Date: 2007-04-05
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

A much more relaxing day today. We picked up the last few things we needed and sent home an SD card for downloading. We tried to identify as many of the flowers as possible before sending it, but had only 1 left undentified.After breakfast we went to the outfitter to buy our last bit of food supply, some postcards, and some small gifts to send grandchildren. Then we went to the hot springs spa for an hour in the tub. While we were in the tub a squirrel jumped from the wooden fence separating our tub from the next one to the maple tree next to our tub and started munching on a clump of maple seeds. I grabbed the camera and took some pictures. I also want to do a calendar of creatures I see while on the trail.This afternoon we went to the outfitter to check our e-mail and I also went online to REI and ordered a pair of SOLE insoles. They hopefully will help cushion my feet better from the rocks, etc. I had superfeet from 2005 and I'm sure they needed replaced but even in 05 my feet felt very sore and bruised after a few miles of walking. So we shall see how the Sole insoles do. Speaking of gear, I love my Big Agnes sleep pad. I have not had to take Vitamin I (ibuprofen) except for a couple at night for my throbbing feet. My hips, knees, and other joints have not kept me awake at night. That really is a blessing. It takes a bit longer to blow up in the evening and to roll up in the morning but it is worth it.We did not eat lunch today because the breakfast we had was so filling. So, even though we were eating dinner at The Sunnybank Inn at 7PM we were hungry at about 4:30 so went for pie and ice cream at the diner. While we were there Stubble came in and had a glass of sweet tea---he also was eating dinner at the Inn. He is an older person like ourselves and it was interestng to talk to him. He has been hiking the last few days with Bucket and getting in to the same shelters with her and they both walked into town today. We saw Flint, Hobo, and Calamity Jane at the restaurant at breakfast and then again this afternoon when we stopped for pie. They were going to hike out today but decided to stay another day because it is so cold in the mountains. Stubble said he was cold last night because his sleeping bag was not warm enough, so is getting one here at the outfitter that is rated for lower temperatures. He said his water in his water bladder froze last night and that the trees and ground was covered with frost this morning. The dinner that Elmer cooked tonight was fabulous!! He only cooks vegetarian meals and it was outstanding! We had a delicious carrot type soup that had cilantro in it, a tossed salad with a secret recipe of Elmer's using Tahini (spelling?), crushed sesame seeds, I think. Then brown rice and an Indonesian sauce with curry over steamed vegetables. Last was the dessert of pecan pie with vanilla ice cream and hot tea. All this with candles andgood conversation. While we were eating the soup we each had to tell our name, where we are from, what we did before the trail, what we were going to do after the trail. Also we had to share where, if we were to be awarded the Nobel prize for whatever, we would want to receive the award and what musicians we would want to have. My place was Max Patch (without rain and lots of wind) because it is big enough for lots of people and beautful on a clear day for 360 degrees. The musicians would be The Beach Boys and maybe a younger Tom Jones. After dinner, 2 young hikers that play the banjo, guitar, and fiddle, gave us a bit of entertainment with some old ballads, some of them written by a woman that used to live in this house in the early 1900's. This house was built in 1840 and is very unique. The objects about the house are so varied, old, and unusual. All belong to Elmer and much of what is here is what he picked up in his travels. He was a professor at Duke University in world religions and was one of the first to join the Peace Corps. He hiked the AT in the late 1970's, I believe, and stayed here in this house when he came through Hot Springs. He soon after bought this home and used it as a retreat center. It has been used for over 100 years as a hospitality house.   It is after midnight and we hike in the morning so I had bettter stop for now. I would love to be able to tell some of the stories we heard at dinner but I am afraid I would not tell them right. Some of the stories the hikers tell about why they are here or how they came to be out here are just unbelievable. Life is Great!