Date: 2007-03-30
From: Siler Bald Shelter

To: Wayah Gap, Franklin
Miles today: 2.2

March 30, Back in FranklinI got up today at 7:50 a.m. to 53.1 degrees in my tent - not too shabby. It was still damp and a bit dreary outside but it looked like the sun was trying to make it out. It was really hard to muster up any desire to hike today...even though we were planning 12 miles. I peeled my cold, damp clothes off of their respective hooks and went behind the shelter to change. There's nothing quite like putting on a cold, wet sports bra on a cold, wet morning. Ew. Certain and I were complete messes this morning. Our gear was EVERYWHERE and we were moving slowly. We didn't make it out of camp until 10 a.m. and the weather was looking grim again.The last thing I felt like doing today was hiking. I wanted my legs to not feel so tired. I wanted my clothes to make me more warm, not more cold. I wanted to be warm. I wanted my pack to feel better on my back than it did. I wanted to be comfortable. But, onward...We hiked to the top of Siler Bald and it was a beautiful place. It was the first true bald we'd come across so we paused for photos. There was a great hill that I really wanted to roll down but the grass was all wet and I was all cold. Certain decided she wanted to hike to the very top where the trail didn't take us. I decided I didn't feel like moving so I just waited.When she got back, the first thing she said was, "we're not hiking twelve miles today. You know that, right?" I did know it. Neither of us were in the right place for such an endeavor. Our minds came to the same conclusion fast - road crossings ahead equal town. Town equals warmth, comfort, and a pretty neat April Fools Hiker Bash. The biggest choice was which road we felt like hiking to. The closest, of course. We called the Budget Inn and booked their last room and a shuttle. I felt a little guilty escaping the trail when we had just left town yesterday but I also knew I really needed to get my head in the game again.Forty minutes later, Mala was waiting for us at Wayah Gap to take us into town. It was nice to meet Mala since I've been hearing about him for quite a while now. He had some great insight on the trail and it was a pleasure to listen to him.Back home at the Budget Inn, we showered and exploded our packs to let everything dry. Then we walked to find some lunch. We ate at an amazing little place called C&J's (or something like that). I had BBQ pulled pork, two cornbread muffins, corn, applesauce, and chocolate cake. I truly think I could have eaten a second order of everything but I controlled myself since the kitchen was closed.I am glad to be in town. Nap time....We headed to the Hiker Bash tonight and it was a nice time. I met Scholar, whose journal I read while planning my hike - an amazing writer. I also met Hungus, nice guy from Jersery, and hung out with Not Guilty, Hangman, Gadget and Kay. It was a pretty small gathering but technically the festival wasn't supposed to have started yet. Now I'm back at the Budget Inn in my comfy bed. Here's hoping for sunny skies tomorrow. At this point it's not actually town pulling me in - it's my body asking for rest. We'll see what it says tomorrow. Part of me really wants to get back to hiking but there are so many other factors.A note on Ron Haven: everyone says this but it's worth repeating - he's a great guy. He's totally accommdating to hikers and takes care of each of them. Surely he has a thousand thoughts racing through his mind at any given moment but when you're talking to him, he'll take all the time in the world to listen. I definitely recommend supporting him when in Franklin. - Sound of Certain typing on her PocketMail, the humming of the lights in our hotel room, some other odd buzzing noise coming from outside. Post Trail Thoughts:On the way back to Franklin that day, Mala gave us a wonderful history on the area. I don't remember much but I do remember him pointing out the little cave that Eric Rudolph, the man charged with a bombing at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and several other crimes, had been hiding out it. He told us that hikers would often walk by and Rudolph would ask to have his picture taken with them. He would then tell them that their picture was worth a million dollars as that was the reward the FBI was offering at the time. Wow.