Date: 2005-04-14
From: Deer Park Mountain Shelter

To: Hot Springs, N.C.
Miles today: 3.2
Weather: clear sky

Day 34We were on the trail by about 8:15am. We did not bother with breakfast or coffee since we knew we would be in Hot Springs in time for either a late breakfast or an early lunch. We rolled into town and the first restaurant we passed was the Smoky Mountain Diner at about 9:45. We met Phoenix and Butterfly Moon at the bottom of the mountain before coming into town and we all stopped for breakfast. We each ordered a breakfast and there were so many plates of food on the table that we just had to take a picture of it. There was hardly a space left to set anything else. We were quite full afterward!!While we were waiting for the food to come I realized that the Sunnybank Inn was right across the street so I ran over to see if there was a room for us tonight. Elmer put us on the list and said if we were here by 11am and those that had reserved a room had not shown up, we were in since it was first come first served after that. At 11am I ran back over to see if we had a room and we did. So I went back across the street to get my pack and T-2. This was where I wanted to stay since it is a long-standing hiker tradition. The house is an old Victorian style house with many rooms. Hikers are to enter through the back door. The evening meal is a 5 course vegetarian meal but we chose not to eat here this evening. If we are here tomorrow I would like to eat here since it is quite a spread and like no other meal we are likely to get on the trail. I went back across the street to eat my evening (and only second) meal. I just was not hungry until I started smelling the wonderful smells that started wafting up from the kitchen. A hiker, Gypsy Lulu has been working in the kitchen all day preparing for the 8pm feast. One thing I know they are having is calzones.Michael (T-2) went to the outfitter here in town to get something to hike in. He got a pair of sandals and a pair of waterproof socks for when it rains. The shoes he tried were hitting his sore ankle. We mailed the boots back home. Icicle is here to walk a week with Snowman and then she is back to England for a few months and then she may come back with Snowman's 2 boys to hike for a couple of weeks. It was so good to see her again.I have been having trouble getting my debit card to work to give cash back. The credit card part works ok but I am going to be needing some cash in the next week or so. Some places along the trail do not take credit or debit cards. There is absolutely no signal for cell phones here so I bought another phone card today so I can call family. The 2 nearest phones to here have been kept very busy by the hikers today.I have the laundry done and need to go to the grocery tomorrow and get some food to last us with what we already have for another 6-7 days. I hope they take a debit/credit card. If they do not I know the outfitter does. Actually, the outfitter probably has more hiker type food than the small grocer. I would very much like to go to the hot tub and have a massage afterward.Oh, I went to the P.O. to check to see if I had gotten any mail even though I was not having a mail drop here. I had planned to have Michael bring it with him when he was to meet us here but since he met us further down the trail we did not need it and Mike did not really have time to get it to us via mail after he got home. But there was a card from Janet--the same Janet that sent a card to Fontana Dam when we were there. Thank you, Janet. Your faith has been an encouragement when I am cold and wet, when I feel like I cannot take another step up a mountain, when I wake up every night that I spend in the tent or shelter with back or hip pain, or am so tired after getting into the shelter that I cannot think about anything except going to bed but can't because there is water to get from the water source and a meal to get ready. Luckily, I have had Toto or T-2 to help me with those chores. The trail today was easy compared to the Smokys, but it was a bit muddier than yesterday. The sun shone brightly all day and it really was a wonderful day. The best part is having the opportunity to be out here doing this and to know that we are helping O.I. and to know so many people, not by their given names, but by some weird name like no mother would ever give her child. I am glad T-2 is having this opportunity even though he said that he would not be out here if it were not for me. He did say he was SO proud of me for being able to do this and that just made my day. I believe it was yesterday also that he said if he lived near these mountains that we would probably never see him. He recalled times when he was in high school and just would go to the woods and sit. He is much more knowledgeable about the plants and flowers that we have seen because he is a lover of plant life.More exciting adventures await tomorrow even though we may not be on the trail. So stay tuned.