Date: 2004-10-29
From: Jerry Cabin Shelter

To: Hot Springs - Elmer's
Miles today: 26.4
Weather: light rain

That damn dog kept us up all night! It kept coming in and out of the rain and then shaking under the over hang of the shelter. I think the collar was also bothering the dog because he dug at it constantly...it seemed too tight. I guess the so called "hunters" don't want to risk loosing a $300 radio collar. I mean the collar is not even adjustable but riveted on! Once the dog saw we were awake it kept climbing up in the shelter. A major battle ensued between the two of us. It would jump up and I would push it out. It was definitely a loosing battle on my part because that dog was "dumber than a box of rocks"! His wet muddy feet stomped all over our bags and ripped up my map. We couldn't even eat breakfast because the dog was all over us when we opened a granola bar. We packed up quickly and said goodbye to Chris. Chris seemed thoroughly entertained with the entire episode! Needless to say, the dog followed us and away from the shelter, I fed the dog 6 granola bars so it would leave us alone! My entire hand went in the dogs slobbering mouth with the fist piece offered and after that I threw the rest on the ground. Although I don't like to use it on the trail, and didn't even carry it for the first half of our trip, I decided to use our cell phone to call the number on the dogs collar (when I get reception). That way we won't have to hike to Springer with the damn thing! We hike in heavy fog in the morning but at least the rain had stopped temporarily. A mile or so down the trail, I managed to get in touch with the dogs owner. He seemed ......well....what I expected! After I told him about the dog the first thing he said was, "I'm gonna beat that dog". I was tempted to cut off the collar but figured we would never get rid of the damn thing then! He said the trail passed near a mountain road and he would track us (the dog) from there. He would find us....good thing because I wasn't going to hunt for him! We already gave the dog all the food we had so we were committed to get to Hot Springs tonight. The dog actually hiked nicely today, staying right behind us. We found if we stayed real close together the dog didn't try to get between us. The trail was pretty rugged up on Blackstack Cliff and I wondered if the dog would make it up and down some of the terrain. He hung right with us though! I think we would have had nice views from up there if the fog wasn't so thick. The trail was soft and slippery in parts too. We heard a truck pull up and stop near the trail and figured it was the owner of the dog. We hike down a side trail to a small parking lot and found the owner there getting his tracking gear out. Surprisingly, not knowing a beating would soon come, the dog was happy to see him. We didn't get thanked at all....it was like our fault that the dog followed us. Here's the deal with bear hunting. Guy goes out with a bunch of radio collared dogs and turns them loose in the afternoon then the dogs are supposed to tree a bear. The next day the "hunter" tracks the dogs (hopefully with a treed bear) with his radio equipment and he takes out his hand gun and shoots the bear. Sporting huh? Anyway....DOG GONE! Free of our baggage!At Old Cabin Road a sign points to some trail magic from a nearby cabin leased by Nean and Hiking Hiedi. They offer us a soda and an apple. Nice people and treat. They will actually take up to 4 hikers in for meals and an overnight stay. They have a separate three story cabin for the hikers with an outdoor shower and privy. Nice setup but it's to early to stop. Nean does offer to slack us to Hot Springs (about 15 miles). We told him to drop our packs at Elmer's where we had made arrangements to stay. Thanks! Not far at Allen Gap where stopped to visit Fal '99 and Hercules '99. A sign at the gap, promising food, led us to their beautifully decorated cabin. "Tree people" lined their driveway (see photos). We had the most awesome trail magic. Fal actually had a menu of food items to pick from. It was a mega lunch and delicious. We even asked for the recipe for the sweet potato puff...simply divine! Super nice people. We enjoyed speaking with them and didn't leave until after 3 p.m. with 15 miles to go! After leaving Allen Gap, the weather improved, but we only got a few hazy views. We got down to the French Broad River around 7pm and hiked into town with our head lamps. We found that Elmer had not saved us a room as promised and would not let us eat with them. He said the evening meal was just for an "alumni" group staying there. He was quite cold to us and said we could stay in the loft above the tool shed for a "reduced" rate. With no place to go we agreed then went to the Pub for some pizza and listened to some live bluegrass. When we got back, we found two fellow sobos, Baloo and Music Man, are in the house eating with the "alumni". We felt no love at Elmer's and would not stay there again. We don't understand because he was highly recommended. Maybe we didn't look or smell like thru hikers? We still enjoyed our evening. Besides, tomorrow we'll wipe our feet from this place and the world will be good again!