Date: 2006-04-08
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Spring Mountain shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: light rain

Woke up about 9am, feeling great. I can't believe I wrote my journal entry for 4/7/06 last night. In the state I was in I shouldn't have been composing anything that will be seen in public. I read over it and it didn't seem that poorly writen, so what I typed stands! hahaGot all my gear packed up and checked out of my hostel. Made my way across the street to the Great Smokey Mountain Restaurant for some breakfast. Shinanigans and Posey Picker were sitting at a booth together so I commented on the previous nights events and then sat down with them. I ordered 3 pancakes, 2 eggs, bacon and a side of toast... the waitress gave me a look like she thought I was crazy and then moved on. Talked with Posey and Shinanigans and found out that Posey was gonna do a zero day in town and hit the trail tomorrow.After breakfast I went and resupplied food... I didn't need much, but some how still managed to forget to buy more peanut butter. That means that I will have to find another way to pick up 700 easy calories a day until I get to Erwin, TN for my next resupply. I have plenty of food so I am sure I will manage.I then walked down the street to the outfitter. They have the only internet in town, so I waited my turn and eventually was able to check my email and also (because I am a huge nerd) see how my stocks are doing. I was satisfied with all outcomes. I also checked out my trail journal and was blown away to see that it has had 5500+ hits. That's crazy! I haven't been this popular since I turned 21 and all my friends were younger than me... and even then I wasn't that popular. Well I hope everyone is enjoying reading about my adventure and if anyone has any specific questions please feel free to email me. I will be happy to answer the question in my daily journal... maybe I can even give it like a special section name, such as: Ask Patches or Patches Speaks... uh, something like that.I then went about the task of buying a new rain jacket. The one I currently have is a very heavy gore-tex REI coat. And it is great, but it is heavy and bulky. I was helped out by a fellow thru-hiker named Heald, who along with his dog (Dog Wonder) have hiked the AT something like 8 or 9 times. Eventually I settled on a coat more expensive than I originally wanted but since I will be able to use it the rest of my trip it will be worth it. I ended up getting a Marmot Precip jacket and the cost (for those interested in such things) was $100. It seems to be a well made coat and it comes with a lifetime warranty. On a side not4 after buying my new coat we weighed my old coat and it weighed in at 2.5 pounds. My new coat weighs 12 oz. That means I am saving 1.75 pounds just by getting a new coat. SCORE!! I also sent home some other cold weather items that I haven't used that often. Total weight sent home from my pack = 5 pounds. I then weighed my pack, and with 5-6 days worth of food and 1.5 liters of water it weighed in at 30 pounds. Not to bad. I am very proud of myself.Left the outfitters and called my parents (they are leaving on a trip to Europe tomorrow to celebrate their 30th anniversary). I double checked on my mail drops and told my parents not to do anything I wouldn't do in Europe. It's kind of funny in the 10 days they are gone I hope to hike about 170 miles. That sounds crazy even to me.I got back on the trail around 3, with 11 miles to go to the shelter I hoped to be there by 6:30 or 7. The hiking was miserable, however. For whatever reason I just couldn't get into a groove and the time seems to creepy by so slowly. I finally made it to the shelter at 7:30 and the shelter was packed. So I went about setting up my tent. Currently I am in my tent and the wind is blowing very strong and it is also raining. Yuck! To top it off it is about 35 degrees out. I haven't been in my tent through a rain storm yet so heres hoping I don't wake up in a puddle of water tomorrow morning.