Date: 2003-04-20
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Easter Sunday, so Finch, Kiwi and Peter Pan decided to attend Easter services at a Presbyterian church in Hot Springs. It was a low key service about the Resurrection and redemption. I was, however, surprised that attendance was so sparce. There were approximately 17 church members present and eight hikers. The sanctuary could easily have seated a hundred. I was also surprised at the lack of young people in the church. The only young people were some of the thru hikers. Earlier the congregation gave a biscuit and gravy breakfast for thru hikers but only a few hikers stayed for the service. Finch, Kiwi and Peter Pan did not get up early enough to attend the breakfast = sunrise service. Thank you for making us welcome.Hot Springs is a very small town of about 600 people, however, a large part of the transient population consists of hikers, kayakers and motorcyclists. The AT and the French Broad River run through the town with the outfitters store being the center of commerce. It is a well=equipped store with just about everything a hiker or kayaker could need. They even have free internet access; however, their prices seem a bit high.This afternoon we saw The Healer hiking down the main street of town. After two days off the trail to let his ankle injury heal, he was able to hike again - although he said the first day back on the trail was quite painful. Seeing him was like finding a long lost friend. We have invited him to stay with us in this run-down motel. He has lightened his pack and I doubt that we will be able to keep up with him tomorrow.Last night we stuffed ourselves with hamburgers at a local "Rafter's" pub and this morning we had a big "hometown" breakfast. This afternoon Peter Pan surprised us with "afternoon tea" in Kiwi's honor. Scones and fruit-flavored tea are the last thing I expected to see in Hot Springs. Tonight we will eat at a local diner known for downhome food and huge portions.During this zero day, I have had a chance to reflect on this wonderful thing called the Appalachian Trail. The hikers are essentially a walking community. We quickly become friends with those that we meet on the trail and many hikers form informal hiking groups. Kiwi, Dreamwalker, Peter Pan and I met for the first time on the Trail and we have stayed together for the last four weeks. For a while our group consisted of eight then nine, but then dropped back to four as others either wanted to go faster or take more zero days in towns. At present, our group consists of 6 including The Healer and A Guy Called Sue. Sometimes other hikers walk with us for a while but if our pace doesn't suit them, they move ahead or fall behind. Strawhat, Peppermint Paddy, Mrs. Gorp, Alex Burn and Buzz seem to drift in and out of our lives while others such as Runaway, Clete, Cayote and Cracker seem to have disappeared but we still hear about them. Some who have flown past are Psyco Hiko (from Bavaria) and Mountain Dew while Ribbit and Wrong-way Mike are somewhere in the past.Kiwi, Finch, Dreamwalker and Peter Pan are now known as The Four Geezers or the 4G's. The name seems to have been given to us by Mrs. Gorp. We need to find a way to pay back the compliment.This has been a slow, relaxing day. Tomorrow, after getting our food drops, we will be back on the trail. There are dozens of hikers here waiting for the post office to open. A joke someone told me...A day hiker will not eat oatmeal if he finds a fly in it.A section hiker will pick the fly out of the oatmeal and then eat the oatmeal.A thru-hiker will pick the fly up, hold it by its wing and yell "OK, spit it out you sucker!"8:30 - time for bed.