Week 2 from Bree to Rivendell

The view from Wolf Laurel Top the next morning was incredible. We made coffee and stood chatting with the «front porch» of my store wide open. Once we finally moved in, we walked a bit but quickly reached another stunning viewpoint. Naturally, we had to hang out, make snacks, and play some music.

Even with the long breaks, we decided to try to send him to our goal. We booked the shelter just as the sun was setting. It was a really fun and beautiful day, but we were absolutely exhausted. I put on my favorite program, The magiciansand we fell fast asleep.

Because of how nervous I was, I yelled at Goldilocks for a small miscommunication. I was in the doghouse for a bit, but luckily we talked it out and made up. The trail presents you with many things, but we keep it moving.

We took a shuttle to Hiawassee for coffee, burgers, resupply, and most importantly, some «Longbottom Leaf.» The hostel is incredibly cute and filled with Tolkien-themed decor. They have porch swings, cozy places to hang out, and an extra dining and living room for hikers.

We spent the night watching movies on the porch until Donna politely asked us to move inside the meeting space, as “hiker’s midnight” was quickly approaching. We end up seeing Angus, thongs and perfect kisses and I had a fantastic time. We may already be far from home, but it was lovely to find our little piece of the Shire right here, on the road.

It turned out to be a beautiful day of hiking! Along the way we met our friend Cindy, who we absolutely adore. In fact, I met her and her husband for the first time on the 1st when I complimented her shirt. We haven’t seen her as much as we’d like, but every time we cross paths, laughter and great conversations flow naturally.

To top it all off, we were treated to another magical view at the end of the day. I am simply filled with pure joy.

Once I finally took off for the day, I ran into Cindy on the road at some point. As always, she was a fantastic confidant. She gave me a safe space to vent and offered wonderful motherly advice. We finally stopped at a really nice campsite located at a crossroads of dirt roads. The roads led down the mountain on both sides, descending into two small, beautiful valleys.

Overall, it turned out to be a beautiful day of hiking and camping with Cindy. After she went to bed, I went out to explore the dirt roads and drink some “Longbottom Leaf” without disturbing my companion. (I later found out that when Goldilocks passed through this area, he saw three bears on the side of the road while looking for water, thus completely cementing the name of his trail!)

Day 14: Hiawassee

I woke up to texts from Goldilocks saying she missed me. She had headed into town, so Jeff took me to Dicks Creek Gap to discuss things with her. We made peace and went to the Sundance Grill, another great recommendation from my man, Jeff Moon.

I had a very tasty burger and Goldilocks had grilled chicken. Our waitress was very sweet, helpful and dressed in turquoise. Of course, I had to get a chocolate lava cake to wrap it all up before heading back to our hotel.

A brief miscommunication briefly fractured our camaraderie, sending me on a quiet solo stretch to camp with Cindy and enjoy «Longbottom Leaf» while Goldilocks earned its trail name by stumbling upon three real bears. Fortunately, distance made the affection grow deeper and we quickly met up at Dicks Creek Gap to enhance our Hiawassee fellowship over burgers and chocolate lava cake.

Week Two Recap: Rivendell and Beyond

A brief miscommunication fractured our camaraderie, sending me on a quiet solo stretch to camp with Cindy while Goldilocks earned the name of his trail by stumbling upon three real bears. Fortunately, distance made the affection grow deeper and we quickly met up at Dicks Creek Gap to enhance our Hiawassee fellowship over burgers and chocolate lava cake.