Day 49: Hikers bunching up

Hiked 0.0 miles, staying in Woods Hole hostel.

Breakfast was just as terrific as dinner.  French toast creme brule, eggs with kale, fresh bread with apple butter and fresh fruit.  There is a cool tradition that they do before a meal here, everyone stands in a circle, introduces themselves and says one thing they are thankful for.  It is a neat take on doing a blessing before a meal, especially when people named Aquaman or Han Solo are giving thanks.

Breakfast of champions

As I sort of touched on yesterday this place is pretty unique.  The log house was built in 1880 and the guy who built it decided he didn't like the harsh conditions here and abandoned it.  The grandfather discovered the abandoned cabin while up here working on his thesis and fell in love with the property.  He turned the farm into a hostel later in life and loved it.  None of his children had any interest in running it and he desperately wanted to preserve the hostel so he drew up the paperwork to turn it over to the ATC to run as a hiker hostel.  Neville, his grandaughter and her sister were so upset about this and had fallen in love with the hostel so much that he decided last minute to pass the cabin straight to them so that they could continue his dream and Neville runs it as a farm and hostel to this day along with her husband Michael.  They have everything here on the farm, even producing their own honey.  Almost everything that you eat here is produced on the farm and they place a huge emphasis on sustainable living.  The cabin and matching bunkhouse are pretty unique too.  They are built from enormous chestnut logs which is extremely rare.  A lot of the indoor furnishing is built the old fashioned way, no nails, just wooden pegs.

Main lodge of Woods Hole hostel

Awesome hand carved bench

We spent most of the day just taking it easy and relaxing in the sun.  Aside from a short trip into Pearisburg for a few quick things we just chatted with hikers passing through or coming in to stay. It was only 15 bucks more to stay in the lodge itself so we splurged and did that instead of the bunkhouse so we could use a real bathroom and indoor shower.

Avocado with the bunkhouse in the backgound

Rocket

They do not turn anyone away here and once the bunkhouse is full the tents start going up.  Everyone who stays can sign up for dinner and breakfast, etc... and they usually average about twenty during peak thru hiker season.  Neville indicated that they always hit a high point around this time and she was certainly right.  Last night there were 22 staying here.  Today more and more hikers strolled in until over 50 are staying here, with 43 signed up for dinner.  I was amazed at the low level of stress that she had making dinner as more and more people signed up for it.  It takes a certain kind of person to be able to run a hostel like this and she is perfect for the job.  Michael runs the farm and together they make a great team and a great place to stay.

Great selection of mostly homegrown spices

Hikers enjoying the day

This along with making delicious smoothies and giving professional massages as well as running the farm kept both of them going flat out all day.  I don't know how they do it.  With 43 people we couldn't all fit in the dining room so we ate outside.  The giving thanks tradition took quite a while.  Hikers are bunching up right now as most prepare to get off to hitch to trail days in Damascus.  Pearisburg is a easy place to do this and most people in the area try to time their arrival there to coincide.

I know I usually try to list names of people staying with us but there are just too many right now.  We did catch up with Shady, Aquaman, Rocket, Avocado, Monk, Coach and Sinner, along with meeting many more including a large group of about 10-15 nicknamed "The Tribe" that has been near us for a while now without us running into them.

Yoga session led by Neville

Even the dog, Aumakua joined in the yoga

Awesome story for the day:  One of the goats from the farm went missing a few days ago.  The goat is blind in one eye and lost her herd.  Monk and Coach found her crying in the woods on their hike in and wondered if it belonged to the hostel.  They couldn't get the goat to follow them so they carried the goat the three-ish miles to the hostel to ask if it was theirs.  Thru-hiker trail magic.

Enjoying a late night bonfire

After dinner everyone crowded around a huge firepit for a big bonfire and had a great time.  Most are staying tomorrow but we are moving on.  I'm very glad we decided to zero here, it was awesome and it is very difficult to leave.