Date: 2007-04-04
From: Neel's Gap

To: Neel's Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

4/4 0 miles, $206Even on a nice soft bed with only four other hikers, I couldn't sleep a wink. Admittedly, someone kept crinkling food wrappers all night, eating in bed. Finally after tossing around till 4am, I got up and watched most of "Tuesdays with Morrie". The 20-year old VHS VCR crapped out about 3/4 through the movie. I organized the tapes and swept the floor in the morning.Matches, the guy I met at Slaughter Creek trail just before Blood Mtn., came slumbering in after a big windy rainstorm. Everything he had was wet. Around 5:30 he came out of the sleeping area shivering, saying he had to walk to get warm and he needed to get off the trail! I told him he couldn't; just go the 150 feet, get his stuff and throw it in the dryer. At 7am he wasn't back, so I imagined he went out in the cold and died of hypothermia. I should've told him to get naked and throw THOSE clothes in the dryer. He showed up in the morning in a much better state of mind. It was sad when the guys I had been with left and all kinds of strangers started filing in. Hopefully I can catch Just Joe, at least, in my new spiffy boots.As the rumors of terrible weather escalated, and soggy people started coming down from the Trail, I was frightened into paying for a bunk IMMEDIATELY if I was going to stay another night. I paid, and went to look at boots. I don't even know what kind of boots they are - I just stuck my feet into whatever Winton picked for me and they felt perfect. First I thought I wouldn't include the cost of boots in my total, assuming normal people who hit the trail would have boots that would last, say, more than one day! I think I will, though, because most people will have gear changes of some sort at Neel's Gap. I also bought some TP, compression straps to make my jacket/pillow more manageable, new sox with built-in liners, several sodas, a hot dog, another night at the hostel, and $10 to bounce my GPS and asst. crap to Fontana (I may have been ripped off on shipping - it was about a two pound box).A trail magic guy came by at dinnertime and grilled hamburgers for a donation. I had two (which were excellent) for $5. I still get a queasy feeling in my stomach - I sooo would've liked to have salad and chips, but had a hard time with the last couple bites of burger.I should probably explain here about Baldo's dog, Aldo. I read a memo in the bathroom about the two friendly resident dogs. Baldo had gotten off the trail due to overworking his ankles. He limps around and will probably be here a couple weeks. I thought he was being awfully bossy with the hostel dog, having only been here a day or two. He had the nerve to tie the poor dog up when the spaghetti came! When we had pretty much finshed, I untied the poor doggy and told him what a bad man Baldo is. Baldo tied him up again! I went to liberate the poor abused dog again when he barked and lunged at me. I could feel his moist breath on my face. I thought that was strange behavior for a "friendy" hostel dog. Come to find out, it was Baldo's dog! We had a good laugh about that. Baldo took my picture and said he was going to tell on me in his journal, so I wanted to get my side of the story in, too.I'm warming up to this group of guys. Actually when I got up from a nap and wandered into the living room, it reminded me of my Gramma's house, with all my crazy uncles sitting around shooting the bull in a kitschy, tiny, run down happy home. The furniture here is so funny. I'll take a few pix of the side o'the road pieces before I go tomorrow. A little aside - I finished "Candide" just to get rid of it and am now devouring "Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls.Thankful for: Civilization.