) was the proprietor of Top of GA and a triple crowner. This means he has hike the three key trails in the states. These include the Appalachian, the Pacific Crest and the Continental Divide trails. Someone with this much experience is a guy I wanted to learn from. When greeting those staying at the hostel he always congratulated them for making it past woody gap (site of my first Trail magic) apparently at that location approximately 10% of people drop out if hiking the trail. At Dick's Creek that number increases to 25% and after the smokies nearly half of all people who will not make it to Maine will have given up.

While there so early i relaxed for a bit before catching a shuttle into town for lunch.  There was an All You Can Eat (AYCE) buffet for $8.95 that included a salad bar, veggies, southern fried chicken, mashed taters, beef tip gravy and plain brown gravy, oh of course and dessert. I ate and ate and ate then the first couple I was sitting with left so I moved over with some other hikers and ate some more.

Once done stuffing my face in went back to the hostel and retrieved my resupply box. I have been kicking myself for picking up a few of the supplies I did at Mountain Crossing, specifically a 16oz jar of peanut butter. Really OmPi you are carrying a pound of peanut butter. Absurd. Anyway after bitching and moaning about how much food I had I organized it all into my stuff sack and just relaxed a bit more.

Each night Bob gives a little talk/lesson on successful thru hiking based around his 10 guidelines. All of them were great, most I was familiar with but it is always nice to have a reminder. He also shared some stories about things on the trail that were pretty awesome. One being that Dr. Seuss got his character and story of the grinch from a tomb of a hermit that is on the AT. I'll be sure to post when I pass it.
 
As a whole the time there was nice, the Accommodations were what you would expect from a hiker hostel. Staff was friendly and the entire place was clean (as in by a cleaning person, daily between checkin and checkout.) Breakfast the next day that was included was a nice touch. The biggest values of the hostel however were the shuttle services and Bob himself. Highly recomend staying there!