Date: 2015-04-20
From: Walnut Mountain Shelter, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 13.1

Another restless night last night. No surprise. Woke up at 6am to one of the best sunrises of the trek so far, or what promised to be one anyways. After a night of storms, the morning was dry, allowing us to pack our gear easily. On the way back up the ridge to the shelter, I noticed a rainbow to our southwest - sort of rare in the mornings. Moosehead took it as a good sign for the day, but I argued that it meant rain for the immediate future at least. No sooner than 5 minutes later, backpacks strapped on and heading north, a crackle of thunder tore across the mountains. A hard, steady rain would soon follow for the next ~2 hours, making the morning sunrise seem to move in reverse as the morning light grew dark.For the first few miles, Moosehead, Hobble, and I were pelted by cold rain as we headed higher into the mountains. Eventually, however, the rain would subside and a constant, cold wind would follow, but would actually help dry out our pack covers and rain jackets.The day would pass by pretty uneventful for me. Moosehead and Hobble would pass the hours by exchanging stories of both their old and current lives. I set the pace for most of the day, but kept to myself, driven on by the thought of reaching Hot Springs, NC in ~13 miles. Through Kale Gap, Catpen Gap, Bluff Mountain, Garenflo Gap, and Taylor Hollow Gap, my goal today was to stay focused, hike along as fast as my sore feet would carry me, and reach Hot Springs for much-needed R&R. Around the vicinity of Deer Park Mountain, I developed a pain on one of my hamstrings, making the final few miles drag by slowly and uncomfortably.Eventually we rounded a corner leading downhill for the last time, the town of Hot Springs, an oasis, lying in the valley below us. We finally exited the woods around 12:15pm and walked am AT-engraved sidewalk into the downtown area under blue skies and a warm sun. We headed straight for a restaurant called Spring Creek Tavern, a nice bar/eatery combo sitting just off the French Broad River. We immediately ordered a round of beers (also a pitcher of Coke to save the waitress several trips,) said cheers, and began what will be our reward over the next ~36 hours.We enjoyed good food, good music, and solid conversation for the next ~2 hours as the place gradually filled up with other thru-hikers with the same idea of recovering a little from the nearly week-long trek through the Smokies. After eating and with our pant buckles straining to restraon our newly-enlarged bellies, we hobbled down the road ~200 yards to what we'll call home for the next 2 nights - Hot Springs Resort, Campground, and Spa. For $80/night, 5 of us (Moosehead, Burnsides, Hobble, Miles, and I) will be splitting a tiny cabin along the river. It's simple, yet perfect for weary hikers looking to simply escape the outdoors for a couple nights. The cabin is roughly 12x8', has 3 bunks stacked on top of another (2 doubles and a single bed,) and a small bathroom with a toilet and sink. It'll do the job.We then retreated to a laundry mat nearby and spent around an hour and a half snacking, chatting, and smelling our new clothes once finished. Next we went to Campo Bello, a Mexican restaurant, and enjoyed our own, unique hearty meals - chicken fajitas for me. A handful of other thru-hikers made a scene with a few of the local waitresses, thus making it apparent why some people and towns have a negative opinion of thru-hikers. Luckily most hikers are genuinely awesome people. After dinner we retreated to the Hot Springs Resort and Spa and the 6 of us (Moosehead, Burnsides, Hobble, Frozen Mac, Miles, and I) enjoyed an hour-long hot tub session that pumps in natural hot spring water from underground. More good beer, convo, and relaxation.Our session just ended and I'm now sitting on a lonely bench outside of the laundry mat, jacking WiFi from Campo Bello, as a light rain falls. Hopefully tomorrow is a nice day since we're all taking a zero (0 miles) and catching up on rest and a few other chores. I need to resupply with at least 5-6 days of food, rid myself of a few items of gear/weight, spend some time at the public library, and eat in between of course.It's been a great escape from the past ~10 days in the woods and will soon be a faint memory as we trek back into the mountains. Tomorrow's update might be short(er) unless we get into any eventful shenanigans on our rest day.Here's to a good start to week #4 on the trail.