Samwise Hikes the Appalachian Trail! - Trail Journal -
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June 27, Bears Den Hostel - mile 983.7

What a magnificent place this is ! The Bears Den Hostel is a large castle like building that used to like a summer resort location for wealthy Washingtonians. It is made of stone, with walls a foot thick & old fashioned iron grate windows. But inside it's even better! I got here early today, before it opened at 5P.M., so I hung out in the "day use" hiker room, where I got a shower & a cold soda & sat on a lovely soft couch. Now that the hostel is officially open, I've moved my things up to the women's dorm & I've bought some frozen pizzas & microwave popcorn to make for dinner, & I'm lounging in the living area. This space is huge, with a fireplace, three couches & four big easy chairs, a couple of desks & a table with lots of games on it. There are bookshelves everywhere filled with fascinating titles & the walls are covered with pictures of the trail & posters. I almost wish I could move in & stay forever! This will definitely be one of my favorite trail stays.

it certainly is a wonderful reward to be here tonight after a tough day on the "roller coaster". That's what they call this 18 mile stretch, where the trail climbs straight up the hills & then straight back down. I think I tackled 7 or 8 of the hills today in the 10 miles I hiked to get here, & my map shows four more for tomorrow, even thought I've heard numbers ranging from 12 to 21 hills. Regardless of how many there are, they are all steep & all rocky, so I'm pretty tired tonight.

June 28 keys Gap mile 992.8

Well, the roller coaster ride is over! Man, what a difference hiking today after a night of pumping calories into myself. I went through 2 small pizzas, a bag of popcorn & a pint of Ben & Jerry's, which I actually finished off this morning for breakfast. And I tackled these last four hills like they were nothing - well, not quite, but it was easier than usual.

What a strange night I had with my "room mate" Only one other woman showed up last night, deflating my hopes of a bunkroom all to myself, but still, I was glad it was only her & not a whole room-full. But what a character! I first thought it odd that she chose the bunk directly next to mine, when the whole room was empty. Then I thought it strange that when I went to bed, she left her chair in the main room where she was reading & came into the bunkroom to read with the lamp on in there. Then she informed me that she often yells in her sleep, so not to be alarmed. And I'm thinking "Lord, have mercy"! If you know you yell in your sleep, why don't you tent outside away from the other guests? Or at least why don't you choose the bunk furtherest away from me since we're the only two in here? Sure enough - at 4:30 this morning , I'm awakened by a string of obscenities shouted at the top of her lungs, followed a few minutes later by profuse apologies. An hour later she was wailing as if some one had died, & saying all sorts of things I couldn't understand in a very weepy voice. Talk about WEIRD! I think she must be a very disturbed lady.

Any way, the rest of the day has been far less eventful, I am relieved to say. Tonight I have a private camping spot about 5 1/2 miles out from town, so I will arrive first thing in the morning & have all day to take care of chores.