Date: 2005-05-14
From: Old Roaring Fork Shelter

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: broken clouds

Today I woke up at 3:30am in order to be on the trail at 4:00. Stewie got up to walk with me which made walking in the dark easier since he walked in front. Once it was light out it was much easier to walk. With a few miles left into town I caught up with T-Bone who had been at the Walnut Mountain Shelter the night before.I made it to the post office at 9:30, plenty of time to spare before it closed at 10:30. But the thing is, hat after all that walking over the past two days, the early mornings, my bounce box had not been able to find its way to town. All for not, but since I think that it is better to look at these things in a posiive light, T-Bone, Stewie and I were able to get our names as 5, 6, and 7 on he waiting list for rooms at the Sunnybank Inn. Since Elmer dosen't require that hikers be out until 10:30 he didn't know at that time whether there would be room or not. We went across the street to the Smoky Mountain Dinner. We went inside to find Steady On there having breakfast. He had come into town early, washed his cloths and was going to head back out on the trail to do another 15 miles.After breakfast we went backto Elmer's to find out that (yeah!) there was going to be room for us. Afer leaving our stuff upstairs we went to the laundromat which is haklf a block away. After cleaning my cloths I had a shower then headed "downtown". Hot Springs isn't really all that big, so really most of the town could be considered downtown.I checked out the outfitter where I picked up some bright orange Croc's (odly enough these things are made in Canada but I have never seen them there), a stove stand, batteries and food. The Companion liststhe bluff Mountain Outfitter as being short term supply, but in my opinion it is more deserving of the long-term supply designaton than Ricker's Grocery. I am not even sure that that is the name of the grocery store any more. I thought that the cashier mentioned that the ownership had just changed and called it Hillbilly grocery or something similar.It rainned heavily off and on over the course of the afternoon and early evening. Elmer has a music room so Stewie taught me how to play the banjo a bit. The bit part is more a function ofmy capasity to learn this sort of thing. I supposethat broadening my horizons is part of this hike. Anyhow I am very proud to report that I have learnt G, C, D and F.Dinner here was absolutely amazing. Words cannot even comecloseto describing how amazing the food that is prepared here. Dinner had a soup (no idea what was in it other than it was amazing), salad (with the most amazing penut dressing, I had to have seconds of the salad just so I could have more dressing), main course (samosas) and dessert (lemon pie). The food is really just one part of how amazing this hostel is. It seems like al the furnishings are the same age as the house, and all the rooms are filled with books. There is also a music room.To me the most special part of being on the trail is the trust that people put in you. Whether it is letting you take books to the laudromat to read while your cloths are being cleaned or trusting you to honestly pay for the things that you take, the trust that you experience as part of the trail community contrasts with what has become the norm in society in general. I am expremely greatful for having the opportunity to hike the AT and experience a different side of life. I can't think of any place that I would rather be right now.