Date: 2003-05-01
From: Hot Springs, N.C.

To: Laurel Creek Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

start Hot Springs destination Laurel Creek Shelter, but I did not make it.I had filled my boots with newspaper last night to help dry them out,then this morning I took them out and left them in the sun along with my wet socks. The water has been turned off again, so all the restaurants are on limited services. I run into Q and Janachi at the diner and eat with them. I mail my boxes and settle down to wait for my ride to Allen Gap. I finish the book I have been reading. At least I will lose a few ounces from my pack now. At the outfitters, my pack weighs 34 pounds. This is crazy. I weigh 149. Both my pack and I have gained weight since starting this trip! I guess I will just surrender to the fact I will be carrying 35 pounds to Maine. Some poor planning and my failing to check things out resulted in me doing another zero day in Hot Springs. The ride up to Allen Gap that was supposed to have materialized at 2:00 did not happen, so I had to get a room, one of the last two available in town. It is 5:00 and I have to refigure my plans for the next sevral days. I am finding out how complex hiking with someone can be. The positive thing is that I will have another day for my knee to recoup from the high miles yesterday. I am in another hostel. The Cody House. There are 6 beds, a kitchen, bath and dining room. It also has a TV which stays on. Drives me crazy!!!I eat dinner at the last place I have not tried. The pente pasta with alfredo sauce is good but too rich for this late hour. I pay for that later.   I am antsy and irritable and easily get caught up in the talk of not reaching Katahdin soon enough and having to flip flop, which is not what I want to do. I need to just focus on my own hike and decide what I need to do for me to reach my goal.   I think part of my unsettledness is due to being surrounded by spring and not planting the first flower or vegetable. I love growing things even though so often it goes to weeds in the garden before I can harvest it. My flower and herb garden though always brings me much enjoyment. Just the mere action of planting a seed and reaping wonderfully scented herbs or brilliantly colored flowers keeps me mindful of my creator. I was fortunate enough to hear our president's speech for the National Day of Prayer and also his speech tonight, officially ending the war. I also listened to some hikers ridicule him for letting 100 or 1000 year old trees be destroyed. Out of the same mouths, they support abortion. So it is okay to kill unborn babies, but not trees. Truly, we do have some confused people out there.    Maledrop will be picking me up here early in the morning to take Pushing UpDaisies and I up to Allen Gap. I hope to go to sleep early, but the other hikers here have other plans. I have already asked one of them to refrain from his foul language. The beer drinking, pot smoking, foul mouth group starts partying at least they turn the TV down. I climb in bed and stuff my ears with toilet paper. My ear plugs are buried in the bottom of my pack. I am saddened that so many people have to drink, smoke and curse to be accepted and feel good about themselves. The worse part is that they think they are really happy. Well, maybe they are. Truly I have been living a sheltered life. I fall asleep with the question rolling around in my mind,"Who will bring the Lord's presence into these people?   I wake up several times after the party has stopped and look into the dining room. The hiker that had such a foul mouth is sitting alone at the table with earphones on, nodding his head to some music I can't hear. Alone at the table, he is not the laughing, joking person he was earlier. He looks so very sad and almost destitute. Again I am saddened by the life he has to lead. Drinking until he passes out to be able to cope with daylight. I whisper a prayer for him and fall back to sleep. bumpkin