AZT: Positive surprise 2

Kentucky Camp

The AZT passes through a place called Kentucky Camp. This camp had been the headquarter of a mining operation in 1904 and was now being restored as a historical monument. You can even rent a cabin there. I had read about this place in other trail journals and wanted to stay there - especially since this was the last water source for 21 miles. I arrived at Kentucky camp at 6 pm being really curious. I found the rental cabin, the main building, the water tap and the caretaker's RV - but no caretaker!

I started to wonder where I would stay. I could of course camp (it had been freezing the night before) or stay on the porch of the cabin. But inside the main building which was open for visitors I found a very inviting folding couch....There was even electricity and a reading light there. But where was the caretaker? I really did not dare to bed down and run the risk of being thrown out later, especially since the cabin was for rent for 75 $ per night. I decided to have dinner first and wait till it got dark...

Just when the sun went down the caretaker showed up. "There goes my sleeping couch", I thought, but still went to introduce myself to the caretaker. I politely asked him where he wanted me to put up my tent. He did not want me to camp ("I don't want this place to look like a campground"),  he did not want me to sleep on the porch ("People might see you"), but he said: "Well, there is this very comfortable sleeping couch you could use....". I could not believe my luck! He even offered me to use the microwave for breakfast in the morning. I spent a night in luxury and for free: Sleeping in a bed, a bathroom, running water and even a reading light! I was a happy hiker!