Tuesday, May 26, 2020 5:08 pm 0.0 miles (first zero!)
Hot Springs, NC
Weather: Sunny/overcast, nice breeze
Hostel: Laughing Heart Hostel
Shops: Bluff Mountain Outfitters, Hillbilly Market
Food: Smoky Mountain Diner – pepperoni pizza
My Condition: Feeling good. Currently very full. Tripped doing laundry and developed a blood blister on foot. Lanced, drained, covered, and taped, so should be good to go for tomorrow
Hikers Met: Storyteller
Took my first ever trail zero. Slept in. Finished off some of my food supply for breakfast and lunch. Got some supplies – a new CNOC 2L bag for my squeeze filter, although my intent is to continue using pre-mixed (daily) Aquamira in the blacked out dropper bottle, and save the squeeze filter for really nasty, sediment heavy water sources. Also got a new pair of Darn Tough socks since my Farm to Feets, although they were long considered my “butt-kickin’ socks” for difficult days, developed all sorts of holes – hole in left heel, right big toe completely through sock. Time to retire those, with honor. Also got a new fuel canister and some new insoles, since the stock ones are wearing/rotting through with all the damp, prolonged use. Poor things. Did a 5 day resupply, although the goal is to make it to Erwin, TN by the 30th. Pat and Kelsey will be driving down to Atlanta and are going to stop in Erwin to see me! Very excited for that! Erwin is mile 344.3, and I’m currently at 274.6. That means 69.7 miles to go in 4 days, very doable given my previous pace and my rested state. I called the jury duty number and was finally able to speak to someone – she deferred my selection to October 26 and will send a new summons to our house for that new date. Glad I was able to get that sorted out. I have some really good food in my resupply this time – smoked cheese, pepperoni, honey buns, fruit leather, chili ramen (the kind I love but can never find in stores), and to top it off, a Pad Thai meal – the same delicious kind I had on the last night before getting off trail for COVID. Did some dishes – thorough cleaning of pot, water bottles, backflush of squeeze filter. Charged electronics. Aired out pack and sleeping bag. Replaced ziplocs. Stuffed on pizza, striving for some additional easy liquid calories, this time a sour IPA from Hivemind Brewing in Asheville called Good Fight. Talked to mom and Pat on the phone. Looking forward to getting back on trail to see all that may yet be seen! Also ran into Ginger Bear, who I drank a beer with at the Budget Inn in Hiawassee with Ladypoles. His hiking group had 2 cars, which makes getting around easy since one of them has a dog and needs to bypass the Smokies, but can also be difficult – he bottomed out on the road up to Max Patch and lost his bumper. The hostel’s host Tigger is a lovely lady from Florida who has finished all but 150 miles of the Florida Trail, in addition to being an AT thru hiker. Also caught up with Janne tonight.
Post Trail Analysis
The CNOC filter bag replacement was unnecessary – I never used it! Definitely regretted the insole purchase – thankfully, I held on to the old ones and was able to pop them back in once I decided the new ones weren’t for me. I opted to resupply at the outfitter and at the convenience store, as opposed to the Dollar General in town. More expensive, but the heart (stomach) wants what the heart (stomach) wants. Although lots of the local eateries, shops, library, AT visitors center, etc were closed, I felt welcomed into the town by the sidewalks, which are emblazoned with AT panels ala the Hollywood walk of fame.
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