Date: 2013-04-21
From: Long Branch Shelter

To: Winding Stair Gap
Miles today: 7.3

I usually tent, but last night was the first night I had stayed in a shelter. The shelter at Long Branch is a nice new double decker shelter just finished in 2013. It could easily accommodate up to 12 people. With me at the shelter were Fast Eddie, Ken, Stopsalot, 7up and Swamp Fox. At about 8:30 last night, I sat in the back of the shelter with my back to the wall and I was at least able to type my journal which is much easier than typing in a tent. After lights out I drifted off to sleep. A few snored and one was a nose whistler. In the morning, I was told I was one of the snorers. Hard to believe since I had my ¢pretty in pink¢ ear plugs in and I couldn't hear anyone snoring, including myself. But someone I will leave nameless said I sounded like a freight train. It was definitely warmer last night than the night before. I was able to get four hours of sleep before nature called in the middle of night. There wasn¢t a campfire last night but there was a lot of camaraderie. Fast Eddie set up his alcohol stove on a picnic table and it started burning hot and burned the table. In the morning we noticed the stove had left a perfectly charred "O" on the picnic table. After that,I thought it would be funny to rename him Big O or even Firestarter.The good thing about staying in a shelter is packing up to leave is a lot faster without having a tent to take down. Several of the hikers broke camp by 7:30 am. I took my time as usual drinking my coffee and eating my Belvita cookies. I didn¢t leave camp til about 9:15 and caught up with Stopsalot and Fast Eddie and hiked with them most of the day. As we were walking, a topic that becomes a prime concern for all hikers, is food. And as we were headed to Franklin, the discussion was centered on food. Stopsalot said that a couple of nights ago he was looking at family pictures and he came upon a picture of his wife wearing a bikini, eating french fries . He found himself staring more at the french fries than he was staring at his wife in the bikini. Hiker hunger is starting to kick in here and it seems we talk about food incessantly, especially as we near each town. Somewhere near the last 2 miles, I hiked ahead and tried to hitch into town unsuccessfully. I then called the hotel and was given a list of people who would shuttle us. After calling 4 different people, I finally got a hold of Annette who said she could be there in 45 minutes. She came and took the three of us, along with Chief who is retired from the air force after 30 years and was out section hiking (he had hiked the trail before). Annette drove us to the Microtel and asked us only for a donation for the local hiking club that maintains the trail we had just walked on including the shelter we had just stayed in. So it goes to a worthy cause and we were all happy to contribute. I am staying at the Microtel. It's a small room, but it is very clean and the people here are very hiker friendly. There is a lot within walking distance too. When I arrived, I ran into Allison. She and Tom were also staying here and had just checked in before us. After taking a hot shower for a long time, I went on to clean my gear and gather my dirty laundry. I walked a mile with Crazy Eddie to the laundromat where we washed our clothes and then went to Ingles Grocery store and scouted out the things we would need to get to reprovision for the next 3 or 4 days of our journey north. After completing our laundry chores, we walked back and changed into clean clothes and then headed over to Fatz and had a steak dinner. We also had vegetables, salad and asparagus and good old southern peach cobbler with Breyers vanilla ice cream. mmm mmm good. It sure was good comfort food. During dinner, Fast Eddie said he actually got his name because he is not fast. He is from Maine and got the itch to hike the trail after his daughter, who¢s trail name was T-Bird hiked the trail back in 2003. He¢s been doing a lot of hiking in New Hampshire to prepare for this trip. I really enjoy talking with him and spending time with him. After dinner I headed back to my room and got ready for bed. We will be here for one more day and reprovision and by Tuesday morning we will be back on the trail. Still smiling.