Date: 2004-04-19
From: Big Spring Shelter

To: Random open area
Miles today: 16.3

I started out this morning with the intention of stopping at the Rainbow Springs campground to get some sneakers and then finish at Siler Bald Shelter. It didn't quite turn out that way. First, I passed Wallace Gap, where you're stupposed to turn right to go to Rainbow Springs. I realized about a mile after that I'd passed the turn, but I refused to go back. I'm not supposed to be walking south, dammit! On the way after Wallace Gap, I saw a black snake, first snake I've seen. It crossed the trail quickly and disappeared.I hiked with Froggy Pete for a while and decided to hitch into Franklin with him since there was an outfitter there. It would also be an opportunity to eat some good stuff. We got lucky and were able to get a ride in less than 10 minutes from a guy in a pickup truck. Once in town me and Froggy Pete Parter ways, he checked into a motel and I went to Pizza Hut for lunch. After eating a pizza rather quickly (hmmmmm, pizza...), I went to the outfitter. The lady there was quite nice and helped me try on just about every pair of sneakers they had. I found only one pair that didn't hurt my achilles, so I took those. Merrells, $90!!!! It woudn't feel so bad to pay for them if I hadn't already had to pay a lot for the boots. Speaking of the boots, I had intended to keep them for a bit in case the sneakers didn't work out, but after seeing that they weighed 4.5 pounds, I had the outfitter mail them to Sin Hang. I also bought a pair of socks (good ones, unlike the cheap ones I got at Walmart), new gloves (mine sucked and had holes in them), and some waldies that I can wear in camp that are better than the flip-flops I got for $2 in Hiawassee. More expensive too... Total of $140, yikes! I'll be eating ramen noodles for a while to offset that cost.After walking back to the highway, I hitched a ride within 2 minutes, but they took me only halfway. Then I walked about half a mile until somebody else picked me up and took me the rest of the way. On the trail, you quickly learn that pickup trucks are your friend. I've gotten 4 rides so far, 3 were pickup trucks. The BMWs sure aren't gonna stop and let us dirty their leather seats!Back on the trail, I got to Siler Bald Shelter rather quickly, but upon arriving I ran into Dr Space Monkey 5000 who was leaving because there seemed to be a forest fire nearby to the Southwest and he was getting away from it. With the next shelter being 12 miles away, I knew this would be my first night camping. We walked a few more miles and reached a picnic area where we met Eyal, a guy from Israel I've been hearing about since the beginning. He makes his own bread, we actually saw him do it with the flour and everything! We decided to go a bit farther and reached an open area where we could camp. After hanging our bear bags (what a pain in the ass) and setting up our tents, we retired into our quarters, where I'm writing all this. Kind of nice having your own private space.It's been an awesome day. First time hitching, first pizza since getting on the trail, first 100 miles done, first night tenting, first snake I've seen. I'm still having a great time and hope I've resolved my achilles probllem because it's rather swollen now. I also have this thing in my nose bothering me, maybe it's just a zit that somehow formed in there! Hopefully it'll be gone in a few days. I guess that's enough for today, time to read a bit and sleep.