Date: 2008-04-19
From: Walnut Mtn Shelter

To: Sunnybank Inn ("Elmer's") in Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: broken clouds

I'm sitting in an ice cream parlor in Hot Springs right now. This is a trail town in every sense of the word. White blaze adorn the street...the trail literally runs right through it. It's a quaint little town nestled in an Appalachian valley. You can literally walk across town in about 5 to 10 minutes. The population is 643.Tonight I'm staying at "Elmer's" - hikers name for the Sunnybank Inn...it's this big beautiful old Victorian house made into a hostel for hikers. They've been doing it since 1977. There's a music room, a library...it's really cool. Plus they make and serve organic meals there. I get my own room for only $15. It's not like a bare hotel room, it's a big cozy room with a big bed and is well decorated.I was a little disconcerted when I first walked in because I was in a huge, giant, dark house and noone was there. When I did find someone, they weren't entirely friendly and I didn't feel immediately welcome. But we got things straightened out and I definitely felt at home. I later found out that the workers there are just short-term employees that the owner hires for weeks at a time.I have a reservation to use the computer at the outfitter here at 5:00 so I've just been eating ice cream here since about 3:00.Today I hiked out with Bravefoot and Jackaroo...but Jackaroo stopped for some reason and fell behind. I like the conversation I have with Bravefoot...he's an older guy and very proud of his scottish ancestry...he's a retired lawyer and he's also a former thru-hiker. He hiked the trail 2 years ago and this year is redoing his "favorite sections" - 2 sections of 550 miles each. So he's redoing about half the trail, and he'll still be with us for a while till he jumps ahead. He claims there is nothing interesting between Mt. Rogers (southern Virginia) and New York. He is very cheap and proud of it, and says this is a Scottish characteristic...he wanted to stay at a barn because it was $5 cheaper but they didn't have space and he ended up at Elmer's as well. We ran into each other at the diner and had lunch together.Today I finally met Oof-dah! I was getting annoyed at everyone asking me "Have you met Oof-dah yet?" when I'd take out my ukulele...he was apparently carrying a mandolin and was always 2-3 days ahead of me but it looks like I've caught up to him and his "Early Riser Crew" - Earthbound and Hot Tang. I walked into the ice cream place and saw a guy wearing a pink cowboy hat and sitting with two girls. That jogged my memory - someone had mentioned him wearing a pink cowboy hat. So I introduced myself and we all sat and talked for a while...I like them...they are funny and friendly and are hiking the trail together after going to school in Iowa.Late night update - Jackaroo, Bearpack, Bearbait, Carina, Flamethrower, Poptart and Pacer, and I, all went to the pub...now I'm slightly intoxicated. Going to bed now...(Also - I was figuring out today how many days I have been alive...around 8,000 I think, not that many...sort of puts things in perspective...have I spent those days well and what do I want to do with the next 10/100/1000/10000?)