I've heard this about as many times as the 'you don't need to outrun the bear, you only need to be able out run your friend' joke out here. So I find meself in Davenport, TN, just walked out of the Smokies this afternoon and dropped 5000 ft of elevation - surroundings have changed a bit. At Standing Bear Farm hostel which is an old homestead where we can take advantage of sweet amenities like internet and camp next to a trampoline - the proprietor looks kinda like Chong. Shooting to sleep on the trampoline.
ANYWAY, we hitched back up to the Smokies with a nice young couple named Tray and Misty from Newport, TN and upon asking about moonshine they told me about Popcorn Sutton. Popcorn was a legendary moonshiner from Newport who last year was busted on tax evasion (which is apparently how they usually get the moonshiners). Instead of going to jail he built his own coffin then shot himself two months ago. Apparently he was interviewed on CMT by Billy Ray Cyrus not too long ago so youtube this guy. Still on the hunt for moonshine.
Hmm what else...had first 'you're a thru-hiker??' moment where a few tourists took our picture at Newfound Gap in the Smokies. People are both quite perplexed and quite fascinated by the concept. Otherwise feeling gooooood! The people are still awesome and the black flies have calmed down yay much. Just caught wind of the swine-flu epidemic? Anyone? Can I not eat bacon? I'm gonna eat bacon anyway. Will update again in the morning. Misses and kisses.
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Kim! You're good to eat bacon... just don't kiss any pigs. Actually, you're probably safer away from mass population centers. Wish I were hiking with you! Any chance you'll make Hanover by June 14? (HA!... wishful thinking!)
ReplyDeleteHowever, maybe she'll be in NY by then!
ReplyDeletePopcorn Sutton's wife found him at the back of their property inside his beloved old Ford Fairlane, which was running, she said.
ReplyDelete“He called it his three-jug car because he gave three jugs of liquor for it,” she said. “He had painted it John Deere green and it had yellow wheels. He had drove it to California and back.
“He was a good man, he really was."
In 1999, Sutton published "Me and My Likker", an autobiography and guide to moonshine production.