Date: 2005-04-19
From: Zero Day Update

To: zero day update number two
Miles today: 0.0

Sunday April 11:I woke up after a terrible nights sleep in the hotel because as soon as I would be sleeping well, the windows would rattle like an old haunted shack because the road next to my window happened to be a frequent passage for large trucks to get into town in the wee hours of the night and morning. I walked to Hardees which was next to the hotel and I ordered a surprisingly delicious breakfast of eggs, pancakes, biscuits and gravy, hashbrowns, and other wonderful breakfast delights. It was cheap and extremely good. After breakfast I picked up my first maildrop from the post office and everything went smoothly. I was happy to get a lot more candy bars and goodies as well as fuel for my stove which I didn¢t really need since my stove has been using even less than I anticipated. After all of the morning activities, I spoke to the owner who runs a shuttle into the wilderness again each day to take hikers back to the trail and so I boarded it around 11:30 to head back to the trail with another hiker named Stovepipe who is a girl from New Mexico with dreads. When I started my shin splints were reallyhurting and I didn¢t know how far I would make it that day, but I took it slow and did more than I thought I could do. I had to go extra distance too, because a side trail I took to see a shelter a was thinking about staying at skipped a few feet of the trail, and since I have vowed to walk every foot of the trail, I had to go back and hike that section which took extra time, but I am glad I am sticking to my convictions. After a while I saw Saxy and she was going slow too, and we decided to hike to the next shelter, but I ended up finding a nice campsight and decided to stop and take it slow to camo that night which made me proud that I didn¢t push myself and my name, Bottle-Rocket actually served its purpose. After my tent was up, I built a fire which I usually never do and it was nice to have, and then a nice german guy showed up with his dog. The guys name was Rhino and he offered me some very tasty fog newtons and a kit kat bar which was well received by me. Monday April 12:Wow. What a painful day. I had to push today and make huge miles so I could hit the Nantahalla Outdoor Center the next day with enough time to rest, and so I had to do this huge downhill which was bigger than any downhill I¢ve done yet or almost will ever have to do. It hurt like hell and I thought I injured myself even more by simply doing it. I was not a happy guy, and it was raining as well which was not a pleasant experience. However, I got into the shelter and took a nap finally and I then felt better. I was also happy to see green leaves show up on trees for the first time. That was the least crowded night I have spent in a shelter yet with only two others at the shelter, Me, Saxy, and Grump. I was excited to go to the N.O.C. the next day.Tuesday April 13:What a better day than the prior! The NOC was awesome. The NOC is an awesome canoe and kayak center with a restaurant and an outfitter which is nestled on the Nantahalla River in the North Carolina mountains. Me and Saxy woke and early so we could eat our favorite meal of the day and it was SO GOOD. I order French toast and eggs and biscuits and gravy and more food that was awesome, and Saxy got some great cheese loaded hashbrowns and eggs that were superb. I was great just chilling at this little bustling whitewater rafting place in the middle of nowhere. We chilled until around noon and then hit the trail for the biggest roughest climb we have made yet which climbed almost a mile high in only six miles of trail. It was nuts, but hiking up doesn¢t bother me nearly as bad as going bad and so I rocked out and busted up the trail in a hurry, AND THEN CAME THE HAIL. I got smashed on the head. I got hit in the face, I got beat on the rest of my body by hail shooting out of the sky so it was a very exciting experience. I met some nice new friends that night at the shelter and I was very happy to run into another friend of mine named Mr. Fusion who I like being around because of his hilarious comments and his singing which is funny, like when he sang Rocket Man for me as I left the shelter that morning. I laughed a lot that night with my new friends as we all told stories in the clearing night in a very awesome two story shelter. I felt very comfortable around these new hikers. It was fun.more to come in a few hours!Take it easy everyone!