Date: 2006-03-26
From: Hot Springs (Tofurky's house)

To: Little Laurel Shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: overcast clouds

7:24pmI have some catching up to do with my journaling. Days in town make it easy to get behind. Two days ago we hiked from Roaring Fork SHelter to Hot Springs (18 miles) in the snow. We woke up to several inches outside and snow falling. The folks who camped on Max Patch stumbled in to cook breakfast and then we all took off for town. Slow going. At first we all wlked in a slow line, but later we spread out and Sunshine was ahead of me, leaving at least some kind of footprint for me to follow. It was really miserable, especially the uphill parts, because snow makes going up a lot more difficult. Downhill in the snow wasn't that bad, but by the time I caught up to Sunshine everything was wet and cold and it felt like we had so much farther to go, probably because we did. Then Thumper and I took off running down the mountain. Before long he got winded, but I kept going. I felt like I was actually going for a run, which was kind of nice because I've kind of missed real running. I kept on going, with 10 miles to Hot Springs. Stopping to walk uphill. As soon as the trail started to slope down again I would start jogging, picking up the pace until I was flying. I was concentrating so hard on the ground to avoid stepping on rocks or roots that would twist an ankle or cause a fall. It was actually qutie a good stretch of trail for running down. In the end I reached Hot Springs by 2:30 at a run. I was the first one there and after a bit of confusion and lostness I limped into Elmer's hostel, with the ends of my toes burning, my knees shaking, and my quads feeling torn. Then when I got tehre I realiazed I didn't have my plastic bag that serves as my wallet. My credit card, debit card, liscense, calling card, insurance card, and cash. All gone. And at the en dof a long day fo hiking (although I was pretty pumped about the last couple of fast hours) I was really upset by not having any of those things and therefore not knowing how I would pay for Elmer's, food, or anything. Even though Tofurky had offered us a place to stay we spent that first night at Emler's because we got there a night before we had planned to get to Hot Springs and we didn't want to impose. Anyway, Sunshine owed me money and I knew anyway somone would cover me so after a distressed phone call to my mom I relaxed a big and took a hot shower and got my packages from the P.O. and enjoyed being warm and dry and in town. Elmer's is great. It's a big old house with rooms with beds that are too short and floorboards that creak but it had hot running water and was well heated and the employees were so nice and I ate dinner and breakfast there and both meals were the best of the trail so far. Kaptain Kangeroo showed up too, which was unexpected but really great. Sunshine and I were leaving the laundromat when we saw him stubleing towards us, bleary-eyed and ragged-looking. Wet and bedraggled. It was so nice to see him, and we soon found out that he had pulled 25 and 26 mile days the last two days to get there. Yay Kaptain. I got a dreadful night's sleep. I suppose because I didn't take any sleep aids such as NyQuill, Tylanol PM, or Aluna. Aluna is now my drug of choice. Anyway, I lay awake for about 10 hours listening to people snore and get up for the bathroom and to trails going by. The next day, the 25th, was our zero day in Hot Springs. We woke up, had a delicious breakfast of waffles, fruit, granola and coffee with milk and maple syrup and the works at Elmer's. Then it was off to the outfitters where I quickly checked my email but didn't have time to update my journal or really reply to any emails. I bought bodyglide, a toothbrush, arnica cream, and a new (waterproof) food bag. I also weighed myself, and the five pounds all the guys have lost so far seems to have jumped on to me, as I 've gained 5 since I've been out here. Lockjaw has taken to signing his name Locke Jaw sometimes. He says it's an allusion to John Locke. Damn History/Philosophy major, haha. We went to Tofurky's and spent a good part of the afternoon just sitting and enjoying being warm and dry and comfortable and fed. Sunshine and Lockjaw played the guitar and sang rather out of tune and Tofurky made me a salad with sprouts and croutons and beets, which was lovely. After awhile we drove to Ashville in a bit of a blizzard, where we ate at an AYCE Asian restaurant called Asiana, which was unlike anything I've ever seen. The place had every imagionable kind of Asian food, including sushi. All you can eat for $10. And not bad either. Then to Ingalls for resupply, then back to the Tofurky/Stuball residence to watch Napoleon Dynamite, which neither Kaptain nor Slip n' Slide had ever seen. We've been quoting the movie constantly, so it was imperative that he see it. I also took a lovely hot shoer. I slept better than at Elmer's too. Susnhine said he would to Paddler's Pub and "get my spork (from Rambleon who ahd borrowed it) and "have a beer". Well "have a beer" turned in to a $58 bar tab and a hangover for Sunshine. He showed up at about 2:30 am (which is rediculous for hikers). He lumbered in, couldn't find his sleeping bag, gave me my spork, and brough with him a lovely waft of beer smell. Today (the 26th)we planned to hike out. Sunshine was still drunk in the morning but presently progressed to hung over. Stuball and Tofurky fed us blueberry pancakes and scrambled eggs and fake sausage and apple juice. Amazing breakfast. Tofurky suggested that we slackpack much of the distance from Hot Springs to Little Laurel Shelter. She was planning to Slack from Allen Gap back to Hot Springs, 14.7 miles, and offered to drive our packs to Allen Gap for us to pick up there. How nice itw as to do those 14.7 without any weight to carry! I brought water and snacks, but it was lovely to not have to lug the pack up the nasty ascent from Hot Springs. Upon arriveing at Allen Gap we had some lunch and then put on the packs, which now seemed to weigh twice as much as they had the day before. Those 4.9 miles with the packs after Allen Gap were rough, uphill and through the snow. It sure was nice to see the shelter, as it always is. We did our usual nightly rituals and went to bed. Pinky, Sunshine, Kaptain, Lockjaw, and Slip n' Slide. That's it for now. A total of 19.6 today.