Date: 2006-04-22
From: Log Cabin Road (to Hemlock Hollow Cabins)

To: Log Cabin Road (Hemlock Hollow Cabins)
Miles today: 0.0

It had rained again between 12:00 am and dawn, but had slacked up by breakfast. We slept with the door open and thru the screen, we were lulled to sleep by Paint Creek, hardly 50 feet from our front porch, the frogs and the rain on the metal roof. Who needs a sleeping pill?! Saturday we went to the store at Hemlock Hollow for a cup of their gourmet coffee before heading into Hot Springs for the AT Trail Festival. Cheesewhiz, FDR and Keystone were at the store and had just come off the trail at Log Cabin Road to Hemlock Hollow to use the phone to call a friend in Ashville to come pick them up to go back to Hot Springs for the festival. Bama and I drove to Hot Springs to do her laundry and try to find a cell phone connection. Bama did her laundry at the same place she had washed at on Wednesday - it is always nice to have clean clothes. We had lunch at the Smokey Mountain Diner - slow service, but good food. Afterwards, Bama took me on a tour of Elmer¢s house and grounds. Then we walked "downtown" to the festival. Bama saw Willow and Jodie and it was nice to see Willow doing well - her damaged knee is much better and now had a nifty brace. She has not decided on a plan out of Hot Springs yet, but Bama will probably see her up the trail. We didn¢t see Trusty, but hope he is doing well and somewhere up the trail - we were told he was here on Friday. Bama introduced me to several others, including Bryan from Elmer's, she recognized in town from the trail. The festival was starting slow due to the earlier rain, but it was clearing out and Saturday night was supposed to be clear and cool. The real partying would happen long after we had gone back to Hemlock Hollow. I also got to meet Elmer, who was down at the festival listening to the band - nice guy.Having no cell connection anywhere near Hot Springs - "Can you hear me now? NOT!" - we drove back to the cabin stopping everywhere we thought my cell phone had picked up a signal. We had one for a few minutes at a little backwoods gas station, but it wasn't stable. Oh well . . .We loved our cabin on the creek. Fred has two completed cabins (one sleeps two, one sleeps up to four), a nice bath house and a large pavilion. A bunk house for 8-10 and is almost finished as well as another cabin. A laundry room is under consideration. In Wingfoot¢s AT guide book, it states they already have a bunk house and laundry, but don¢t yet - Fred doesn't know who told Wingfoot they already had them. Each cabin has bed, bed linens and quilts, towels and face cloth, table and chairs, fridge, coffee pot and free coffee, microwave, porch with rustic oak chairs and a great view - all of this for $15 per person per night. Try to find that at any other hostel! Bama couldn't even get sheets at Cody's.Doggie Update: When Bama and I were at Fontana Village, we saw a couple of pitiful dogs that people had abandoned because the Smokies don't allow dogs in the park. One was a female, blonde Lab and one a blonde, male husky-type. When we left Fontana, the dogs had disappeared and we hoped someone had come back for them or adopted them. Well, we couldn't believe it, but the male husky now has a wonderful home at Hemlock Hollow. A thru-hiker dropped him off a few days ago and gave him to Fred. Fred is very good to him and needed a dog since his died recently. Bill gave him the left-over pork steak from last night and bought him a rawhide chew bone while in town today. Does anyone out there know his name? Fred is calling him "AT." He has a good home now.Bama thanks everyone again for all their notes of encouragement. Tomorrow, back on the trail to Jerry Cabin Shelter.Bill