Date: 2010-05-08
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Franklin, North Carolina
Miles today: 20.0

It was lucky that I stayed in the shelter last night because a major storm passed by with strong winds and rain. In the early morning, I had to move my bag which was hanging too close to the rain. Before putting on my shoes, I shook them (an Australian habit which my grandma taught me in case a venemous spider has crawled in them) and in both shoes, I found a little stash of acorns (or some other nuts) left by a mouse! How cute! When Ladybird got up to fix her bag, upon her return (30 seconds later), a mouse had taken up residence in her pillow. Hence why my experience was cute.Staying in a shelter means that you get going quicker because you don't have a tent to put away, so I left alone at 715. The rain was gone so I wanted to get some good miles down before the heat set in. I felt like Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez in the Chronicles of Riddick when they have to race the sun on some sci-fi planet or they will turn to dust. I like crappy movies. I raced up Albert Mountain which has a steep climb, passing some people just doing the last 50 metres to the summit from their car. I can't take too much credit as they were in jeans! However I am getting my trail legs. I realised that I had done 15 miles in 5 hours without stopping once. I also realised that I didn't need to wait until Sunday to go into Franklin! I actually ran about 3 miles of the 20 today to hurry up! So my rest day turned into a day in which I did 20 miles then went into Franklin! I'll be back on the trail tomorrow.Franklin is 10 miles from the trail. I called a shuttle (a person who kindly takes hikers from the trail to their hotel in town usually for a very small donation towards fuel) and got to see the hills I have been hiking for the first time. When you are hiking you cannot see the forest for the trees. The view was amazing!! The Appalachian Mountain Range is beautiful from a car! Maybe I should have done a road trip to Maine! I went to the outfitter (camping store) to get a new pair of shoes. I had hoped to get trail runners like my last but the store only had boots and hiking shoes. I got a pair of men's Merrell Continium. I made the sales guy get a set of scales to weigh them to confirm they were the same weight as my runners. They seem ok but let's see how I can run in them!Sonic was next to the outfitters but it was drive thru or walk thru. I stood in front of the menu and had to press a button to order. I didn't fancy doing that on my one day in town. So instead I went to Fatz Cafe. What a name. I can see why it would make you fat. I ordered some nachos covered in cheese and sour cream and a hamburger. I ate a couple of chips and a quarter of the burger. All I felt like was tortilla with cream cheese and a packet of tuna. My trail food! Franklin was good and friendly towards hikers but being in town shows me how much I love the trail. Can't wait to be back tomorrow.By the way, one blister is looking very bad. It is now the size of a quarter (2 euro) or bigger and had a little red on the side. I am going to pop it tonight and T-Rex, another hiker, is going to give me something to put on it. He was off for 2 days with a blister so hopefully he knows what he is talking about.