Date: 2014-04-12
From: Walnut Mountain Shelter

To: Hot Springs, GA
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: clear sky

I was thinking all day yesterday that there was just something about 4/11. Maybe it was someone's birthday? But today when someone asked when I started and I said March 11th, I realized I had been on the trail for a month. There are a lot of good memories already as I flipped through pictures of people at campsite scenes.I confirmed from my Kindle flower book, the forest carpet is comprised of Spring Beauties. I wondered if they were edible and the book says the roots taste like radishes. I also identified as Bloodroot a plant with 8 white petals and a yellow stamen. I am familiar with this plant but had never tried to identify it. The leaves stay curled around the stem to protect itself from cold weather until it blooms.My objective for the day was to reach Hot Springs for some hot food and cold drinks. The Trail Days Festival would be in full swing but that was secondary to my goal. I have graduated from 1 liter of water to 2 or more a day as the temperature has risen. The hot weather slows me down even more on the hills in the afternoon.As I passed by people (only passed people on their break) they asked if I had reservations and I said no. (No telephone service so I could not have called ahead anyway). They would reply "I hear every thing is full up." I just took it by faith there would be something even if I ended up camping by French Broad River. I wanted a shower also since the days had been hot.I had read about Hot Springs hostels listed in the AWOL guidebook and I had a good feeling about Elmer's Sunnyside Retreat. Someone pointed out the Victorian house to me as I was coming into town. I went around to the backdoor by the kitchen which turned out to be the main entrance. Elmer was baking big pans of cornbread for the Trail Fest Chili Supper. When I asked about rooms, fearing there were probably none, (but somehow having faith there would be because I just had a good feeling about the place) Elmer (looks to be older than me) said, "Take off your pack and shoes and sit down here for a minute. " A good sign!Soon a young man, Jessie, appeared and said, "Come with me and we will take a tour and I will show you your room." He showed me around the 170 year-old-house that had a lot of antique furniture and appliances. He showed me the library and the porches and I immediately decided to stay here one more night and "retreat." I would have time to get my clothes washed, go to church, sit on the porch and blog.By the way this is a Verizon only town, so I have to communicate by email.I showered and went up to the Chili Supper where I had a great vegetarian chile, Elmer's cornbread, brownies and blackberry cobbler . For me better than the food was reconnecting with Jo Cool and the Gang whom I had last seen getting ready for dinner on top of Clingman's Dome tower days ago. I also got to see Vagabond from DC. Safety was there with Alaska dog Coco (?). The dog was shedding since it is warmer here than in Michigan. It looked like tufts of sheep wool. I said that solved one of my mysteries of why I keep finding white fur along the trail. My best guess was rabbit fur from a coyote kill but it didn't quite look like rabbit fur and I had not seen any rabbits either.At the shelter a guy named Gordon (with dog Jack ) identified a bird for me that I had seen in thickets around camp as a Rufus Sided Towee or something like that. I don't remember having them at my feeder in KY. He also said I was hearing a Barred Owl even in the daytime.I got a good view of the sunset up on the Bald above the shelter. I didn't get pictures of the shelter but it is lean-to style made off logs with peg construction.I went to the Iron Horse Cafe for a second dinner of salad with shrimp, buffalo chips and candied walnut pie. I had bought a homemade lemonade earlier and the lady said it was her dad cooking at Iron Horse today, so the food would be good. The employees were all interested in my Iron Horse half marathon shirt.