After a triumphant and hasty procession out of the Smokies, I paused with my band of friends at Standing Bear Hostel for resupply. Aside from buffering my body with massive amounts of fat and carbohydrates, I had the opportunity to meet up with old lost friends. Handyman, Longstep, TLC and POW all congregated at the hostel to tell stories of friends far and fading. This hiker community is lone large roving band of nomadic people all seeking company.
Afterwards we were challenged with a climb harder than the entrance to the Smokies, barraged with rain and mist. It was haunting and frustrating at first to climb an endless hill shrouded in mist and bleak trees. But upon reaching the top, Furniture and I were rewarded with an amazing summit view as the mist cleared. We are pushing onwards to Hot Springs in the next few days.
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