Date: 2007-03-28
From: Rock Gap Shelter

To: March 28, Haven's Haven
Miles today: 3.8

March 28, Haven's HavenWoke up at 7:07 a.m. to 49.5 degrees in my tent. Certain and I got ready in record speed and we hit the trail at 8:30 - must be a town day.We just hiked 3.8 miles to Winding Stair Gap to get a ride to Franklin. The hike itself was rather uneventful - other than the trail magic we stumbled into along the way! I was just coming up onto a stream and from far away, it looked like there was trash in it. No! There were about two dozen Capri Suns strategically placed along the rocks in the water to be chilled! They had all been carefully laid down so we could read the labels and choose a flavor. Amazing. It's things like that make me love this trail. Little things. They make all the difference. So, thanks to whomever left those there....I'm sitting on the side of the highway with Totally Different Subject, Not Guilty, and Certain waiting for Ron Haven. I'm looking forward to a couple of good meals, some rest, and resupply....Well, the four of us got picked up but not by Ron. A guy named Lance pulled over, asked us if we were thru-hikers and then asked if we needed a ride. Yup. He drove us all into town and talked about the trail on the way. Nice guy, hope he gets to hike the trail sometime.Certain and I checked into the last room at the Budget Inn. This place is great. It looks like your grandmother's fantasy but Ron is a great guy who totally understands what hikers in town need - flexibility, shuttles, food, internet and good times.We took showers (mine was a bit cold so I turned it off and showered as if it was a mountain spring) and got ready for town! First stop? Chinese buffet. There, I made three trips to the buffet and finished it off with three ice cream cones. Delicious. My fortune told me to look forward to three months from this date - good things will come. Hmm...Then we resupplied at Ingles and took the shuttle back to the motel. I took our laundry to wash and forgot most of my dirty things in the room. Yea me. Later, I washed it all in the sink and I've overtaken the bathroom to hang it all to dry. I've had a good time tonight just shootin' the breeze with our fellow hikers. We had a little reunion with Kay and Gadget, hung with Hangman, Shalom and her boyfriend, etc. Kay's ankle is hurting so they are taking a few days to rest. I hope they catch us when they get back out.This motel is great. It reminds me of hotel parties - every room has some different vibe but each is full of people you know so they are all fun!I talked to my parents today and it seems the only thing my dad is focused on these days is fixing up and selling his 1990 Astro van. He's done basically a total overhaul on it and just got a paint job. Today he was hand-painting the grill. If anyone's inerested, he's asking $3,500. I reckon it'd make a great hiker shuttle! I am pretty exhausted right now. It's 1 a.m. and I can't wait to go to bed...but I do want to reflect on a couple of things.Today, I forgot to flush the toilet. I'm a little worried that all social etiquette will be lost in six months out here. It's just not important here.I've also realized that I have a great transcriber. Thank you, Derek, for getting all of my photos up so quickly. I'm sure it took a TON of time.My current favorites:Trail Breakfast - Instant OatmealTrail Snack - GushersTrail Dinner - Idahoan Loaded Mashed Potatoes Town Luxury - phone/internet Mountain - AlbertI got some good news this week that Eric's cousin, Jason and his wife, Stacey, had their baby boy, Eston - healthy! Congratulations to them!I wanted to mention again that I HATE stairs on the trail. I've figured out why - they are engineered in such a way that a person with 12-inch legs (like myself) cannot possibly overcome them without great maneuvering. Every step up requires the hauling of trekking poles to the next stair and the pulling up of my pack and body. Every step down requires a literal planting of the poles and a jump down. Grr. And for some reason, North Carolina LOVES stairs. If I wanted stairs, I'd be hiking in parking structures, people!I'd like to thank the GATC for the great trail maintenance. The trail through GA was immaculate. Thank you.I've started giving Certain a hard time about her hammock and some stories that she repeats. I told her I'm going to call her "Hammock Flaunter" because she goes around scoffing at us "ground dwellers" and praising the merits of her hammock. All in good fun.Well, I better go to sleep. We are going to try and hike tomorrow!