Date: 2009-05-15
From: DEER PARK MOUNTAIN SHELTER

To: HOT SPRINGS
Miles today: 3.2
Weather: light rain

TOLD THERE WAS A MCDONALDS IN HOT SPRINGS AND TRIED TO MAKE IT FOR BREAKFAST BUT SOMEONE PULLED A FAST ONE ON ME AT THE STANDING BEAR HOSTEL. WHEN I SAW HOT SPRINGS THROUGH THE TREES I STARTED TO LOOK FOR THE MCDONALDS SIGN AND STEPPED ON A WET ROOT ONLY TO FALL ON MY FACE. IT WAS WET FROM LAST NIGHTS RAIN. I FINALLY GOT TO HOT SPRINGS AND AS I REACHED ELMERS I SAW TIMEBOMB AND THIMBLE. THEY WALKED ME UP LED ME TO ELMERS WHERE THEY WERE STAYING AND I HAD TO WAIT TILL ELEVEN TO CHECK IN. I WAS ABLE TO LEAVE MY PACK THERE AND THERE WAS A SMALL RESTERAUNT ACROSS THE STREET SO I WENT DOWN AND ATE BREAKFAST HERE WITH THEM THE CHINESE TOURIST AND AQUAFRESH SHOWED UP. WHILE WE WERE EATING ROCKY SHOWED UP AND STOPPED TO CHAT. NICE TO SEE HER AGAIN SHE WAS GETTING READY TO DO A 20 MILE DAY. SHE GOT A NEW PACK. GONNA BE HARD TO CATCH HER BUT I ALL I COULD DO WAS TRY. I REALLY LIKE ROCKY, SHE CERTAINLY IS INSPIRING. I LIKE HER TWO BRAIDED PONY TAILS, THE FLOPPY HAT, AND THE SHORT SKIRT SHE HIKES IN. SHE'S ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE AND KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT SHES DOING. THEY ALL HAD TAKEN A DAY OFF. I MET A FEW MORE HIKERS WHILE I WAS DOING LAUNDRY. EVIDENTLY THEY HAD HEARD ABOUT ME. PROBABLY READ THE JOURNAL ENTRIES. GUESS IM A LEGEND ON THE TRAIL AND I DIDNT EVEN KNOW IT. THE CHINESE TOURIST AND AQUAFRESH SHOWED UP. SO DID TIMEBOMB AND THIMBLE. AQUAFRESH AND THE CHINESE TOURIST GIRLFRIENDS ARE DRIVING TO TOWN AND HAVE A CABIN RENTED OUT DOWN THE STREET AND HAD INVITED ME. WHEN THEY SHOWED UP I WAS INTRODUCED AND AQUAFRESH'S GIRLFRIEND BRANDI GAVE US ALL A BIG HUG. I DONT KNOW THEM ALL VERY WELL YET. I FEEL A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE AROUND SOME OF THE HIKERS SO I KEEP TO MYSELF ALOT. I HAD A GOOD TIME AND TRIED TO RESUPPLY AT THE DOLLAR STORE. I GOT MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH A MAILDROP HERE IN HOT SPRINGS AS RUTH AND JOHN HAD SENT ME SOME SHIRTS, SOCKS, BEEF JERKY AND SOME SNACK CAKES. I HAD TO WAIT TILL ELEVEN TO CHECK INTO ELMERS BUT I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ONES THERE DUE TO A SHORT HIKE. I WAS RUN OUT OF THE LIBRARY EARLY IN THE DAY DUE TO NOT BEING A LOCAL. A HALF HOUR LIMIT. I CANT LOAD PICTURES AND I HAVE A LOT OF THEM. I WAS ABLE TO DO SO DOWN AT THE OUTFITTER. I RAN INTO CHANDLER IN HOT SPRINGS SITTING ON A BACK OF A TAILGATE TO WHICH SOME TRAIL ANGELS HAD PULLED OVER AND JUST OFFERED HIM SOME FOOD. I WENT OVER TO SAY HI AND THEY OFFERED ME SOME FRUIT. THEY OFFERED HIM A RIDE TO THEIR HOME TO STAY I THINK. I RAN INTO CATTYWAMPUS DOWN AT THE GAS STATION DOWN THE STREET AND I CHATTED WITH HER. I LIKE HER, SHES A NICE YOUNG WOMAN AND WAS SUFFERING FROM A SHIN SPLINT. I TOLD HER I JUST SEEN CHANDLER DOWN THE STREET. I GUESS THEY GOT SEPERATED. SHE WASNT SURE WHERE SHE WAS GONNA STAY AND I TOLD HER ELMERS WAS FULL BUT LETS SEE IF HE CAN MAKE AN EXCEPTION. I TOLD HIM SHE WAS HURT AND IF THERE WAS ANYWAY HE COULD PUT HER UP FOR THE NIGHT. HE SAID HOLD ON AND MANAGED TO GET HER A SPOT IF SHE DIDNT MIND SHARING A ROOM WITH ANOTHER HIKER. BOTTOM BUNK AND ALEX WERE DOING SOME PAINTING FOR A WORK FOR STAY. I HADNT MET THEM AS OF THE MOMENT. THERE WAS A FULL HOUSE SO I MET A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE. I JUST ROAMED AROUND THE SMALL TOWN. I GUESS ELMER IS A OLD 60'S RADICAL FROM WHAT I READ IN NEWSPAPER ARTICLES ON THE WALL OF HIS HOME. I WAS DEFINATELY OUT OF PLACE. ENJOYED MY STAY. ELMER WANTED ME TO WORK FOR 7 BUCKS AN HOUR GARDENING BUT I DIDNT WANT TO DO ANYTHING BUT RELAX AND REGROUP. HE SAID I WASNT VERY CONSTUCTIVE BUT IM PAYING AND I DONT FEEL LIKE I WANT TO WORK. I MET BOTTOM BUNK AND ALEX HERE AT ELMERS AND A MATH TEACHER NAMED SNAKER. LATER THAT NIGHT WE ALL WENT TO A LOCAL BAR AND I DRANK COFFEE WHILE THEY DRANK SOME BEERS. ITS QUITE THE POPULAR HANGOUT FOR THE LOCALS. ITS A SMALL TOWN AND THERE IS A COP PATROLING OUT FRONT PULLING PEOPLE OVER. I GOTTA RUN. FLETCH OUT