Date: 2012-03-30
From: Roaring Fork Shelter (255.9)

To: Laughing Heart hostel (273.9)
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: broken clouds

We were the first out again today at 8:30, after we stopped to get water on the way out. We started with a gradual downhill run, then climbed up to the first shelter for a snack, then down, then a long way up to Bluff Mountain. Near the top we saw a snake, possibly a variant of a gopher snake. (Random note: Since we are not from the east coast, and had never seen a snake on visits to the east, we are not familiar with the species of snakes. We found ourselves guessing what kinds they were.) After Bluff Mountain, the trail was a nice, easy downhill. When we stopped at Big Rock Spring for a snack and to get more water, Gary saw a salamander as it scurried under a rock. A few minutes later the rain started...for the rest of the day. A bit later, we came upon trail magic: a family from Illinois was getting ready to leave for home. They gave us applesauce, trail mix, and corn tortillas..yum! Thanks VERY much. We started to hike the last 3 miles up to the shelter. By then the rain had really settled in. When we arrived at the turnoff to the Deer Park Mountain shelter we decided to hike the remaining 3 miles to Hot Springs, and get a room. Great call! It started raining even harder as we practically ran into town. Just as we reached town, hikers on the Laughing Heart Hiker Hostel porch beckoned us to come join them. We were soaked as we walked off the trail. Perfect! We checked in, and even got our own room! (Random note: the Laughing Heart Hostel had just opened eight days before, and wasn't even listed in the 2012 Thru-Hikers' Companion, but was a great place to stay. Even this early in the hike, we felt more comfortable in hiker hostels and hiker-friendly motels than in more typical motels.) We walked on into town to the Smoky Mountain Diner for a huge cheeseburger, sweet potato fries, and salad. We sat with You Again, who was enjoying a huge pizza. Hawk and Bobble, who had taken zero days, were at the next booth. (Random note: a zero day is a day spent off the trail. You might have to walk several miles to resupply, eat, etc., but at least it was without a pack.) (Another random note: Even at this point, we could spot thru-hikers. If you spotted a thru-hiker in a restaurant, you could feel comfortable joining him/her.) Back at the hostel we met some familiar faces: Dickle, Run Off, Eagle Eye and Jack the dog, Terra Nauta, Mandela (whose last name was Nelson,) and Dego Thunder, (who snores,)Good Deeds and Mello Yellow, and You Again. Everyone was glad to be warm and Dry, and we were glad we'd arrived today, since tomorrow is our first mail drop, and the post office is only open 8:30 to 10:30 am. (Random note: The post office is open 8:30 to 11:30 and 1:00 to 4:00 on week days, but only 8:30 to 10:30 on Saturdays. Many hikers had their mail drops sent to motels, hostels, or outfitters so they could pick them up any day of the week, but we didn't want to have to commit to a particular motel or hostel beforehand, so we had our mail drops sent to post offices.) Life is great on the Appalachian Trail, especially when you are welcomed into a hiker hostel when you've just hiked eighteen miles, much of it in the pouring rain.