Mary Hill served us quite a gourmet spread for breakfast at Mountain Harbour Hostel, and when she came around to check on everyone, we had a chance to talk about how she and her husband Terry came from southern California eight years back to purchase this B&B. At that time, they’d never heard of the Appalachian Trail. The previous owners had marketed the place as a romantic “couples get away,” combined with cruises on nearby Lake Watauga, hence the “Harbour” in the name. Then one miserable night after the Hills bought the place, four thru hikers “with ice in their beards” showed up unannounced seeking shelter. The rest is history, as the Hills converted their barn to suit the needs of a new cliental. And trust us: it’s very comfortable and hiker needs are thoroughly met! The result is the nicest stop we’ve enjoyed so far.

Over breakfast we chatted with some fellow hikers, one of whom was stationed at the Coast Guard base in N’s hometown of Elizabeth City, NC. But more interesting, they had been witnesses/ participants to the now just past, infamous Beauty Spot incident, and could fill us in on the details. A local ne’er-do-well had driven to the site after dark, intent on robbing any hikers who might be camped nearby [which is why the Troverts never pitched a tent within  half a mile of a road…], pulled a gun, and announced himself as “the law.” Roused from their sleep/ tent, the hikers found themselves staring down the barrel of a firearm whose owner was obviously intoxicated. A standoff continued until the assailant was distracted, and a hiker was able to get the jump on him. After subduing this yah-who, they hogtied him until the local sheriff arrived to haul him away. A night to raise the pucker factor, if ever there was one.

Also arriving at breakfast were a number of public health officials surveying hikers to learn what they could about the “hiker bug” running rampant on the AT since we left Erwin. We also saw folks collecting questionnaires when we arrived back at the AT – US19 intersection. We felt lucky to have avoided this illness…

And, yes, by the way, we did get some hiking in today, hoping to get about half way to Bob Peoples’s Kincora Hostel outside of Hampton, TN. After a leisurely start, the trail provided interesting scenery and varying topography in absolutely beautiful blue-sky, sunny weather. We trekked up high through open meadows with outstanding views of Little and Big Hump Mountains, down low through dark dense rhododendron tunnels, beside the lovely Elk River and the historic Isaacs family cemetery, over gravel and paved roads, and passed by 100′ Jones Falls and other seriously cascading waters. AND we passed 400 miles, another major if arbitrary milestone! Tonight, we are camped beside a babbling stream and quite snug in our little tent. Life is good on the trail.