Date: 2009-03-21
From: Winding Stair Gap/Franklin NC

To: Franklin NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

March 21, 2009Hello from Franklin NC. Today was a "zero" day. A zero day is when you don't hike any miles but that doesn't mean you just lay around and do nothing. There are usually chores to do and today was no different. First it was breakfast at Shoney's. I ate more than I can ever remember eating, but I need the food to replenish the nutrients I lost while on the trail plus it really tasted good. After breakfast it was a trip to the UPS store. I sent a piece of gear home that wasn't performing correctly and I also bought an envelope that for a set rate I can send as much stuff as I can fit into it. Next was K-Mart to get some spare AA batteries. Since I used my headlamp so much the other night I want to make certain I have backups if I need any. From there I was off to Ingle's, a grocery store, to buy the food I'll need for the next 2-3 days. Lastly, I went to Subway to get a sandwich to eat tomorrow for lunch or dinner. When possible I like to take something fresh to eat my first day out, it makes the pack weigh a little more but eating it first means you don't have to carry it very far. Hightop called earlier in the morning and wanted to get together for lunch. He's staying on the other side of town and Miss Janet was going to shuttle him and a couple other hikers over to the outfitter just up the street from me. Miss Janet also offered to pick me up at Subway and drop me off at the outfitters. It saved me about a half mile walk. Next we went back to Shoney's for lunch. This time I pigged out on fruit. Miss Janet is truly a trail legend. She previously operated a hostel in Erwin TN but she had to give it up last year. She's now running a hostel here in Franklin for Ron Haven (he picked me up yesterday from the trail). She's a wonderful person who loves helping hikers. She told me to call her tomorrow morning and she'll take me to where Ron Haven leaves from to return hikers to the trail. After making my salami and cheese wraps I started organizing my pack. I've just returned from dinner at Fatz's Caf©, and as usual it was a lot of good food. Some people have asked me to talk a little about my gear. First is my hiking poles, they are Leki Makalu. I've had them since 2000 when I first started the AT. They've kept me from falling at least hundreds of times since then. They also help in steep inclines and when going downhill. My knees would be in a lot worse shape if I didn't use them. Next is my SteriPen water purifier. So far it works great. Just fill up a 1/2 or full liter bottle and you have good water in less than 90 seconds. The main drawback is that it uses batteries, but I carry spare batteries so that doesn't concern me. Next is my JetBoil. It¢s a stove that heats water to a boil quicker than anything else used on the trail. Since I use freezer bags to eat out of, all I do is add hot water to the bags and let the food re-hydrate. It weighs more than most stoves but I'm willing to trade the weight for speed. Lastly for tonight is my Blackberry Storm phone. I can definitely tell that Verizon no longer supports analog signals because there are places where I think I should get a good signal but don't, although I can usually get a text message out if I need to. I'm also doing my journals on the phone and if needed, I can access the internet to get, among other things, current weather information. There are at least a few others who also use a Blackberry.That should do it for tonight. Take care. Dave