One Hitch on Interstate Later

May 19, 2025

Spoons and I woke up at 0600 to roll out by 0630 and be down by I40 around 0800. We passed Andre, his cousin, Alpha, Thirsty Boy, Poptart, and 6 – String tenting a few miles from the shelter. We got down to hwy 32, and there were no cars, so we decided to head towards I40. Then we crossed the Pigeon River bridge and talked to a road worker. We walked back toward the trail only to realize that the trail connects on the side of the bridge that we were just on, so we crossed the bridge once again.

Spoons and I were in the I40 underpass trying to hitch. We realized that with the construction that no one was likely to be getting off this exit, and hitching may be a lost cause. We tried getting an Uber or lyft, but sadly, no one wanted smelly and dirty hikers in their backseat. Standing Bear Hostel said they would give us a ride, but we’d have to walk to them and wait a few hours under their shuttle runs, and it would be 50 bucks. Needless to say, we took off for the interstate to try our luck hitching there.

After about 10 minutes of semi trucks speeding past us, a car pulled off on the shoulder for us. Two ladies on their way to Dollywood gave us a ride to Hiker’s Rest. They told us a story about how the driver’s family had helped out the passenger when her car got stuck in a snow storm after she went skiing. The passenger had to leave her car and start walking, and the driver’s family picked her up and drove her home, then took her back to her car in the morning. So, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree when it comes to picking up strangers off the side of the road!

Hikers can’t read…

Spoons and I arrived at the hostel and went stayed in the bunkhouse, which was a little blue shed. Bowen arrived soon after and was pulling the dog lady all across the lawn to get to me. It was a wonder how she managed to stay on her feet. Spoons and I washed clothes in a hose by the outdoor shower while Bo napped under the picnic table. We hung out in the grass until the hosts got home from work, and then we went to Walmart. They picked us up pizzas, and we ate inside with them and chitchatted. Bo managed to open the latch on the shed and escaped once, and then once more after I had him on a leash in the shed. It stormed pretty bad during the night, so Spoons and I were grateful that we opted to stay in the bunkhouse rather than our tents.