Date: 2010-04-30
From: Spivey Gap

To: Erwin
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: clear sky

Uncle Johnny's, 11.2   When I first started this thru hike I wanted to dedicate it to a few family members but I was afraid to. The reason was because I was concerned about failu30 April Uncle Johnny's   When I first started this thru hike I wanted to dedicate it to a few family members but I was afraid to. The reason I was afraid to was because I was concerned about failure. I did not want to dedicate my hike to people and fail at my hike. I realize now that I have to think positive and continue every day that way. I will announce a few people that I wish to dedicate my hike to. Richie, my nephew whose life was ended short by a drunk driver. He had so much to live for and was so young. Marcia and Herk(sp), who are battling health problems right now. I tried to stop in and visit them before I left and the timing just was not right and things started getting hectic before I left.    Last night Montana's dog Meko growled a couple of times in the night from within her tent and she was not too far from my hammock. That had me a little nervous. I also realized that I had left some empty granola wrappers in my pack and not hung them with my food bag. Everything turned out fine but it left me with very little sleep.   This was what I think was one of my easiest hiking days so far. My blister on my right heal is telling me something different though.   I weighed myself when I to the Hostel today and I have lost 25 pounds since I started this hike. I am almost down to the weight I was in high school. Five more pounds and I should be there. I have been trying for over 20 years to get back down to that weight. I should have tried hiking the AT a long time ago.   I caught up to Bismarck and several others here at the Hostel. I was told that Uncas and Mad Mike left here this morning.   I caught Rachael who¢s trail name is now City Slicker. She was here for the hiker feed. She is actually 20 or so miles ahead of us. She is hiking with a group that calls themselves the Fraternity. I might catch her in a few days.   Tomorrow there are several of us that are being shuttled 20 miles ahead and slack packing back here. Then on Sunday we will get shuttled to the spot 20 miles ahead and start heading north again, if the weather permits. Last we heard was that thunderstorms were moving in on Sunday and Monday. The weather has been changing back and forth. Just a minute ago it said the rain was now coming in Sunday night and into Monday morning.   I went to charge my phone when I got to the hostel and realized that a piece of my charger was missing. I think I left that piece in the outlet at the library in Hot Springs. I got lucky by looking under the bed and found another usb charger that someone left.   We got a ride in to town today from Uncle Johnny's shuttle on the 2 pm shuttle to the all you can eat Pizza Plus. I ate four plates of salad and about four slices of pizza, and about eight refills of lemonade. The Dollar General was right next door so we went and resupply on a few things. After that all the food and liquids that I consumed caught up to me. I had to make a mad dash to the bathroom and it was not pretty.   At dinner time we all hung around the hamburger feed that went on across the bridge from Uncle Johnny's and socialized.   Pepper went into town to the dentist to get his front tooth fixed that broke a few day back. He called me after his appointment and wanted to make sure where the 6 pm shuttle was going to be. I walked back to the Hostel to check with them. When I checked with the shuttle provider he seemed upset that he had to make a run. He had made arrangements earlier with Pepper and knew he was going to have to go back to get him on the 6 pm scheduled shuttle run. Truth, Krispy Kritter, Chili and I decided to take the 6 pm shuttle run even though we did not need to go to town, we just wanted to make sure Pepper was not forgotten and the shuttle person was not going to blow it off. That pissed off the driver because we heard him make the comment to Uncle Johnny "hikers get free food and they still want to go to town for food". He had been sitting around drinking beer and I think he was upset that he had to stop drinking and drive us to town. We could tell he was pissed off on the trip into town because he was driving erratic and going about 80 mph. When we got to Food Lion he stopped and shut off the van and said "you all have 20 minutes and if anyone is not here I am leaving without you¢. We all made it back alive without incident with Pepper with us. I went over and got another burger at the hiker feed after that shuttle run to town.   I am a little worried about this 20 mile slack pack tomorrow. It will all work out though.   Here in the bunk room tonight are Krispy Kritter, Pepper, Chili, Bismarck, Easy, Truth, and another guy whose name I did not get.   Hopper called me from Damascus tonight and told me that she has some type of abses in her mouth and might have to get off the trail. She said she would wait to see how she felt in the morning and make her decision.re. I did not want to dedicate my hike to people and fail at my hike. I realize now that I have to think positive and continue every day that way. I will announce a few people that I wish to dedicate my hike to. Richie, my nephew who's life was ended short by a drunk driver. He had so much to live for and was so young. Marcia and Herk(sp), who are battling health problems right now. I tried to stop in and visit them before I left and the timing just was not right and things started getting hectic before I left.    Last night Montana's dog Meko groweled a couple of times in the night from in her tent and she was not to far from my hammock. That had me a little nervous. I also realized that I had left some empty granola wrappers in my pack and not hung them with my food bag. Everything turned out fine though but it left me with very little sleep.   This was what I think was one of my easiest hiking days do far. My blister on my right heal is telling me something different though.   I weighed myself when I got here today and I have lost 25 pounds since I started this hike now. I am almost down to the weight I was in high school. Five more pounds and I should be there. I have been trying for over 20 years to get back down to that weight. I should have tried hiking the AT a long time ago.   I caught up to Bismarck and several others. I was told that Uncas and Mad Mike left here this morning.   I caught Rachael now know as City Slicker. She was here for the hiker feed. She is actually 20 or so miles ahead of us. I might catch her in a few days.   Tomorrow there are several of us that are shooting 20 miles ahead and slack packing back to here. Then on Sunday we will get shuttled there again and start heading north again if the weather permits. Last we heard was that thunderstorms were moving in on Sunday and Monday. The weather has been changing back and forth. Just a minute ago it said the rain was now coming in Sunday night and into Monday morning.   I went to charge my phone when I got to the hostel and realized that a piece of my charger was missing. I got lucky by looking under the bed and found another usb charger.   We got a ride in to town today from Uncle Johnny's on the 2 pm shuttle to the all you can eat Pizza Plus. I ate four plates of salad and about four slices of pizza, and about eight refills of lemonade. The Dollar General was right next door so we went and resupply on a few things. After that I had to make a mad dash to the bathroom. The all you could eat buffet caught up to me and it was not pretty.   We all hung around the the hamburger feed that went on across the bridge from Uncle Johnny's.   Pepper went into town to the dentist to get hit front tooth fixed that broke. He called me after his appointment and wanted to make sure where the 6 pm shuttle was going to be. When I checked with the shuttle provider he seemed upset that he had to make a run. He had known earlier that he was going to have to go back to get him and there was a 6 pm shuttle anyways. Truth, Krispy Kritter, Chilli and I decided to take the 6 pm just to make sure Pepper was not forgotten. That pissed off the driver because we heard him make the comment to Uncle Johnny "hikers get free food and they still want to go to town for food". He had been sitting around drinking beer and I think he was upset that he had to stop drinking and drive us to town. When we got to Food Lion he stopped and shut off the van and said "you all have 20 minutes and if anyone is not here I am leaving without you. We all made it back without incident.   I went over and got another burger after the run.   I am a little worried about this 20 mile slack pack tomorrow. It will all work out though.   Here in the bunk room tonight are Krispy Kritter, Pepper, Chilli, Bismarck, Easy, Truth, and another guy who's name I did not get.