Date: 2015-04-10
To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 7.5
Weather: light rain

Today was going to be a good day. I only had a little over 7 miles to hike to get to Hot Springs and a hot shower and meal was waiting on me plus How Far was going to meet me there to continue his hike. That is just the beginning; I was going to celebrate my Big 60 birthday a week early and I had a homemade coconut cake baked by the very special Cathy Gray waiting on me. We also planned on trying to do a FaceTime hookup between myself and and my former coworkers. When I got into Hot Springs I went straight to the Smokey Mountain Diner and had a lunch of country fried steak, white gravy, fries and fried okra and topped it off with a desert.After getting the first meal out of the way Sixty-One was nice enough to let me shower in his room and leave my things there until How Far made it to town later in the afternoon. After showering I washed and dried my clothes and then headed out looking for some good wi-fi to do face time with. I found it at the Hiker's Ridge Ministries Resource Center. Not only did they have great wi-fi they were also throwing one heck of a feast of barbecue pork sandwiches, potato salad, Mac and cheese and other things. This is a great place. I am not sure where their funding comes from but they provide a great safe place to sit back and relax.After eating we were able to get the face time working and to my surprise my wife Cathy had went out to my former employer to be part of the face time and celebration of my birthday. What a great surprise and I want to thank all of them for what they did. I think most people will say that when they retire they don't miss the work but they do miss the folks they worked with. That certainly is the case with me. What a great group of folks.During my call everyone at the Center joined in wishing me a Happy Birthday and I shared the caked with everyone there. It couldn't have been any better unless I could have been with my family. I also received a birthday present from my daughters of a massage at the Hot Springs Spa for tomorrow. My old body really needs this.How Far called me about 6:00 pm and said they were running a couple hours late due to traffic and I told him I was fine sitting outside on the side walk watching the folks and listening to the band across the street play. This is a very unique little town about 40 miles from Asheville NC. If I didn't know where I was I would say that I was in Northern California or Oregon in the late Sixties. I don't know how to explain this place other than it is unique.During all this time I also ate my 3rd meal of the day at Spring Creek Tavern. I have to catch up on my calories. When How Far,wife, daughter and granddaughter arrived we were off to find the cabin they had reserved for the weekend. It took a little while to find in the dark but we did and it is a great little home sitting on the banks of the Laurel River. I could stay here forever. I was straight off to bed and this morning Angie cooked a huge breakfast, left lunch for us and she and Leslie and Bliss have gone to the Biltmore House for the day. Tonight we are going to grill steaks, make homemade cream and the works to celebrate How Far and my birthdays. Couldn't be any better.Someone asked me if this journey is what I thought it would me. The hiking has been a little harder than I expected mainly due to the constant changing weather but the best part is when you reach a minor milestone and get to see friends or eat a lot of food and see a new place that you haven't ever seen before. I know from experience if I can make it to Maine within six months I will be forgotten the tough times and will have only the good memories to keep with me forever. That is what these type of adventures are made for.Tomorrow I will get my massage buy some food for the next five days and try to contact Phil, a friend of mine from Baton Rouge who is going to try and hike with me for a few days. I can't wait.