Date: 2007-04-28
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Spring Mountain Shelter, NC
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Well we did it, we FINALLY got out of Hot Springs. I slept horribly last nite. The beds in the Alpine Court Motel are not comfortable at all. I woke up @ 7:30a.m. when Gadget and Scribe's alarm (which neither of them heard at all) wentoff. I decided to get up and pack my stuff up outside the room so I wouldn'twake everyone.By the time I got out there, Tic (from Florida) and Radar (from Maine) werealready sitting outside (with beers in hand). I talked to them a bit, anddespite their rough party guys image, they both seemed to have thought aboutlife a little. We had a quick conversation about how the military suddenlydoesn't care who or what you are, they just need people. I told them I thoughtour government's "selective discrimantion" based upon ITS needs was a load ofcrap. They both agreed.Persistent got up and finally Gadget and Scribe did too. Persistent couldn'tpull herself away from 1 last breakfast @ the diner, so we all got breakfast. The place was packed due to today being day 1 of trail fest. We had one great last meal (oh, and they also serve my fav, Strawberry RhubarbPie..I ate some every nite we had dinner there!). We saw TDS, Hungus, andEarthquake who had made it to Hampton, but got a ride back for the festival. Just before we left, a man walked in with 2 boys and his wife. Despite my neverseeing him, I knew this had to be Sgt. Rock. I asked him, and yes! Finally, Igot to meet him. He's a fellow hanger whose website helped me immensley when Iwas learning about hanging. He is a few months from retiring from the Army andjust got back from Iraq not too long ago. Very nice man, and I'm glad I got tomeet him in person.So we exit the diner and of course, it's raining. Today was "that" day for me Ithink. It was the day I finally got tired of worrying about the weather. Ididn't watch the forecast on t.v., I didn't freakin care. I just wanted tohike, and deal with whatever happens when it happens. Can't control it, and youcertainly can't avoid every crappy day out here. I believe I shed my fear ofbad weather today.We didn't get started till noon. Lots of people were already in town, and I wassuper glad to be getting away from all of it.Even though nothing had changed, my pack didn't feel quite as bad as 2 days agowhen we hiked out and then came back. It rained for quite awhile, but I didn'twear rain gear, because I was so hot hiking. It got into the 60's today.Rain makes everything in the woods so vibrant with color. Tons of brilliantgreen contrasted against the dark gray sky. God, it felt so good to be back outhere. I really missed it the past 5 days. Persistent did a lot better today. I swear what took us 2 hrs to do the otherday was twice as fast tday, because she could half way breathe.After hiking up and out of town, the terrain wasn't too bad for much of the day. There was one place that we hiked up and when you top a hill there is this hugepond! It was a total surprise, and really beautiful. Some other hikers showedup and they had a dog who dove right in for a swim. It was hilarious.I also saw a lot of new flowers today. I took pics of all of them, and most ofthem still had raindrops on them, which was really beautiful.We stopped for a break and snack around 3:30 p.m. @ Tanyard Gap. By now, thesun was peeking out from time to time, and it felt warm and really good.I was hiking with my new insoles today. They did good, but they are a bitthicker than my superfeet, so my heels were rubbing in a different place. I hadto put duct tape on to prevent blisters. I did eventually switch back to mysuperfeet and will continue slowly breaking in the Spencos.We had reserved the right to stop @ 9 miles @ a campground, but decided to keepgoing, despite our aching feet. The first day out of town always sucks. Thebody fights the hiking.We got to one point and Persistent took a picture of a little chipmunk that Ithougt was dead. Apparently it wasn't but it was injured. I am finding it VERYdifficult dealing with the dead or injured wildlife as well as the half-starvedstray dogs that run around these trail towns. It really upsets me, I supposebecause I want to help, but know I need to let nature do its thing. It makes merelly sad though, to witness anything suffering. I told Persistent I justcouldn't stand there and look @ the little Chipmunk.The trail was busy today, and at 7:00 p.m. we finally rolled into the shelter(as usual, we were convinced it would never appear). LOL It is PACKED here tonight. Full shelter, tons of people tenting. I guess theApril 1 crowd has caught up to us (then again, everyone catches up to us! LOL). The people I remember are August, who is the first African American hiker I'veseen out here. He's a writer, has over 20 screenplays written and is wanting tomove from LA to NY. He thru'd in 2005.Also I met Willey Goat, and his girlfriend (name?). The crowd was verydifferent tonite, but one girl (from Colorado) had actually hiked up to theHanging Lakes in Glenwood Springs, CO. I've been there as well and it was weirdto meet someone who knew the place.I decided to eat what was supposed to be my lunch, since we didn't stop forlunch due to our noon start. I'm pretty exausted (as usual!) LOLToday was a big thinking day for me. It kind of stemmed from a conversation I'dhad with Rachael last nite.Persistent and I were talking about different people we'd met, and how theyacted. I made a comment that I thought one person's behavior had to do withtheir being in their early 20's. She said she doesn't think age has anything todo with it.I once said the same thing in my early 20's. I told her that I wasn't sure,because I'm certainly not the same person now that I was 10 years ago. Isuppose when most people make a comment about age (to a younger person) it isoften meant in a "you're just a dumb kid" sort of way. I don't think that waythough.I believe no matter what your age, your ideas and opinions and experiences arevalid. They are YOURS afterall. However, now that I'm in my 30's, I would neversay that age doesn't matter, but I sure believed that in my 20's. It was in my mid-20's that I discovered the need for reflection. Until then, Iwas always focused on what's next. It was when I started reflecting on my day, my life, moments in time that Istarted to learn how to truly cherish the good things in life, no matter howsmall they seemed.For example, I believe that negativity can consume your soul and you will becomea miserable person as a result. I also know that seemingly negative thingshappen everyday, so I learned a long time ago how it is so important to keepyourself in check.For years now, I have awakened in the morning and focused on usually a smallpiece of my day that excites me, something positive. It could be something asminute as knowing I am going out to lunch with a friend that day, or even that Ihad some of my favorite ice cream waiting for me for dessert after dinner. Seriously, it is always a small thing, but during my day if something negativehappens, I go back to my little piece of "positive" in my mind. It is a tool tostay balanced and keep perspective.Well, after I discovered the importance of reflecting on my day and week andlife, I started realizing I could grab something positive that happened in pastdays as well. It didn't always have to be something "in the future."So for several days now, my little thing, my positive thought, the thing that Igo to is that Rachael bought me a new food bag. It is a Sea to Summit 13 literdry bag. It is a happy thing for me because it makes life easier for me outhere. It is something I connect to her. It is a symbol of her generosity and aconstant reminder of the most wonderful part of my life, my partnership withher.So, when I am suddenly made aware of my "thing" for whatever reason, I usuallysay outloud how excited I am about it. I may do this multiple times, andperhaps the same person will have to endure hearing about my positive thing morethan once. I say it because I am happy, because it is for me. A reminder and amoment where I am truly practicing appreciating the little things. So this morning before we left, I was packing my new food bag and I said, "Man,I'm so excited about having this thing." Yes, I have stated this already maybeeven twice within the past 5 days. One of my 20-something friends responded,"You need to get over that thing."I wasn't feeling like that comment was a joke, nor did this person laugh. However, it was a reminder to me that I am in a different place in my life, andyes, age does matter. I don't want to "get over" my deep appreciation for mybag, I don't want to bury or forget the positive feelings and how good I feelinside. I want to remember and recognize and focus and cherish the good, nomatter how insignificant it may seem to others. The comment made to me flashedall kinds of memories from when I was younger. Feeling like I needed to hurryup to get somewhere, like talking about the past was a waste of time, like Ijust didn't have time to worry about those little things that probably reallymattered, and most importantly, how annoyed I once was by those people thatoften reflected on previous events. I will admit that there are days when I truly miss being around those that "get"me. I miss my 30-something friends who are in a more similar place in life asme. So this is what I churned around in my head today. I guess right now I don'tfeel like I connect so much with anyone out here. Today I felt sad some, because I miss my friends and most importantly I missRachael. Before leaving town, I went by the rafting store to tell Meg that Ienjoyed meeting her and talking with her yesterday. I connected with her, andit felt so good. She wasn't there though. Oh, one last thing. I saw 2 different grave markers on the side of the trailtoday, just past Hurricane Gap, NC. One was for Rex R. Pulford9\22\1920-4\21\1983 and the other was for Jackelyn Mae Kelly-Morris6\15\1940-9\9\1990. I wondered what their lives were like, and where theirfamilies are now. Well it's way late. I've been looking forward to writing my thoughts down allday. I have a great hang tonight it is a warm 52 degrees in my hammock and themoon is so bright, it is as if someone is shining a spotlight from the heavens.It's good to be back out here.~Certain