Date: 2005-03-21
From: Hiawasee, GA

To: Hiawasee, GA
Miles today: 0.0

Ahh, another zero. I know, two in a week, how lame. But we¢re just starting out, and lining up who all is going to hike/hang out together. So the going is slow, Everyone woke rather early today, before they even had the continental breakfast everyone but james was outside in the lobby of the hotel reading the newspaper and watching TV. Continental breakfast was OK, but it was much better than anything I could make over an alcohol stove, so it seemed GREAT. After breakfast I called Frank from the newspaper to give him a location update and actually got ahold of him. I told him where we were and he said he¢d be over shortly. I took off to run some errands with James, Amanda, and her mother, who had driven god knows how many hours to deliver some shoes to her daughter The first stop was the blueberry patch hostel, there we found Raz, Bones, and a fella named Chestnut, but unfortunately my package from home hadn¢t arrived yet. The folks at the blueberry patch told me that I could stop by after 5 and check again, then invited us to join in a prayer before they served breakfast, and I was too tired to explain my atheism so I accepted. I normally feel awkward around those who are heavily religious, I just end up wanting to ask them questions and discuss some philosophy, this was no exception. Although the folks at the blueberry patch are EXTREMELY nice people and didn¢t at all try to push their religion, I was glad I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express. So anyway, we moved on, or rather back to Neel¢s Gap and the folks at mountain crossings, after a quick stop at Home Depot for some plastic that Amanda needed. Winton was there again and was once again very helpful. I told him about my hip belt being large and he gave me a medium and told me to leave the larger belt at the hotel for him, trusting guy. Amanda had her superfeet modified to fit her new shoes and after much browsing we headed back to the Holiday Inn. I finally got some journaling time in at the computer, which had internet access. Normally I¢ve been trying to send my journals out through my cell phone, but I hadn¢t gotten signal in god-knows-how-long so I decided to take the effort to retype them. I¢m considering buying a new phone at the halfway point, or even sooner if this thing doesn¢t start working soon. It seems even other cingular customers get better reception than me¢¦.suck. While I was on the computer, Frank and Paul (the photographer) showed up. We answered some questions, he inquired about my blue hair (I guess I forgot to mention that) and we killed some time until 5 to go check on my package. At the blueberry patch they tell me that my package has indeed arrived, woohoo. I break it open and pass out some fudge to the folks at the hostel then head back to the hotel. I make another run distributing easter eggs and fudge and then field a few questions from Frank while Paul takes some pictures, and by this time it was time for some dinner. We head back to the same Shoney¢s and grab some more AYCE grub. Paul even picks up my tab, woot for unintentionaly yogi-ing. So much stuff to do and so little time, the zero day is almost over and I¢ve got not a whole lot to show for it. I did however get time to make up a huge bounce box of candy and food from my maildrop from home. Mom sent lots of food and yummies and I distributed a fair amount of candy to the other hikers and then packed the rest for myself in Franklin. It was about time for bed, and the lights went out, but that didn¢t mean anybody went to bed right away. James and Raz shared a bed tonight, and it was hilarious listening to them annoy each other.