Date: 2005-11-08
From: Cold Spring shelter

To: Franklin, NC
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: clear sky

8 NOV (16 mi)The night was amazingly quiet; even the mice were timid (or nonexistent). The Universe was merciful, I suppose. The night is usually full of sound, and last night there were no bird noises, no insects, no animals, nothing; just me in my steamy sleeping bag. Up early, and entertained by untangling the labyrinth from last night. Insight of the day ¢ strawberries & cream oatmeal and meso soup are a terrible combination. Lacks mayo. The morning is gorgeous, and I cruise on to a lunch break on Wayah Bald (which is surprisingly cloudy and windy, but allows a great view of Mt. Albert tower, which is the last firetower on the trail for the SOBOs, and I plan to sleep in it, as usual). On the way down the trail, I cross a gravel road. A van pulls over and asks me if there are views from this road ¢ how the heck should I know!?! Funny, how people reason, or don¢t reason, sometimes. Sunny climb over Siler¢s Bald and down to Rte 64, Winding Stair gap, and Franklin, NC. Hitched into town with the same guy that saw our crazy bunch hiking (bunny ears, tiara, and all) over by Devil¢s Fork. In town, stop #1 landed me at the mercy of an extremely rude cashier, who treated me like a vagrant (I didn¢t realize that I look and smell like one, but one should never assume, nonetheless), and told me that her ¢brain doesn¢t work¢ in such a way as to allow me to give her exact change, that she ¢saw bigger freaks than¢ me, leaving me shocked and longing for the woods, but I¢m awaiting for Stinger to roll into town, so, instead, I buy a whole pumpkin pie, have the Subway ladies heat it up, douse it with an entire can of whipping cream, and enjoy it on an outside bench¢¦ it was great! When else can I eat a whole pie knowing that I actually can eat the entire thing and that none of it will go to my bum (hmmm, I hope)!? All morning I thought of Forest Gump and how it really is ingenious how the story is told from a bench. Sitting on that bench in front of the grocery store, I had a story of my own to tell. There was a lady sitting on the bench, at first, and I asked her if I may sit there, she said ¢yes,¢ but quickly got up and walked away. Then, I was visited by a young man, who confessed that he had MPD. What is MPD? ¢Multiple Personality Disorder.¢ And which personality do I have the pleasure of speaking to? ¢Christopher. The other¢s are awaiting their medication to be filled out at the Rite Aid around the corner.¢ Then, there was a Columbian couple that came out of Subway and spoke to me in Spanish. I replied, also in Spanish. We had a rather fluid conversation, and they were quite impressed (a) at a female hiking solo (b) for so long and (c) speaking Spanish. They later drove up and took some pictures of me and with me. Then there was a man that I asked to take a picture of me and my pumpkin pie ¢ hiking the AT, as it turned out, has been his life-long dream, but he recently had back surgery and is unsure of his physical abilities as concerning a thru-hike. There were a bunch of teenage guys, all wearing the same polo work-shirts. ¢Been hiking a bit?¢ one them muttered under his breath, as though in a joke. Yes. Then, their boss came up from behind them ¢ ¢Hail the princess! The queen of the trail!¢ he hollered, extending his right fist in a hailing jesture. The boys froze in their steps. ¢You¢re hiking the trail? The Appalachian trail!?!?¢ I didn¢t even have to answer ¢ their boss did. Remember, I¢m still wearing the tutu and the tiara. Observed an older couple bicker over who is going to push the shopping cart with just a gallon of milk in it. ¢Let me do it ¢ you are feeble,¢ said the wife. ¢Let me do it ¢ I am feeble,¢ said the husband, and she let go. She approached me, put a hand on my shoulder and said, ¢Are you with the Indian people of the mountains?¢ No. ¢Do you know my granddaughter? She is in the mountains. You are so beautiful. Goodbye now,¢ and she followed her husband off to the parking lot. Three hours of sitting on the bench informed me that there are several Ingles supermarkets in Franklin (unlike Wingfoot¢s claims), and I am not at all the one where I¢m supposed to meet Stinger. One of the kind Subway girls takes me over to ¢the one¢. Success.