Magic in the Mountains

May 5, 2021 (17.4 miles)

Upper Laurel Fork Campsite – Pond Flats Campsite

Today was a big but uneventful day. I slept great and felt pretty good this morning leaving camp around 8am. The terrain was pretty mild and I was able to get signal after a couple of miles; I made reservations for tomorrow night at Boots Off Hostel and called my mom to try and make plans for a family visit in Damascus.

I hiked with Creature on and off today, her feet have been bothering her so she and Dumb Horse are going to take some days off at Black Bear Hostel for R&R. We stopped for lunch at a shelter and kept moving and grooving. I said bye to Creature and Dumb Horse just before getting to Laurel Falls. It was weird hiking with a bunch of day hikers for a bit, I defiantly stood out.

A couple of people stopped to ask what I was doing, and to think they were hiking on the AT and didn’t know it! The hike down to the falls was rocky and the falls were nice, but the trail along the river was my favorite! It was cut out of rock along the river and was beautiful, I even saw my first rhododendron blooms of the year!

I pushed to a campsite that isn’t supposed to be slept at because of bears so I’m a little nervous, and I’m here with 2 guys I don’t really know, but Ripper and Saint seem nice so we’ll see…