Date: 2009-04-13
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Breakfast at Elmer's is at 8:30, so we got to sleep in. However, my sleep was not very restful (that seems to happen my first night in towns). Someone was telling me, in my dream, that I had a long way to go on this trail and probably wouldn't make it...   But breakfast was amazing! We each got a glass of apple juice, a choice of coffee or tea, some delicious hand-mixed cereal, waffles, and a slice of canteloupe. Delicious! Then, I headed over to the outfitters to see if I could find a solution to my foot pain. The pain I had been feeling on top of my arches had gotten transferred to the insides of my arches (a lot of bruising and swelling) since I changed my lacing. I was disappointed when the employee did not want to help me. He told me to look up my problem in the Foot Care book I had read before the trail. I decided I should try adding another sock, and then he stepped in... He twisted my shoe and told me it had no support! (umm, John.. why did you advise me to get this one?) Once I changed the lacing, it had even less support and since I bought them a size and a half too big, my foot has been sliding all over the place and bruising against the sides. So, I could either buy new shoes or try different insoles. I ended up buying a second pair of insoles to go under my Superfeet and take up more room. Then, Wolfy came in and helped me re-lace them so as to allow them to tie more tightly around my ankles (they had been twisting left and right!... this information gave me new perspective on the difficulty of all of the miles I had just hiked). I walked out of there feeling like a new woman! I next headed to the public library, where I typed up some entries, and then to the diner, where I had a veggie burger, a slice of blackberry pie a la mode, and a coffee. Stick Man came in and said a bunch of them were heading over to the Hot Springs. They had a tub reserved at 5 and he said I could join. Hmmm... half of me wanted to stay, half wanted to go... I decided to seize the moment, so I ran back to Elmer's for my towel, and then ran down to the Hot Springs! I got there just as Truckin' was ready to get in! The guys were already soaking. Most of the talk was about their drug-induced experiences and I felt out of place, but my body enjoyed the soaking nonetheless. The difference in the ease with which way we were all walking back to Elmer's was stunning! What a change!    My stomach had started hurting in the hot tub, and unfortunately only got worse by the time dinner was served. I looked over at Truckin', who was trying her hardest to pick at her food, and knew she was feeling the same way... What a shame! We were served the most delicious cream of asparagus soup for starters, then a salad that looked like a great piece of art (violets included!), and then ratatouille on rice. Truckin' and I were both struggling to eat our salads, and she finally had to excuse her self to lay down. Poor thing. She got it worse than me... We figured it must have been bad cream that was given to us with our coffee at the diner. The nice people at Elmer's saved her dinner for morning. In the meantime, Wolfy came in to say goodbye. He had to leave the trail to go back and take care of some paperwork for his daughter's recent acceptance into private school, and had to abandon his plans of another thru. So, we tried to comfort Truckin' and then say good-bye to Wolfy. We'll miss you, Wolfy! I was just getting to know him. I labeled my pictures for the rest of the evening and missed out on Bound's singing and guitar playing. Tomorrow morning, it would be time to head back out on the trail...