Date: 2004-04-17
From: Devil's Fork Gap

To: Hot Springs (for Trail Fest '04)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Hot Spring's Trail Fest 04 Woke up with the B-jesus scared out of me! During the dark thirty hours, I was abruptly awakened from a deep sleep by the ground shaking accompanied with a loud mechanical clanking noise. What kind of dream is this? Waking from my dreams of home, I hear the sound of a train coming into my tent. My first thought is the local beer I drank must have been a mystery brew. Coming to my shaken senses, I realize our camping site was alongside the railroad. So much for a quite night's sleep. Before I forget, I want to say thanks again for the trail magic I received from my mother and sister, and the Goddesses of Deland (especially Jeanne) for the mail drops. The cookies and Easter candies were shared.Next, I forgot to mention a problem I had with my Marmot rain gear during my zero day in Hot Springs. I called the company, explained my problem and that I was currently a thru hiker on the AT. Without question the warranty department came up with possible solutions involving the outfitter in Hot Springs. Bluff Mountain Outfitters in communication with Marmot replaced my damaged gear. I was impressed with the outfitter's selection of gear, their service, and local assistance from the staff. Bluff's was certainly the focal point in Hot Springs for the thru hikers. Special thanks to Wayne, one of the owners, for personally helping me out. And thank you Marmot! Now about the Trail Fest.   The small town center was buzzing with activities surrounding a tent with live mountain music, food, displays and booths. Hikers came off the trail both north and south of Hot Springs, some as far as 50 miles to be a part of the fest. I was meeting hikers that I started with way back in March. I saw Paddler, who picked us up and is still hobbling from his foot injury. Cuppa Joe is still limping but doing better. Vagrant, who was nursing blisters in Ga. Boo Boo was still there and is now running for mayor (kidding). Then there were hikers I had not yet met. Two Cents from Israel; Crash Test Dummy, a south bound (SOBO) hiker doing the Eastern Continental Trail that ends in Key West, Fl. There was Shepherd, a thru hiker from 2000 who carried a shepherd's walking staff with a hooked end. K-Less, who is in Erwin, TN, nursing an injured leg back to health. And then I met Miss Janet.   ¢ Miss Janet¢ is another famous trail name that I¢ve heard spoken of frequently along with Baltimore Jack and Curtis of Standing Bear Farms who are living legends and part of the trail. Miss Janet is known for her devotion to shuttling any hiker to their destination, and her bed and breakfast in Erwin, Tenn.I watched as a room full of hikers, conversing in different groups, stop in mid sentence to hear that Miss Janet¢s van has arrived. The crowd is acting as if a celebrity is about to enter the room. In behavior that is afforded rock star or movie actor status, faces light up with enthusiasm, heads are turning back and forth in anticipation to be the first to spot and announce the arrival of Miss Janet.I was at Trail Fest when Miss Janet was preparing to leave (regrettably for us) on another shuttle run. I asked if I could ride shotgun and was elated when the reply was yes. I had her all to myself for 4 hours - this was a special honor to visit uninterrupted with Miss Janet. We talked about the trail, each other and life. I found Miss Janet to be a dynamic individual with an enormous heart with a zest for life that carries over for her love of the Appalachian Mountains, the AT that runs the ridges of the mountains, and the hikers who walk the trail.I had a reunion with Chef, Beat Box at her bed and breakfast hostel. I also found out the Rat Pack were in town with their girl friends. Since their business had nothing to do with my business, I left them alone.We returned to Hot Springs just in time to see the main event, the duck races. Ducks were bought with an assigned number given to the buyer and printed on the ducks. The race course is a large stream that runs through the town. At race time, Hundreds of colored plastic ducks were released, and immediately began bumping and jostling each other for position as they rushed downstream. Near the finish line the ducks run under a bridge where the crowd is cheering for their colored duck with the hope their number is riding on the duck. The first seven ducks crossing the finish are plucked from the water by shivering volunteers to declare the winners. Then, everyone assembles under the tent to hear the announcement of the winning numbers.That evening, friends and Miss Janet gathered around a bonfire at our campsite with discussions of the trail interrupted only by gulps of beer and hot dogs.