Date: 2008-03-25
From: Hot Springs , NC Elmers Victorian

To: Log Cabin Road
Miles today: 16.3

Left town a 10:00am. Had breakfast with Elmer and 11 others. It was a little hard leaving with the unceertainty of not knowing whether you would ever see some of the people again. That sometimes bothers me. Before I left the PO, Ron caught me and I went back to the diner to say good by to the crew. We could have had a Trail Days Parade in NS today. Before I left, I saw Ron Beatty alias Shakedown Cruise and Cynthia, Spruce, Half Way, Memphis T, Toad, Riley, Josh, Start, Loafy, Matthew, Craig and Napalm, Strides, Bushwacker, Southside and Bull, Windy and Drew, Pounder and Jess, Chilli Mac, Catfish and Usta, Coulda and Josiah. See you up the trail, I hope. Lonliness can be a problem on the trail but meeting and making friends and then leaving never knowing if you will see them again can be as frustrating. As I left town and crossed the French Broad River and the Hot Springs and the WW I camp, I climbed the mtn. and came to Lover's Leap. The train was going by I counted 60 cars. I used to do this as a boy in Worcester. As I approached the town 2 days ago, there was also a train whistle going off. It was the first thing that I heard and the last. Very fitting because trains in Worcester and in our back yard on Prescottt St played a large role in my early life. About the town. Hot Springs, like many Southern towns is quaint. There was only one TV at the pub with poor reception , a small library and school, town hall and police station in a storefront, a few cafes, 1 bar, 1 gas station, an outfitter, 2 rafting companies on the river, an info center Chamber of Commerce in a caboosse, a grocery store and finally a dollar store where you can get everything from food to toys to clothing. These are the essential stores in small Southern towns. I did my whole restock for food in the store. The hike: today was a beautiful hike warm and sunny and fresh legs. Ron tried to catch me on a day hike with Cynthia, but I was ahead of him at the fire tower. He tried to surprise me again. Today as I hiked one foot was in TN and the other in NC (More on this later). When I got to Allen Gap NC, 208 was on my right and TN 70 on my left. I got some real trail magic from Hercules and Fall two thru hikers who built a house near the trail to take care of hikers. I had to walk 300 yds in to NC to get a hot meal but well worth it. I had vegetarian chilli over rice (hot),a coke, and ice cream over a brownie with cream. What a treat! Real Trail Magic. It proved to be my dinner. They had fed 1400 hikers in 2 years. They had photos of Tau and Blue and Stash and Remix from last year. They took my photo for their book. I hiked a few more miles before dark sand went to Log Cabin Road . I was too far from a shelter and it was getting dark so walked .5 miles to Hemlock Hollow Hostel for the night On the way I met a lawyer out for a hike with his dog who told me his name and said if I needed anything call him. People so far have been wonderful in the South-very helpful . Of course, some get a monetary gain but many just do it because they want to help. I was the only one in the bunk house, wrote in the journal, lights out at 10:00 kind of late. Happy Trails Peace Squire