Date: 2016-03-13
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hemlock Hollow Inn
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: clear sky

Today could've turned out very differently if not for special people.The waitress at Smoky Mountain Diner unlocked the door a few minutes before today's stated opening hours of business. She apparently saw me walk up with my backpack loaded. A local man had similarly been let in early and we spoke of weather, Hot Springs, and the AT.Blues Brother arrived and we placed our orders because we really didn't want to night hike and we failed to consider the initial day of daylight savings time when we agreed on today's starting time. A few minutes later, Brave, Strong(?), and an unfamiliar person came in through the door. Brave gave a big "Good Morning Rabbit!" as she went by. I returned her greeting as I recalled meeting her in Hot Springs the afternoon before. Brave returned a few minutes later with an invitation to join them for breakfast - so we did.They had been to Max Patch Summit the night before so with that the AT conversation ensued. Alice introduced herself and showed a picture of her husband and her after he successfully finished his thru-hike last year. Blues Brother and I ate our meals while they were hot since we had arrived first. Soon we were all eating. The waitress brought over our bills for breakfast and I pulled out a $10 bill to cover my share and then handed it over to Blues Brother. Brave asked me to give her the bill so that she could provide trail magic. I was taken back by her kind gesture and asked how she could do such a thing. She responded with a simple "you pay it forward to someone else" and then she reviewed the actions to take upon the onset of hypothermia. Brave and Strong are currently traveling between the AT starting point and Irwin, Tennessee to provide hikers with educational hiker tips. Strong was a successful thru-hiker last year. They each spoke with clarity and certainty. A newbie like me took it all in now just like I did yesterday when I was called over by them from their car with Brave's "Are you thru-hiking?" question. Kindness like this are encountered while hiking the AT. These, and other Trail Angels, dispense everything from encouraging words to special treats with no specific expectations of reciprocation. Trail Angels do such things out of the goodness of their hearts and their desire to make a hiker's day. What a start as we began our departure from Hot Springs.The hike out was difficult which was expected. With our resupplied consumables, our packs were heavy. The trail that descended into Hot Springs now continued with a climb to get us back up into a mountain ridge, since that is essentially what the AT is - a pathway of scenic trail across the mountain ridges between Georgia to Maine. It was cloudy with an occasional sprinkle but was better weather than had been forecasted. Blues Brother and I encountered other thru-hikers we previously met - Baked Beans, Going Postal, and Sooner Or Later. This day of hiking was near its end when the trail came to a road crossing that had "Moms" in the distance. Blues Brother reported that Moms wasn't open yet for this hiking season so no cold soft drinks were available. We each expressed sadness that we couldn't stop in at this spot each of us had previously read about. Water sources today were adequate and there were a number of camp sites spread throughout today's hike.The upcoming shelter only was built for 5 hikers. We had already seen 2 who were headed there and knew of others who potentially intended to stay there overnight. The elevation was +5000 feet and thunderstorms were forecast for today and tomorrow. With more hikers than available shelter space and with no desire to experience tenting through a thunderstorm, Blues Brother walked .7 mile off the AT to stay at an open year-round facility named Hemlock Hollow Inn that provided as accommodations ranging from tenting, to bunks in a hostel, to private cabins - each with the option for a shower and Wifi access for a fee.It seemed like a longer walk but maybe we were just tired. People outside waved to us as we walked up. A couple about my age was scouting this location because they intend to thru-hike next year. We provided info about experiences to date and wished them success as they drove away. That's when we learned that Hemlock Holiday Inn had just changed ownership and wouldn't be opened for two weeks. Okay, that was a PROBLEM. We were tired. The shelter at 5000 feet would now probably be filled by the time we'd arrive and then it began to rain. And then it began to pour. The new owner's stepson let us wait under the main building's covered porch as he told us of the ownership change. The rain was heavy but finally ended before 5:00 with the thought that we'd return to the AT to hike 4 miles to the shelter, hiking that was a pretty steep climb and hiking that would get us their near nightfall with the forecast for thunderstorms.Kindness again. The stepson said he didn't want to put us out at this time of day. We accepted his offer to stay in any capacity available since our odds were not good to successfully settle in somewhere on the AT before nightfall. So were extended stay in the hostel as the stepson's friends. The hostel facility was great. A clean cabin with bunk beds, a table to eat at, a nearby flushing toilet, potable water - everything we had hoped for when we walked in a couple hours earlier. And then it got better. The stepson brought us towels so that we could take a hot shower.So tonight ended with us dry, clean, fed, hydrated, and able to go to sleep with the nearby creek's gurgling water providing soothing sounds. We feel very fortunate today. Trail Angels and their acts of kindness - Thank You!!!