Date: 2009-11-25
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Springer Mountain, GA
Miles today: 240.0
Weather: broken clouds

Wow! It has been a while, and so many wonderful things have happened. There is a lot to update, so I will try to be brief.After Mom and Jess left me after my amazing birthday weekend, I had to pull 2 big days to catch up with Lightweight and Tex again. Along the way I got to travel through Grayson Highlands State Park where wild ponies roam freely. They are ¢wild¢ but you can go right up to them and touch them. They were very cool, and the scenery in the park was magnificent! I also got above 5,000 feet for the first time since New Hampshire, which was nice.A few days after I caught up with Tex and Lightweight we went to Damascus, Virginia. We decided to take a zero day to rest, resupply, etc. On the way into the town, my pack snapped and both shoulder straps came loose. I was able to sew it back together at the Mt. Rogers Outfitters, and I was planning to use the same pack for the remainder of my trip. We got to know a few of the locals at the nearby restaurant, and we told them we were leaving the next morning, and they laughed at us. They said, ¢Damascus is the friendliest town on the trail, and it¢s like a vortex. You will get sucked in, and we¢ll see you tomorrow!¢ We all laughed because we were leaving the next morning and had no intention of staying. The next morning Tex and I were packing up when Lightweight walks in after an early breakfast. ¢So I was thinking¢¦¢, he said, and that was all it took! We decided to stay just one more night! I¢m glad we did because we had another good day and it was rainy. We hitched over to a nearby town and went to a movie. It seems that movies have gotten worse since I have been out here.After we escaped the vortex, it was a few days of great hiking before we reached the Kincora hostel where the famous Bob Peoples lives. We had a full kitchen, and the next day we decided to cook a massive breakfast! I love breakfast! It was an interesting stay, but I am glad we stopped there.A few days later, my girlfriend¢s dad, Mr. Anderson, came out to hike about 60 miles. Right off the bat he asked me to challenge him¢¦so with his request in mind, I tortured, I mean¢¦pushed him every day. He picked a great stretch to come out and hike. We went over Hump Mountain and the Roan Range which were tough, especially considering the weather. I don¢t even know if I can describe how windy it was on top of the Roan Range, other than to say that when I took a step forward, my foot would land about 2 feet to the right at times! We guessed the wind was about 80 mph, and it was hard to stand! Mr. A was with us the whole way, and I was thrilled to have him experience some of the intensity the trail has to offer. That was the windiest day out here so far. If the day wasn¢t already great, it got better! That night after dark, Mr. A and I went to a hostel called the Greasy Creek Friendly. It was very¢¦friendly I guess. Actually it was weird. The lady that operates the hostel was very nice, and the meal she cooked for us was amazing, but her neighbor was¢¦nuts! Her neighbor dislikes hikers so much that he has amps and speakers pointed toward the hiker bunkhouse that sit on the edge of his property line, and during the middle of the night, he plays music as loud as it will play! There are basically no laws out in the middle of nowhere for disturbing the peace, so he turns the volume all the way up and plays music throughout the night. At least it was NPR. Some loud classical music was just what we needed! We ended up going inside with the ¢upgraded¢ room, and the noise wasn¢t as bad. He wasn¢t done with us yet though. Every morning at 5:00 am, he takes his lawn mower down to the mailbox and cranks it up with the cover off, making sure to cause as much noise as possible to wake everyone up. We really didn¢t think something like this was possible, but clearly, we were wrong. What a nutcase!Mr. A wasn¢t the only visitor I had this week. My dad (Bluetoe), Jim (Aye Aye Aye), brother Eric, and good friend Dom came up to do some hiking for a long weekend. Jess was able to help us out with a slackpack, and we all had a great time. All of us stayed at Uncle Johnny¢s Hostel in Erwin, Tennessee in a cabin. Mr. A had to leave, but the rest of us continued the journey. We went over Big Bald Mountain where the weather was cold and little icy, but I am glad everyone there was able to experience it. We had some tough climbs, but we made it! Slow and steady. I think everyone was exhausted each day, but I know they had a good time. It really flew by for me. A week of visitors, and it was over in the blink of an eye. I was glad to see everyone, and it makes me miss home. I am still having a great time, but I know that it¢s going to be over soon. In less than 18 days my dream of hiking the entire Appalachian Trail will be complete. I still have 271 miles to go, but they will be exciting, and I am looking forward to the challenge. The Smokies are coming up soon, and I hope we have great weather through there. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and I have so much to be thankful for. This journey has really opened up my perspective on things. Last year I was thankful for many things, but this year is different. Food, clothing, health, a smile, and even a hot shower means so much more to me now. I am looking forward to deodorant again too. I will not be with my family this year, but I will be sharing Thanksgiving with other hikers and whoever else wants to be here. This will probably be my penultimate post, as I will not be stopping much in the next few weeks. I am ready to finish, and I can¢t wait to see family and friends again. Life is good, so be thankful for what you do have. May God bless everyone, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving.