Date: 2007-04-16
From: Hot Springs, NC - Sunnybank Inn

To: Allen Gap
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: scattered clouds

I woke up this morning and was happy to see that most of the swelling around my right ankle was gone. I still have a big knot on the front of my right shin and still don't have any idea what caused it. My new shoes don't contact this area and it doesn't hurt. My left knee is still a bit sore, but it has been like that for a couple of weeks and is bearable to walk or I should say limp on. I am starting to think I will be limping the whole way to Maine for one reason or another. I seem to be having a lot more leg issues than other hikers.I got up, showered, and headed over to the Smokey Mountain Diner for one last time. I had breakfast with Stitches, Scholar, and Blue Yonder. Stitches is 41 and retired 5 years ago. Now she just travels around doing whatever she wants. There were quite a few other hikers in the diner also. We all affectionately refer to each other as "Hiker Trash". Based on what I have heard, it sounds like about 25 to 30 hikers are planning to leave Hot Springs today.I went back and checked out of the Sunnybank Inn. I had a wonderful stay there and the meals were great. If anyone is ever in the Hot Springs area they should try to stay there. I am sure I'll be back some day. The next stop was the Bluff Mtn Outfitter to check the weather forecast and weigh my pack. The pack weighed 43 lbs! That is after I sent about 5 lbs of stuff out of my pack. Some of the extra weight is because I am carrying 6 days of food to get to Erwin due to concerns with new shoes and my leg issues.I headed out of town about 9:30. I just beat the train by a minute or two. I was one of the first ones to leave this morning. There aren't a lot of places to stay or water sources in this section. I had told myself and others I was going to take it easy for a few days. I could feel my shoes rubbing on the back of my heels early in the hike. By time I stopped a couple miles in, I already had a blister the size of a quarter on the back of my left heel. I put a blister pad and moleskin on both heels and resumed my hike. I reached Rich Mtn Tower about 2 PM and had lunch with Dirty Ernie, Blue Sky, Troll, and Double Bird. I removed my shoes to find the blister pad and moleskin had come loose and the blister had torn open. The group consensus was to put duct tape on the backs of my heels. I was aware of this technique, but had refrained from using up to now. I had 60 miles to go to the next town so I applied the duct tape. I could tell right away when I started hiking again the duct tape was working. I reached Spring Mtn Shelter about 4 PM which was about 11 miles in for the day. This was my long range stopping point for the day, but I wasn't ready to stop so I hiked on to Allen Gap, about 4 more miles.There was a sign posted saying there was trail magic at a house a few hundred yard down the road from dawn til 6:30 PM. It was 6:00 so I hurried down the road and up a steep driveway. Hercules met me on the front porch. Autumn was inside. They thru-hiked in 1999. They gave me a large bowl of stew and some homemade honey cinnamon bread with apple caramel cake and ice cream for desert. They said I was the 264th hiker to visit them this year. They had pictures of everyone and let me look through the book.Of course I talked about Biodiesel for most of my time there. The trail name makes it an easy conversation to start. They told me where some camping spots were on the trail and I headed out. I passed Dirty Ernie and Blue Sky when I got back to the trail. They got there late and decided to wait for breakfast. I hiked on a ways to a nice little camping spot. I am here all by myself. I thought everywhere was going to be crowded with so many leaving town and it turns out to be my first solo camp on the trail.I did a lot more miles than I expected today. My legs are bruised and battered. Now I am snuggled into my sleeping bag getting ready for a 30 degree night and all is wonderful. Good night to all.