Cold damp night, but nice star gazing, and only 2 mice (last shelter bagged 3). Lazy start since only 10 miles to town, still hiking at 8:15 since I'm eager to get there. Downhill into cold fog in valley, briefly on the Creeper trail due to detour because of washed out AT bridge, then back uphill until final descent to town, again on the Creeper. First hostel I pass is Crazy Larry's. He's having a permanent yardsale and I buy a National Geographic scarf for a buck. He shows me around, feeds me leftover pancakes with hot tea, and tells me about the other hostels: one closed for the season, another closed due to bed bugs, but the Methodist hostel is still open-- where Rodney and I stayed in 1982. But he makes quite the sakes pitch, bed, shower, laundry, and breakfast all for $25. Interesting life story thrown in for free: ran away from home at age 7 to hide in the woods, juvenile delinquency, drugs, fled arrest and hid on the AT for 3 years, then turning himself and serving his sentence. But very nice guy, full of stories, says he likes to write, knows everyone on the trail. Only "crazy" to distinguish him from all the other Larrys he knows, like his friend Larry who drives me to grocery and library, and offers to drive me tomorrow 11 miles so I can slack back 22 miles to Damascus. Which sounds good because forecast is for accumulating snow Halloween night and Saturday, 4+ inches? Crazy. I might be stuck here awhile, but nice town, even has a brewery!
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