Trail Day 6 - Four Pines Hostel - Prof

Wow what a sunrise this morning. Starting off up there on Dragons Tooth was certainly a cool experience. I'm also happy that we stayed up there because that climb down was rough. Often we had to use our hands to climb down over bolders. On the way down we came across several day-hikers who were climbing up to the Tooth. The girls were wearing perfume and the guys had on deodorant for sure and they smelled way better than we did. Luckily we got to fix that today with ashower  and wash of our clothes at 4 Pines Hostel. We made it to the hostel about 10 am after a short three miles hike this morning, making today a nearo (near zero). 

When we walked up we were immediately welcomed into the energy. A large group of hikers were already here and they were gearing up to head down to Damascus for Trail Days. After talking for a while we found out the owner of the hostel had left for Trail Days already. They left two other hikers Midnight, and Buttercup in charge. Oh and can't forget their dog Booboo too! 

Midnight and Booboo have a really inspiring story. Midnight said he had been thru hiking the AT a few years ago and had came across this group that invited him and some other hikers to a BBQ. When they arrived at the place they realized it was a backwoods dog fighting operation.  They found Booboo on the back side of the house. He had been a bait dog to get the fighting dogs blood crazed before the fights began. Midnight took Booboo to the vet just in time for the vet to save him. Booboo has since become a loyal trail dog and they have been together since. 

We caught a ride into the gas station which you could tell definitely catered to hikers which was nice to be able to find everything we needed. They also made pizzas so Doc and I each got one, it was heavenly. Since then we came back to the hostel and I have been laying outside under a tree all afternoon reading and watching the big fluffy clouds gather and cross over the ridge in the distance. The flys are biting and I heard we may have a storm coming. My clothes are drying on the line in front of me and the Guinea hens are walking around behind me searching for bugs. This hostel is a pretty unique place that reminds me a bit of my sister's acerage if you switched out hills and mountains for the lakes of northern MN. 

Tonight we are going out to eat a place in town called the Homeplace. I guess it's a cheap place with great food that is served up family style at the tables. I think all the hikers around that aren't heading to Trail Days are going to try to go eat together. I'm going to post this a little early today so I can get back to relaxing 😎. But that means if you have any questions I'll be able to answer them today. 

-Prof

P.S. A bluejay just landed on the branch above me. What a beautiful world we live in. 

Update- the Homeplace was amazing and the way our table of hikers shoveled away food was inspiring