Date: 2003-06-12
From: Deer Park Mountain Shelter

To: Hot Springs, North Carolina, Elmer's Sunnybank Inn
Miles today: 3.2
Weather: light rain

I am in Hot Springs. I awoke before full daylight and in the gray pre-dawn ate pop tarts and a packet of tuna, drank some spring water, and padded off to the privy in my hiking shorts, T-shirt and sandals. The woods were very quiet, but with ¢coming awake¢ sounds from the birds and bugs. It was damp, dark, and close ¢ we were in a thicket of rhododendrons beneath a canopy of deciduous trees. Deer Park Mountain Shelter, a feeling of remote distance from civilization, even though Hot Springs lay just 3.2 miles north on the trail. Overnight a Whippoorwill entertained us, then aggravated us, with his whip ¢ poor ¢ will call, from far off in the forest and right outside the shelter. I sure hope that boy got his ladybird, as I was pulling for her to succumb to his persistent charms around 3:30 this morning. Al and I finished our packing and were ready to go around 7:00. We hiked pretty much right together all the way to town. The trail immediately begins a half-mile climb up to the ridge, then climbs some more, intermittently, as it traverses the ridge between the western and eastern slopes. Soon enough the climb is completed and you begin the LONG descent into Hot Springs. The town, and the French Broad River, comes into view in miniature from a very high ridge a long way out and up. The trail descends steadily, pounding your feet, and lots of distance traveled translates slowly into a slightly closer view of the town. We came out at the old Jesuit Hostel, since closed, and worked our way along the trail via a long staircase of stone steps on the last side hill before reaching a paved road that eventually becomes the main street of town. We went to Bluff Mountain Outfitters where I retrieved my mail drop box for re-supply and got information about accommodations. Al decided to go to the campground for a $2.00 shower, and I decided to try my luck at Elmer¢s Sunnybank Inn. They only cater to ¢long distance¢ hikers (no weekenders, I guess), but my 175 mile trip, plus last year¢s 165 miles apparently qualified. Elmer¢s has a 25+ year history of catering to hikers. They provide vegetarian meals for the guests. The Inn is located in a large old (like 1840¢s) Victorian style house with many rooms, porches, dark woodwork, beautiful staircases and furnished with antiques, wood stoves, many books, musical instruments and a relaxed, unhurried, and slightly disheveled atmosphere. I met Elmer, Paul and Casey ¢ two young men apparently serving on his ¢staff¢ here until they decide to complete (or begin) their hikes. The place has somewhat of a New Age, environmentalist, Mother Earth, organic farm, liberal, folksy, mountain simplicity, back-to-the-land, 60¢s style hippie, classical music, Eastern mysticism, banjo playin¢, charm. Everyone is very nice and there is a feeling of acceptance. They do in fact have a small farm in the mountains where they practice organic farming/gardening and the produce of that labor shows up in the dining room regularly. I got checked in, showered and tried to do a little getting organized in my room. Al showed up and waited until I was ready to go to the Smokey Mountain Diner across the road. I had fried chicken livers, etc, and Al just had a cup of coffee ¢ he insisted on paying for my lunch. (Thanks, Al!) He was waiting for his wife, Fran, to arrive and take him back to Roswell, Georgia. After eating we agreed that Al would wait at the Post Office as planned and they would come fetch me so I could accompany them to tour a local B & B ¢ The Mountain Magnolia Inn. They did pick me up and we toured the Inn, a very beautiful place, both house and grounds. I made a note to see if Marlene and I might plan to spend a couple of days there sometime. It began to rain as we left the B & B. I had planned to get a picture of Al and Fran but in the rainstorm it was all we could do to drop me off. So our goodbye was quick and somewhat abrupt. As I pondered that, I began to think about the six hiking days ahead and a feeling of loneliness came over me for a couple of hours back in my room. As always, I am prepared to be out alone, hike alone, and camp alone, but being faced with it after so much good company takes a minute to get used to. Al ¢Deacon¢ Jones, Roswell, Georgia I met Al about one mile before the Russell Field Shelter the first day out. I was sitting beside the trail, boots and socks off, resting my feet as he padded slowly by. We exchanged greetings and brief information on our destination and plans for the night ¢ all taking about 20 seconds. At the shelter were Al, Kris, E-psi and me. The next night the same four hikers were at Double Springs Gap Shelter, but it became obvious that Kris and E-psi were soon moving on ahead, with 20+ mile days planned. I had planned to hike to Silers Bald Shelter and had told Al and the other guys that plan, but decided I needed to hike to Double Springs Gap Shelter that night to make the next day¢s hike to Icewater Spring Shelter a little shorter. They were surprised to see me when I walked in, just before (early) nightfall and literally seconds before a downpour began. It seemed that Al was very glad to see me, knowing the two younger men were planning to speed ahead. We never saw Kris and E-psi again but Al and I hiked to Icewater Spring Shelter, Tri-Corner Knob Shelter, Standing Bear Farm hostel, Max Patch Bald, Deer Park Mountain Shelter, and to Hot Springs over the next six days. We were very compatible and liked to hike alone, meet for lunch or breaks, and camp together at night ¢ perfect for me. Al and I are of the same era, but then at the same time, not. He is 11 years my senior, retired 10 years already and has just passed his 65th birthday. I turned 54 on the trail on Monday (June 9). Our backgrounds allowed us to relate ¢ somewhat rural, familiar with the land, farming, and a simple life. So though we are in some ways contemporaries, I thought of him sometimes like an older brother and sometimes like a father figure ¢ with him retired 10 years, and me looking at 10 ¢ 15 years before reaching Social Security retirement age, if full term. But we enjoyed each other¢s company. He shared about his 33+ years of civil service in the Army Reserve, General Services Administration, and Centers for Disease Control (in Accounting related positions) ¢ retiring at age 55. At that point he successfully completed a thru hike of the Appalachian Trail, in 1993. This was followed by 10 years of service as a school bus driver ¢ again about to retire from that position. Al is a Deacon at the First Baptist Church of Roswell Georgia ¢ thus the trail name ¢Deacon¢ Jones (name of famous football player notwithstanding). He is proud of his wife and children and freely (eagerly!) shares pictures of ¢the prettiest set of twins ever born¢ ¢ ¢one of five sets of twins born in the Atlanta area the day the twin towers were destroyed¢. A proud grandfather! He shared freely about his experiences of life, his Sunday School class, spiritual walk, plans for the future, including an Alaska cruise on June 23, 2003, and wisdom of a life well planned for, and well lived. He also seemed interested in my growing up years, my military service in Vietnam, my serving with Campus Crusade for Christ, my marriage, family and future plans. Altogether a very interesting and enjoyable experience spending time with Al, and I feel much enriched for having known him this brief time. We exchanged email and postal addresses and plan to stay in touch. The rest of today was spent relaxing at the Inn with a nap, finishing ¢The Pearl¢, and an enjoyable walk around town. I selected another book from the library at the Inn and I plan to finish it before leaving ¢ ¢As Far As The Eye Can See¢ ¢ David Brill¢s account of his 1979 thru hike of the AT. I took it with me to supper this evening at Bridge Street Caf© and Inn and spent an enjoyable couple of hours reading at a table overlooking the river. Back to the room, some time spent in Psalms, NT, and a time of prayer with the Lord, and I am set for tonight. My loneliness has passed, and I remember the time during last year¢s hike when I was discouraged at the NOC and my phone conversation with Marlene was so encouraging and I was motivated to stick with it and finish the hike. I could not get phone service so we did not talk today, but I could hear her gently encouraging me to finish these last 70 miles. I am motivated and ready. Tomorrow will be a restful day with some final preparation, then on north to Erwin. Goodnight Sweetheart. dp