Date: 2006-03-18
From: Campsite outside of Hot Springs

To: Little Laurel Shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: scattered clouds

I would have slept well last night had I not been on a hill, but other than that I'd say with a little tweaking, my little tarp set up might work out after all, but I wouldn't want to be in a rain storm with it yet, not that confident. So today I hiked alone, again, and did ok. I would have done really well but my achillie is flaring up so I've been praying pretty much all day that God would heal it so we'll see in the morning. I ate lunch at Spring Mountain shelter and left a note for Braveheart telling him that I'd be starying at Little Laurel shelter tonight. I really hope he catches up soon. so I was lonely pretty much all day which led me to just pray that God would come closer. I also prayed for Him to bless me because I was feeling low - and lown and behold, a trail magic sign. I had seen one earlier on in the day but there wasn't anything around, so I didn't get my hopes up but at I kept reading the more I realized that it was the real day and it was telling me to go down the road to a house for food - I'm there! Thought the driveway was a small mountain, and I indeed tried to get a hitch to the top, I finally arrived and was greet by a Christian couple by the names of Hercules and Fal, they through hiked in 1999. Let me tell ya something, they know how to treat a fellow. They fed me a Belgium waffle, stuff pepper, a pulled pork sandwhich, and jello that was like rasberry and cottage cheese, coke by the liter, sweet southern tea by the glass full and boy it all taster so good! They told me that they just loved the A.T. so much that they prayed that God would use them in some way as a ministry and sure enough they found their niche. They even let me use their phone, which cost them .25 cents a minute, so I could call Keri and give her a message she could give to Braveheart. She was in Orlando with her dad so she never got the other message I left for her at her school phone. Even thought it w as a quick call and I only got to tell her a message to give to Braveheart, it was soooooo good to hear her voice. I've noticed that Keri just being herself brings out a different side in me that makes me do great things. That is a great quality I think - as long as I keep God my focus. I do miss her a lot though. So I pressed on to the shelter and were shortly joined by Taco, Brain, and Walter. An older man was also there. I don't know how we got on the topic but the quote of the day came from Taco when he was saying how Cajun people just have a whole different language, "It's like half Canadian and half Japanese." He's from Tennesse. So yeah, I want to go 21 mile tomorrow to keep up with Taco and the guys because they have a cell phone and my food is also getting low, but God is really going to have to heal my feet tonight. Please God, I beg you. Oh I also prayed today that God would clothe and feed me on the trail and he blessed me with snack bars at the trail magic house - those bars were something I forgot to buy while in town. That house was cool, log cabin style with all the fixtures.apple tart---1/2 lbs summer sausage on wheat bread---Belgium waffle, stuffed pepper, pulled pork sandwhich, jello, coke, tea lemonade - Hercules and Fall's House---loaded mashed potatoes, jambolya rice