Date: 2004-04-16
From: ?? Gap

To: Hot Springs Campground
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: overcast clouds

10:45 PM Hot Springs CampgroundI had to adjust the mileage yesterday. I thought I had reached Garenflo Gap, but I had not. I was still more then half a mile short of it. It was still a fine place to camp. I have asked several Carolina Mountain Club trail volunteers what it was called, but they didn¢t know. I talked to several of the volunteers about an abandoned tent full of water that I dismantled because of mosquitoes. They assured me that I was not expected to carry it out. They had actually seen 2 tents a week ago, but thought someone was camping there. One sweet old man said "Why would anyone leave their tent?" I said "Because they were disgusted with it." It was not the sort of tent that would work well in cold weather, and it was certainly cold at times the past 2 weeks.Today it was hot. It was 75 degrees, while I was hiking down to Hot Springs this afternoon. I stopped at Deer Park Mountain shelter for lunch and replenished my water supply. I ended up carrying too much water, but I didn¢t want to run out in that heat. Barbara arrived at the shelter shortly after I did. She was thrilled to see me. I was the first hiker she had ever caught up with. She was ready to leave the shelter before I was, and she said it made her happy to see someone as slow as she is. I passed her on the way down to Hot Springs and didn¢t see her again today. Maybe I will see her in town tomorrow. I saw Gail and Karen, several times today ¢ talking with trail volunteers on Long Mountain, then at the Deer Park Mtn shelter, and then again in the ice cream shop in Hot Springs. Gail brought out her wildflower books and we matched pictures with the flowers we have seen the past two days ¢ squirrel corn, trailing arbutus, spring beauty, wild geraniums, rue anemone, fire pink, large-flowered bellwort, wild oat, gay wings. There were more but I can¢t remember them now.I arrived in town after the post office had closed, but I learned that it is open from 8:30 to 10:30 on Saturday. I¢m glad I found that out before I missed that small window of opportunity. I spent a lot of time this afternoon wandering around. I was told about free camping just across the river. I walked across the river and didn¢t see any signs of a campsite. I didn¢t see any signs of the AT, not a white blaze in sight. So I turned around and walked back across the river into town again. The French Broad River is really a river and the bridge is for US Highway 25/70. It was not the most fun part of my day. I learned at the Bluff Mountain Outfitters exactly how to get to the free camping, but I also learned that the campground before you cross the river is only $5 for hikers and you get a shower, and it is closer to town. I was sold. But I was tired and hungry, so I went to the all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner at the community center. It was definitely worth the $5. It is a fundraiser for the disabled of the community. The servers were both staff and the handicapped. They did a nice job, except I did need to call their attention to the insufficient heat of one spaghetti sauce container. I certainly wouldn¢t want anyone getting food poisoning, but as fast as the food was moving, I don¢t think there was much danger.After I had stuffed myself with three plates of spaghetti with two different sauces and salad and chocolate cake, I picked up my pack and waddled across the railroad tracks to the Hot Springs Campground. I selected a site as far from the party center as I could. I got my camp all set, I took a shower, put on my only clean clothes and then walked to town to do laundry. No luck! The laundry was all locked up. The cashier in the adjacent store said it closed at 8:00 PM. It was 8:15. I walked back to the campground with my bag of dirty laundry, thoroughly defeated. I hope it is not terribly cold in the morning, because I do not have anything to put on my legs except shorts. All the clothes in the bag are perfectly filthy and now uniformly damp! I will be going straight to the laundry at 8:00 AM. I hope she didn¢t give me false information about when it opens.