Date: 2016-03-09
From: Rock Gap Shelter

To: Ron Haven's Budget Inn & Wayah Bald Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: clear sky

Days 17 through 19 - Rock Gap Shelter to Budget Inn to Wayah Bald ShelterWarning: the following is very stilted writing bc I was distracted while trying to fill in three days worth of hiking from memory.Going back to Day 17 bc I haven't written in the past 3 days. Woke up on day 17 really early to get out of camp and to the shuttle by 9:30am to get into Franklin. Got moving at 7am. We met the Mayor in the morning before we left. He had come in with the group of guys who had previously hiked the AT. The Mayor had a beautiful Japanese Sheba dog named Katana. She hiked most of the AT with him in 2014. He also wrote the book "Lost on the Appalachian Trail" which is awesome. I look forward to reading it when I get home. Very nice guy. After speaking with him for a while we hiked 3.8 miles to Winding Stair Gap. Hefty uphill at the beginning. Wonder and Santa were behind us. AK, Quick (Wes), and Shrink were ahead. Beautiful day and easy mileage.We spoke with Shrink and decided to share a room with him instead of AK & Quick because we had previously agreed to share a room with him at Carter Gap Shelter and didn't want to break any promises. Coming into Winding Stair Gap there was trail magic right before the parking lot (sodas). Then we got to the parking lot and there was a guy named Rodney putting on trail magic from his truck. He had fresh fruit, cookies, and drinks set out in the bed of his truck. Nice fellow who didn't say too much.There were about 25 hikers in the parking lot waiting for Ron Haven's shuttle to his motel (free if you stay with him). He is also the former town commissioner of Franklin. He showed up but couldn't fit everyone so he told everyone else to get on the town shuttle and he would reimburse each of us for the $3 ride. Such a sweet guy.We rode in with Noah, Ken, Wonder, Santa, AK, Quick, Shink and some other folks. Ken is so kind. He gave up his seat so that Ria and I could sit down. He sat in the back amongst all the smelly packs. We were dropped off at Ron Haven's Budget Inn and sure enough, he reimbursed everyone for their ride. He accidentally messed up our room so we got sent across the street and got a larger room for the same price. Definitely not the most sanitary situation but large and comfortable. Standards are lowered when you live in the woods most of the time. Noah (Rhodo) said he needed his own room the 1st night to decompress and then he would move in with us on the second night.We took showers and then headed up the street to Outdoor 76 to pick up all of our boxes. We immediately ran into Journeyman. He was checking out the store when we walked in. A woman named Danielle trapped ALL of 8 boxes. I had 5 and Ria had 3. We have been the butt of so many jokes because of our mega mail drop.We needed a place to go through our boxes and luckily the store had an awesome tap room in the back. We bought a beer and borrowed some scissors to get started.I received boxes from my mother/father (a box I organized before leaving), Truitt, Margaret Burke, John Carlin, and The Dillahuntys. Holy crap I was more than overwhelmed from the amount of love and support from my family, friends, and boyfriend. Wonderful letters, poetry, good, gear, etc. Margaret sent a bag of delicious granola along with homemade granola bars, nutella, and many other goodies. John sent hot hands, an inflatable solar lantern, a leatherman, oil of oregano pills, and more. Treat sent sweet tarts (my fav), dried mangos and a UK pin to attach to my pack. The Dillahuntys sent new skin, bordeaux's butt cream, dark chocolate, and many letters filled with love. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SPENT THE MONEY AND TIME TO PUT TOGETHER A PACKAGE!!! I am so so so grateful for you all. I had a smile plastered on my face for about 5 hours thanks to you guys.After a while Journeyman came over and joined us. Ria bought him a beer and he told us about his trip to Vietnam, his plans to run the very first marathon route in Greece and his grand daughter in Asheville, she's 4 years old. A lot of what he said resonated with me. He explained that he likes to think of himself as "sauntering" along the Appalachian Trail. He likes this word because it translates to "Saint Terre" which then means to "walk with reverence upon this earth." What a holy mission, whatever your faith. I love to think of myself sauntering on the Appalachian Trail, appreciating everything beside, above and underneath me. We could all take a lesson from Journeyman. We talked to him for about 3 hours before parting to go back to our room. We exchanged number so that we could meet up for dinner later. Santa and Wonder stopped in the store and we planned on rendezvousing with them for dinner as well. Spaceman texted us and said he had come back to town bc his right foot was killing him and he needed a zero. We invited him to dinner as well. Around 5:15pm we started walking through Franklin to Lazy hiker Brewing. They had a food truck that looked delicious so we got a beer and waited till it opened at 5:30pm. Phillip was behind the bar and told me that the beef steak tacos were the best thing on the menu...I got the tacos along with french fries. It was a full house at dinner and such a nice day. We all sat outside. It was Ria (Cheetah), Wonder, Santa, Coco Ken (he got a name!), Journeyman, AK, Quick, Bolt, Shrink, and Joe. We sat and talked for a really long time. Wonder invited us to their home in NH for her birthday which is June 28th (two weeks after Flag Day hehe). I am seriously tempted. We have loved their company and would like nothing more than to celebrate Wonder's bday in NH. After Lazy Hiker, AK & Quick walked to Mulligan's to meet up with the Mayor and his friends. We headed to Motor Co Grill for a much desired milkshake. Joe and Bolt decided to stay for more beer, so it was just me, Ria, Coco Ken, Santa, Wonder, and Shrink. I felt really happy and content at that moment with those people. Spaceman joined us for milkshakes and it was wonderful to see him again! Ken got vanilla, Wonder got cherry, I got chocolate obviously. We walked back to the budget Inn and said goodnight to Spaceman, Wonder, Santa and Ken. The last 3 were leaving in the morning so we were all sad. We were all full and exhausted. I could barely stay awake enough to get changed and obviously didn't write in my journal that night. We woke up to our 3rd legitimate zero day and got moving. We walked across the street bc we saw that Ken, Santa, and Wonder were leaving for the woods. Big hugs all around and one last plea for them to stay. They got on the shuttle and we waved goodbye. AK and Quick came out and we walked about a mile to Ms. Lois's. Typical southern diner food. It was a good sign that everyone in there was local. That means respected food. I got a plain pancake, a chocolate pancake, hash browns, and bacon. Very tasty.Shrink stopped at the tobacco shop on the way back to the budget Inn and then he parted ways to go to the post office to send his boots back. He purchased new boots at Outdoor 76 and sent home full-grain leather LL Bean boots that were hurting his knee overtime he walked. Ria and I went back to find Noah packed up and ready to move into our room.Once back Ria and I began the long process of sorting through all of our food items and gear that was sent to us. Almost 3/4 of my mail drop I put into a box to bounce forward to myself at Fontana Dam. We walked to the post office and I spent $8 on a box home and $10 on a box to Fontana Dam Post Office. Can't wait to open up that box and find lots of yummy treats.Walked back to room and I spent a long time uploading and transcribing my journals online. It feels good to have a motivating factor that makes me write each night. I would be mad at myself if I didn't record what I am going through everyday. Decided on Moto Co Grill for dinner and Snap came in town and joined us. He takes amazing photos. His instagram in @hikes.camera.adventure if you wanted to follow him. He is out here for about 30 days and documenting everything he can. He said he is just now getting to Blood Mountain in his editing process. Got a burger, fries, mac n cheese for dinner and a chocolate milkshake. Food coma. Couldn't finish it. I was in physical pain from being so full. AK, Quick, Noah, Snap, and Ria went to Ingles. Shrink and I walked back to the hotel bc we desperately needed to use the restroom. Noah (Rhodo) and Ria (Cheetah) came back 30 mins later and Snap joined with some beer. I did not partake in any drinking I was so tired again and I called my parents to try and make plans for time together in Gatlinburg. Went to bed around midnight.Woke up at 7am bc the shuttle was leaving from the Budget Inn at 9am. Packed everything up. Walked across the street and threw our bags in the old van. The Mayor, Lorax, Tots, & Schwepps were loading up as well. Ria and I climbed to the back seat. Of the 11 miles that day we had 9 that were uphill. My legs started out and stayed very fatigued. I think starting my period also messed with my body. Very hot as well around 70 degrees and sunny. We headed toward Wayah Bald Shelter. Shrink drank two beers before starting which got him going real fast. He was flying and claimed no knee pain. Also Paul (now Corncob) informed us that they were waiting for us at Wayah Bald Shelter!During our day we stopped many times. We ran into Sinatra, Farmer Joe, Minute Man & Strange relaxing on a bald. Strange is also from KY and actually lived in Red River Gorge for 15 years. He even had a Miguel's hat on. Next we ran into some trail magic around mile 10 on top of Wayah Bald. A guy named Kicho who when to UK for school was putting it on. I sat down and had a honey bun, gatorade, goldfish, and trail mix. We came to a stone observation tower. From there we could see Clingman's Dome which was pretty cool.We headed toward the shelter. The day was so long & so hard for me. I am very grateful for Ria. She gets me through when I could've just petered out at mile 8. We made it to the shelter and we were greeted by Turtle, Corncob and Rusty Bridges. It was good to see their faces after such a long time. Dinner, jokes, fire, sleep.