From my journal:

Monday, 5/11/2009
Laurel Creek Shelter to Brush Mountain
AT Miles = 18.5 / 682.2
Other Miles = 1.0 / 29.7
Total Miles = 19.5 / 711.9

Today was about contrasts. I started the day with my mood matching the weather; cold and wet. But I ended the day feeling absolutely wonderful.

After hiking in a steady cold rain for hours, I managed to arrive at the Hiker Feed in Craig Creek Valley just as it was starting at 2:00PM. Lots and lots of food, drink, and wonderful company, and a warm fire to sit around as well. I stayed there for three hours, and never stopped eating. Beer, soda, hot mulled cider, chips, cookies, cakes, an amazing lasagna cooked in a dutch oven, fruit salad, hummus and pita bread, homemade brown bread, quesadillas, and some kind of berry dessert cooked in another dutch oven and topped off with ice cream! And on top of all that, by the time I finally left at 5:00PM the sky had cleared and the sun was out.

I was feeling so good, both physically from the infusion of real food, and emotionally because it's just wonderful when people do something nice for you just because they can, that I cruised the four uphill miles to where the Audie Murphy monument is on Brush Mountain, then walked about another mile until my watch said 7:00Pm, and I found a place just off the trail to hang my hammock and climbed in for the night.