Date: 2015-05-03
From: Walnut Mountain Shelter

To: Deer Park Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: clear sky

Day 21 - This was indeed a short day for me. But it included trail magic at one of the gaps where Sub Man and his wife, Suds, were waiting for Trail Chef to arrive. In the mean time they were handing out drinks (soda, beer, water), fresh fruit (apples, oranges, bananas), and a few hard boiled eggs. I'd met Sub Man at one of the shelters because he was hiking with Trail Chef through the Smokies.At various times through the day I saw Red Squirrel and Thunder. She's gone on to Hot Springs as did a lot of other people. I thought for a while I might be alone here, then around 6:00 a hoard arrived. They all seem to know each other. A lot of them spent last night camped out on Max Patch, allowing them to see a sunset, moon rise, moon set, and sun rise, all with clear skies and miles of views. Would have been nice and all, but I was there at noon and it would have given me such a long day today. There were 14 others here at my last count.Anyway, haven't seen Thunder since that trail magic several miles back. He says he's really struggling, between his own weight and the pack's weight.I got to the blue blaze and it pointed to water on the west, and the shelter on the east. I went for the water first, a long walk through several camp sites, to a slow stream that barely filled my water sacks. Got back to the AT and checked to see if I had any connection so I could call the hostel in Hot Springs for a reservation. Before I could call, the phone chirped to tell me I had a text from Ann. She was writing to say that she> had called to make a reservation for me under the name Concordia. "Like the school?" was the reply. But how neat was that? She's wonderful. Here at the shelter there's spotty coverage for both phone and data, but I was able to upload a photo.Also, this morning at breakfast Red Squirrel was talking to the Dad I wrote about yesterday (Son was still sleeping). He told her they were Cherokee -- but not registered -- from Oklahoma; the boy's mother is "not in the picture"; they've been out since 1 March; they've been reported to the police for child endangerment along the way and after detailed questioning the police drove them an hour back to the Trail (this supposedly had happened when they were trying to hitch into Franklin, but their ride 'took them the wrong way' to some other town that wasn't hiker friendly). All very strange. Oh, and they're both named "Royce."I guess "it takes all kinds." while the 5 year old slept on, dad Royce saw something green in one of my zip-locs and got excited, thinking I had harvested something to eat. He was disappointed to find it was my tent pegs. He told me that the only foraging they'd done was to chew some pine needles "for the vitamin C."Trail Chef was among those who showed up here. Everyone is aiming at Hot Springs and talking about where they'll stay and for how long. And lots of complaints about aches and pains. Sort of comforting, that last bit: I'm not the only one who has been hurting. Listening to people's theories about how to trick themselves into fresh starts during the day.Tomorrow I may try to leave later than usual since I have a reservation (but even then can't check in until 11). Or maybe I'll go in, try to scope out the town, see if the library is open or computers are available someplace, and work up a tidier blog entry. My other town chores are a shower (or two), washing my clothes, and maybe supplementing my food box. I think the latter because Ann said something about not sending cheese since I'll be near a grocery. (Incidentally, if anyone finds a new block of cheddar in the fridge at the Top of Georgia Hostel, it's mine. You can either mail it back to me, or eat it yourself. Your choice on that.)Only two weeks until Ann comes to see me in Damascus. It's 197.9 miles ahead of where I am right now. That's 14 miles a day for 14 days. Might not work. She might have to meet me at a road crossing south of there. Or maybe it will work.(averaging 12.9 miles a day)