Date: 2007-04-22
From: Stealth campsite 2.1 miles down Bluff Mt., NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 7.9
Weather: clear sky

Whew did I overdress last nite. I think I'm paranoid about getting cold, but itwas 62 in my hammock when I fell asleep around 9:00 p.m., and only 52 when Iwoke up to Persistent blowing snot rockets! LOLI used my bag as a quilt again, too hot for socks, and didn't put my knit cap ontill about 3:00 a.m. When I went to sleep, my hammock was rocking back andforth gently. Doesn't get any better than that folks!I don't know what it is, but I don't feel like I moved any faster than usualthis morning, but we were on the trail by 8:45 a.m., yup, definitely a town day(and Rachael will be here this evening!). No bear visit by the way.Persistent and I agree that the stretch from Max Patch to Hot Springs is theprettiest we've seen yet. It would make a fantastic weekend hike for someone. It was so green everywhere, the forest floor was covered with these clovers likeit was layed like carpet. Purple and white flowers everywhere, birds chirpingall over. And it got into the upper 70's today (maybe even the 80's!) Wecouldn't believe that 7 days ago, we were freezing to death trying to escapefrom the Smoky's!My body hurt today, pretty much everything from the waste down! LOL We stoppedfor a break @ 11:00 a.m., and Persistent goes, "Hey, how cool would it be to beable to hike into town for lunch?" Well, that was it, we were determined to dojust that. You see, this also allowed us to justify eating our lunches (traillunches that is), seeing we were starving already. LOL So we sat in the blazing hot sun, which felt great, and I ate literally the lastthing in my food bag. This was the first time I would hike into town with zerofood. PBJ on a tortilla, mmmm. We were also joined by big black ants, whodecided what was ours was theirs. Persistent did not enjoy having them crawlingon her! LOLWe started up our last climb, up Deer Park Mt., and before long we could hearHarley Davidson Motorcycles in the distance, then we could see a road way off. We just kept giggling lke two kids. The trail was awesome, covered with pineneedles, lined with big tall trees, which provided shade. We were both hurtingtoday for some reason. Before long, Persistent decided to hike in her crocs, but we could see HotSprings and the French Broad River too. It's funny, when you actually hike outof the untain, tere's a rock staircase that goes behind someone's house. Icould imagine some little kid going, "Look mommy, none of those hikers can godown the stairs like normal, they both go dow sideways!" LOL See, you discoverpretty quickly that stairs (both up and down) hurt your knees pretty badly, sowe both turn sideways and go down one foot @ a time, which allows you to useyour legs instead of knees. Looks weird, but at this point, is the ONLY way Ican go down stairs now, pack or not! LOLSo we made it. At 1:00 p.m., we hiked into Hot Springs and directlyto thePaddler's Pub for giant hamburgers. There also happen to be a HUGE group ofmotorcycle riders here too, mainly Harley's, but some crotch rockets too. Canyou imagine how much I was drooling?Not only did I have a hamburger and fries in front of me but my entertainmentwas looking (and hearing) 100's of Harley Davidson's! (I will own one someday). Verizon does it again by the way, Persistent has cell service, I do not. Icalled Rachael to get an ETA, and then I checked into my cabin, showered, did mylaundry, and I am here (im)patiently awaiting her arrival in about 45 minutes.I'm actually nervous! How dumb is that? LOL You'd think after 11 years,nothing would make you feel like that again! LOLIn my head and heart, this hike has transformed from a goal-oriented "gotta makeit to Maine" idea to a "enjoy, cherish, notice, be aware, take a millionpictures of everything, face my demons, and if I make it to Maine before October15...that's a bonus" idea. I am not worried or even know half the time, how farI have come or have to go. I am letting the miles worry about themselves. Ihave small goals, like getting to the next town so I don't run out of food. Other than that, whatever happens happens. I have had no serious desire to quit(notice I said serious), and as long as I am content out here, I will continuewalking north.And by the way, all of your demons will follow you out here, they are oftenmagnified, and you will often be forced to face them, because you don't have atelevision to turn on, or a job to work late at. This is not merely a physicaljourney, you get to see your own soul if you're looking hard enough, and it is achance to work on things you never have the time to work on in the real world. ~Certain