Date: 2015-06-11
From: Ironmasters Mansion

To: Boiling Springs Backpacker Campground
Miles today: 18.8

I actually slept pretty well at Ironmasters. I surely needed it. I probably spend way too much time journaling. Everyone else goes to sleep and I am still up recounting my day I to my phone. It'll be worth it so that I can remember in ten years, though. That's the whole point of this thing (well, that and it lets my family know I'm not dead in the woods).Today started with another blissfully hot hostel shower while I had the chance, and then a pitiful breakfast of two mini bagels, orange juice, and an orange. Ironmasters runs on a financial deficit, so they didn't have much to offer. The building is awesome, but the hostel is not that convenient, opening late and with no extra services (or special foods) to appeal to hikers.We set out after breakfast, picking up where we left off yesterday in recounting our hikes day-by-day. It was confusing. I can't remember anything. It made me incredibly glad that I am keeping this journal. We kept waiting to see where our paths overlapped. At some point it became clear that our timelines had gotten screwed up. "Okay, that makes sense, because I was just going I to the Smokies." Turned into, "You are definitely missing days. You had to have skipped something." and "No, you have to catch up to me, YOU skipped days!" and "I told you, I can't remember anything!" and "Every day in the Smokies was the same." and "Let's just skip to Hot Springs." When I got to the Columbo days in my story, I just said, "I already told you this one." I did not want to tell them again. I did not want to think about them again.Our first stop was at a spring about 7 miles north of Ironmasters to refill bottles and eat our midmorning snack. 9 or 10 o'clock snack is now an established part of our routine... I used to eat more smaller snacks throughout the morning. Hiking with Chris, I now usually eat a slightly bigger breakfast and a bigger morning snack.A whole bunch of guys caught up to us at the spring. Most were familiar from the store yesterday - in the afternoon, after a long day of hiking, many of them had CRUSHED the half gallon challenge. They had camped just north of the lake we swam at yesterday. Everyone introduced themselves. I apologized, "I am definitely not going to be able to remember all of your names." And I don't. Blade, Po' Boy... There were at least six guys. I can only remember two names.It was so hot today. Even in the shade on easy trail, I was sweating buckets. I drank and drank and drank but still needed more. We stopped for lunch by a stream and I ate PB&J (protein!). We discussed our favorite books. It is apparent that we don't really have a lot of the same interests (besides the trail, obviously). I like it. I am getting exposed to new ideas.We headed into the rock maze, which isn't really a maze... the trail just winds up and over and around and through some rocky, boulder-thick sections. Lots of climbing. I enjoyed it. It doesn't take much to amuse me.We paused by the second shelter so that Chris could eat a snack. He shared a bit of his granola bar with me after I asked if it was any good. It was STALE. WHY WOULD I WANT STALE GRANOLA BAR?!"I brought you maple sugar candy and you give me STALE GRANOLA BAR?!" I accused. He just laughed.We looked at our options and decided to camp near Boiling Springs. "There's a restaurant where we can get pizza. Or salad, I really want salad." Chris was examining the map."I already have too much food." I said. "I have been spending SO MUCH more money since I started hiking with you.""You've also been having more fun." He shot back. And it is true. "It's PIZZA."He was totally baiting me. He knows about my insatiable desire for carbs and cheese. "I'll think about it." I told him. Innate spending money when I could eat food and lighten Gertrude.Boiling Springs is very pretty - awesome old houses and architecture, and a very near war memorial clock tower. Also, a little lake with a lot of ducks. And a swan. But mostly ducks. I couldn't keep from laughing as a duck quacked its way across the street this evening.The campsite is not ideal, however. My tent is right near train tracks. There is a Porta Potty with TP and hand sanitizer, though. I am now at a point in my life where I am not ashamed that free toilet paper and hand sanitizer really excite me.So, the train proximity sucks. HOWEVER, there is a pool nearby. A pool that would allow us, according to the guidebook, to shower for $2. We arrived at 5:55,to inquire about showers, and the girl at the entrance informed us that a shower was only a dollar, but if we wanted to wait five minutes, it only cost $2 to swim at after 6 p.m.Chris and I looked at each other. Without hesitation, I piped up, "I could swim." I hiked all day in 90 degree heat. How could I NOT want to swim?! The AT Phenomenon was at it again, I swear. She also let us use lost-and-found towels and offered to refill our water bottles.So swim we did! And there were WATER SLIDES. AND THEY WERE AWESOME. Chris went down a puny little one. But I set my sights on the big ones on the other side of the pool. They were GREAT. It was like I was five years old again. Chris and I went down those slides like six times, laughing at the absurdity of our excitement and our good timing and luck again.Eventually Chris asked, "When do you want to think about actually finishing here and getting food?"Food?! I actually didn't want food. I wanted to bask in the glory of being surrounded by cool water instead of hot, humid, disgusting air for like six more hours. But the pool was about to close anyway, and I did want a shower."I want to go down the slide one more time and then I'll shower." I conceded. It was a nice, hot shower, too.We walked past a gas station on our way to dinner (salad and - you guessed it - PIZZA). Chris spotted Treebeard sitting on a milk crate next to the air pump.Treebeard is everywhere. Every time it seems like Treebeard should be way ahead of or behind us, he somehow shows up again. It drives Chris crazy. I think Treebeard is funny, especially since I first met him when he was still in his sleeping bag at like 9 a.m., after I had been hiking for hours. I like him well enough.Yesterday Treebeard walked past us at the AT museum, saying, "Yay! You found each other!" He must have encountered Chris hiking alone while I was at home.Later we encountered Treebeard again at the General Store, and asked if I would stamp his AT passport with my red panda stamp. We chatted for quite a while while Chris wandered off to talk to another group of hikers.My tent is like a greenhouse tonight and I am sad I can't get ahold of Candace for a phone call. Hopefully I can catch her tomorrow before she heads back to the airport.I am thankful for good timing, swimming, vegetables, and impending sleep.