Date: 2007-04-25
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Persistent set the alarm for 8:00 a.m., but I think we were both awake WAYbefore due to the crowing Roosters that crowed for like 4 hrs starting around6:00 a.m.! LOL I thought those things weren't supposed to start till sunrise! LOLAnd the verdict was that she felt she needed one more day's rest. (I could havetold her that last nite, but she was still hoping to hike out today). We decided to do some more damage for breakfast @ the Smoky Mt. Diner. Itotally forgot to mention something really cool. The 4th and 5th graders @ thelocal elementary made this huge Hiker's Notebook where some of them wroteletters to us asking what animals we've seen, if it was hard, etc. Some of thekids wrote about a day where they went out and did some trail maintenance, andothers did creative writing where the words formed a picture. There was a placein back with blank paper where we could write back to them, so I did. How coolis that? It was so adorable reading their letters.Today I sketched out our next 7 days of hiking, checked my email @ theoutfitters (the library is closed on Wednesdays), and called a few friends. Itwas nice to have a day where you're all packed, all ready to go, and you canjust do the little things. Gadget and Scribe moved over to our cabin, so if theHillbilly Market (yes, it's really called that) has some ingredients, we're allgoing to try to cook a dinner here in the cottage. This afternoon, Persistent and I walked over to the Sweet Imaginations Cafe forsome icecream and to read our emails. Who ever would have thought I'd besitting in a little cafe in Hot Springs, NC, eating my icecream cone withexcerpts from Andrew Lloyd Weber's "The Phantom of the Opera" playing on thesound system! LOL It rocked.I'm tellin ya folks, getting those guest book entries and emails from everyoneis a HUGE part of what makes town time exciting for us both. I LOVE readingwhat you all have to say, and I've received some great advice (thanks Jon) andincredible words of encouragement (thanks Blackie), which are all so meaningfulto me. I've had a few people ask about my maildrop schedule. I don't do maildrops somuch, but know I will be stopping @ the P.O. in Damascus, VA to pick up my nextset of maps (Virginia Baby!!). If you have a desire to send something there,here's how to address it:Michele Zehrc\o General DeliveryDamascus, VA 24236Please Hold For AT HikerE.T.A. May 31, 2007I'm sure I'll actually get there earlier than that (100% for sure in fact), butthe P.O. will hold things until that date, but send it back to the sender if itis much past the date. If you are sending something, shoot me an email or tellme via my guestbook, so I'll know to look for it. I would hate for someone totake the time to committ a random act of kindness, and then not be able to enjoyyour efforts. Here's a few more things that I have learned in the 270 miles I've gone so far:1. 1 set of Aqua Mira lasted me about 200 miles (basically from Springer tohalf-way thru the Smoky's)2. Camp shoes (such as crocs) are not a luxury item in my opinion. There aredays when those last few miles are unbearable, and having the ability to hike incrocs and get your shoes\boots off makes a huge difference. They are also greatfor feet soaking sessions in the many streams out here.3. If you aren't doing maildrops but can't find small packs of mayo, try askingthe supermarket deli for them. Mayo seems to be the hardest thing to find. Depending on the store, they usually will give them to you or sell them to youreally cheap.4. Know yourself and be very honest about your needs as an individual beforestepping on the trail. What I mean is if in your normal life, you attend a busystressful conference, and at the end of the day all you want is to be alone,comfortable and in a private space so you can decompress, more than likely thatwill not change out here. If, however, you are energized by people and lovebeing social to all hours of the nite, that is good to know too. Knowing thisahead of time is important, because it costs more $ to put yourself in private spaces when you need them (in towns). I know I've said this before, but when I get to town, the last thing I want isto be in a large group, in a group accomodation like a hostel. It is too highenergy for me. And this leads to #5.5. Your budget is directly proportional to your personal needs in townespecially. The amount of $3,000 that is often thrown out there as a "good"amount of money to hike the whole trail is more appropriate for those people whodon't mind hostels or who don't need much downtime. After talking with NotGuilty (who is thru hiking a second time and who has similar needs as me) hisadvice is to have $1,000 per month if you are the type of person that needs somealone time in towns (which usually means motels). I am also basing this on myown experience so far. It has been more expensive than I thought it would,simply because I didn't realize how much energy I would NOT have in towns. Ahh,the things you learn about yourself out here. 6. In the real world, when you meet someone new, one of the first things you getasked is, "What do you do for a living." All types of initial assumptions willbe made about you based upon how you answer that question. Out here, thatquestion is replaced by, "So when did you start?" LOL People really get fixatedon mileage, and because we're not so much, we get all types of reactions. It'shilarious really. So I recommend following the advice in my guestbook, tellthem you started 15 days ago (when you're in Georgia), and tell them the samething when you catch up to them in Pennsylvania! LOL I think I'm going to tryit and see what happens. LOL Well, off to the Hillbilly Market to see if there's dinner fixins there. Definitely departing tomorrow, and I'm ready. I miss the serenity of the woods,where roosters DON'T live. LOL~Certain