Appalachian Trail (day 33) - Tinker Cliffs to BeeCh Hill Hostel / mile 732

"There is a setting on the water boiler called "scald your ass" so be careful because it will scald your ass" Yeeha

"I got the trail name from my grandchildren, because when I play with them apparently I say it a lot" Yeeha 

A near perfect day turned into near nightmare.

I'm not the one for the drama but this is unfortunately how it worked out. I've walked the remaining 11 miles to Daleville, Virginia quite quickly. Visited Wendy's restaurant for the first time ever and had overpriced, fast food breakfast style meal. Then I went to Kroger's supermarket they had a good selection and I've resupplied for five days and got another meal consisting of fried chicken, potato wedges and green beans. All together I've spend about 60$.

I've carried on one more mile until BeeCh Hill Hostel, where I was planning to take a shower. Beth, the owner was a lovely old lady. Place had very comfortable beds in their bunk houses and it cost only 30$ to stay including breakfast! It was still super early but I decided to stay for the night.

I had a chat with Yeeha, Beth's partner. They bought the house in 2022 and been running a hostel here since 2023, so it was still relatively new. I've refilled the gas canister using the little contraption I've been carrying (and never used before), had a shower, trimmed my toenails and started reading "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson, the book that made AT famous. At 4 PM two girls I've met before arrived: High Water and Persuasion.

At 5 PM Beth took us to Daleville, we all had our resupply done but it was always good to have some more food when possible. We sat at the restaurant called Three Little Pigs, which was serving a free banana desert for thru hikers, I've ordered a soup and they ordered salads to top up on vitamins and that's when the things started to get odd.

I've barely finished the soup and had no interest in starting the dessert at all. I've felt full and the urge to go to toilet was growing. Persuasion who just had a norovirus and her parents were nurses confirmed that she had same symptoms. The dream of having a comfortable night at the hostel was gone unless I wanted to spread the virus further.

Beth picked us up half an hour later, and after hearing what happend agreed that it would be a good idea if I left. She refunded me part of the money, Persuasion gave me some medicine she was using to deal with the symptoms as well which was really nice.

I've packed and hiked out, it was getting late and dark so I didn't go far, I've managed to find a spot beside the trail just half a mile up the road, hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.